Mediterranean Bean Salad

 Dressing:

     1/3 C Olive Oil

     Juice from 1 large lemon (approx. 3 tbsp)

     3 tbsp red wine vinegar

     2 tsp Dijon mustard

     2 cloves garlic, minced

     1/2 tsp Oregano

     1/2 tsp sea salt (or more to taste)

     Black pepper to taste

Salad:

     1-19 oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, drained and rinsed

     1-19 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

     1-15 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

     Half an English cucumber, quartered and sliced

     1 pint Cherry Tomatoes, sliced

     1 bell pepper, diced (any color per preference)

     1/2 C kalamata olives, sliced

     1/2 C chopped fresh parsley

     1/2 C red onion, finely diced

     2 tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped

     3/4 C crumbled Feta Cheese

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.

2. In a large bowl, gently mix together the beans, cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, olives, parsley, red onion, and basil.

3. Pour the dressing onto the salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Fold in the crumbled feta. For best flavor, cover and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days.

Lebanese Rice with Vermicelli

Water
2 C long grain rice
1 C broken vermicelli or angel hair pasta
2.5 tbsp olive oil
salt
1/2 C toasted pine nuts, optional

Rinse the rice well (a few times), place in a medium bowl, and cover with water. Soak for 15-20 minutes. Drain well.

Heat the olive oil in medium cooking pot on medium-high. Add the broken pasta and stir continuously to toast it evenly to a nice golden brown (do not burn). 

Add the rice and continue to stir until the rice is coated with oil. Season with salt.

Add 3.5 C water and bring to a boil. When the water is down to the level of the rice, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes on low. Once fully cooked, turn the heat off and leave the rice undisturbed in pot for another 10-15 minutes. 

Uncover and fluff with a fork. Transfer to serving platter and optionally top with toasted pine nuts. 

Recipe from www.themediterraneandish.com. #themediterraneandish

Goes great with Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kebabs

Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Kabobs

2 tsp Spanish paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground green cardamom
salt and pepper
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts cut into large cubes
1 yellow onion sliced
1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
6 tbsp lemon or lime juice
2 bell peppers (your choice of color) cut into 1.5" pieces
1 red onion cut into 1.5" pieces

In a small bowl, combine paprika, thyme, nutmeg, cardamom, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Generously coat the chicken with the spices.

Place the chicken cubes in a deep dish with the sliced onions and add the minced garlic and juice. Add a generous drizzle of the olive oil. Toss the chicken to make sure it's well coated, cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours (or marinate 30 minutes at room temperature).

Prepare kebobs by threading chicken, peppers, and onion onto skewers. Grill kebobs, turning occasionally, for 10-12 minutes or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

Serve kabobs with warm pita, tahini sauce, and Lebanese rice with vermicelli. 

Recipe from www.themediterraneandish.com #themediterraneandish!

Beef Standing Rib Roast (prime rib)

 5 lb standing rib roast/prime rib, bone in 
1 onion, quartered
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, halved horizontally
5 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs rosemary

Garlic Herb Butter:
10 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
2 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

1. Bring beef to room temperature: take beef out of the refrigerator 2-3 hours before cooking to bring to room temperature. Pat dry with paper towel.
2. Preheat over to 450 degrees F. 
3. Prepare garlic herb butter.
4. Place onion, garlic, and herbs in a heavy based oven proof skillet or roasting pan.
5. Spread a thin layer of butter on the underside of the beef (i.e., the bone side). Place beef (butter side down) on onion etc. in roasting pan. Spread about 2/3 of the butter on the top and sides, reserving some for step 7.
6. Roast 20 minutes in middle of oven.
7. Remove and spread remaining butter over the beef. Turn oven down to 250 degrees F. 
8. Roast for a further 1.5 hrs, basting every 30 minutes with the juices in the pan, until the internal temperature is 118 degrees F (for medium rare). Start checking the internal temperature early to avoid over cooking.
9. Transfer beef to plate. Cover loosely with foil and rest for 20-30 minutes. Internal temperature will rise to 125 degrees F. 
10. Slice beef and serve with au jus.

Note 1: If  beef is boneless, start checking the temperature at least 30 minutes sooner.

Note 2: Once the internal temperature reaches 104 degrees F, the internal temperature increases by 10 degrees every 10 to 15 minutes.

Note 3: Unpeeled onion and garlic hold together better so they keep the beef elevated off the base of the pan. 

Note 4: For rare beef, pull out of oven at 115 degrees for a target temperature of 120 degrees after resting. For medium rare, pull at 118 for final temperature of 125. For medium, pull at 123 degrees for 130 final reading. For medium well, pull at 127 for 135 final temperature. Do not over cook prime rib! 

from:www.recipetineats.com

Crock Pot Ham and Beans

1 lb dried great northern beans, other beans, or mixed beans, as desired
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 large sweet onion, chopped coarsely
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 lb smoked ham or 1 lb ham hock
6 c water or broth

Sort beans and soak in enough water to cover overnight.
Rinse and drain the beans before placing them in the crock pot.
Add all ingredients to the crock pot, cover, and cook on low for about 8 hours or until beans are tender and creamy.
Skim excess fat, if necessary, before serving.

recipe from food.com.

Chicken Spaghetti

1 C Chicken, cooked and chopped

8 oz. thin spaghetti, broken in half

1 1/4 C shredded Mexican style cheese, divided

1/2 medium onion, diced

1/4 C diced bell peppers, your preference of color(s)

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp red pepper

1/4 tsp lemon pepper

1 10.75 oz. can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 C chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Cook spaghetti until al dente. Sauté peppers and onions. Reserve 1/2 C shredded cheese. Add remaining ingredients and stir into noodles. Pour into baking dish and top with reserved shredded cheese. 

Bake about 45 minutes until thoroughly heated. Cover with foil if cheese starts to brown. 

Makes 4 servings.

Blueberry Cobbler

3 C fresh blueberries
3 tbsp white sugar
1/3 C orange juice
2/3 C all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
1/2 C butter, softened
1/2 C white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375° F.

In an 8" square baking dish, mix blueberries, 3 tbsp sugar, and orange juice. Set aside.

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream butter and 1/2 C sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring just until ingredients are combined. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons over blueberry mixture. Try to cover as much of filling as possible.

Bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling.