Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmades)

This is a very special post for me! My parents recently gave me my grandparents' handwritten recipe book and it brought me to tears! I've mentioned so many times how much I regret not writing my family members' recipes down while they were still with us, and little did I know, someone already did! Why my parents neglected to tell me about this book until now, I have no idea, but I'm sure grateful it's finally mine! 

This picture is of me with my Papou :) my Dad's father, and the little card box he gave me. He used to come to our house and cook for us a few times a week. Food is pretty much the only tie I have to my Greek heritage so I am thrilled to have the recipe book of memories and traditions to pass on to my family some day! These Stuffed Grape Leaves, or Dolmades (I'll admit we only ever called them stuffed grape leaves) are my Papou's recipe and I am delighted and proud to share them with everyone :)

Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmades)

Makes about 30 stuffed grape leaves

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/2 Tbsp parsley

1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes

1/4 cup Uncle Ben’s rice (Papou’s recipe said specifically Uncle Ben’s)

1/4 tsp pepper

3/4 lb ground beef

30 grape leaves (about half of a 1 lb jar)

1 lemon

1. Chop onions, parsley, and tomatoes as finely as possible.

2. Mix ground beef, chopped onion, parsley, tomatoes, rice, and pepper.

3. Pat grape leaves with a paper towel to dry slightly. Place the shiny side of a grape leaf down and spread open. Place about 1/2 to 1 Tbsp of ground beef mixture at the base of the grape leaf. Fold the bottom part of the grape leaf around the ground beef mixture and roll up tightly. Place in a large pot seam side down. Repeat until all of the ground beef is used. Make one tightly packed layer in the pot before creating another layer.

4. Squeeze 1/2 lemon juice over the top of the grape leaves. Place a glass plate upside down on top of the grape leaves (to hold them down while they cook). Add water to the pot until it just reaches the edge of the plate. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. Cut one grape leaf open to see if the meat is fully cooked and no longer pink. Cook longer if necessary. Serve with lemon wedges. Enjoy! 

Chop the onions, parsley, ....

... and tomatoes as finely as possible.

Mix chopped onions, parsley, tomatoes, ground beef, pepper, and rice. The rice must be Uncle Ben's rice! Why? Papou said so apparently. And I listened. Hah!

The grape leaves come in a 1 lb jar and this recipe used about half of it. You can find them in the ethnic section of your grocery store, or by the pickles. Pat them with a paper towel to dry them a little. 

Place 1/2 to 1 Tbsp of the meat mixture at the base of the grape leaf in a little cylinder shape.

Wrap the bottom parts around the meat.

Wrap the sides in.

Roll up!

Wrap it tightly! Some of mine fell apart when they cooked and I think it was because I didn't roll them rightly enough. 

Repeat until all the meat is used. Place them seam side down in a large pot in a tightly packed single layer before you start a second layer. 

Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the top and add water to just cover the grape leaves.

Place a glass plate on top of the grape leaves upside down. There should be just enough water in the pot to come to the edge of the plate. The plate is to hold the grape leaves down as they cook! Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes. Cut one open to make sure they are done!

Serve with lemon wedges! It is kind of hard to describe how grape leaves taste to someone that's never tried them before. I attempted to explain them to my boyfriend and couldn't think of something to compare them to. I told him to just trust me! And he ended up loving them :) The jarred grape leaves are salty and have a very unique texture, definitely leafy but sturdy. The meat mixture contains all standard ingredients everyone has had, but the grape leaves are very unique. I found them in my grocery store, so stop by the ethnic section next time you're shopping and enjoy some Greek finger food!

Chunky Greek Salad

This is the salad I grew up with! No lettuce, never any other salad dressings. I love the chunky veggies! That's always my favorite part of any other salad anyways. Who's favorite part is the lettuce? Might as well skip it. The dressing is simple and light and the feta cheese gives just the right amount of sharpness. I won a bottle of Chile Olive Oil on Twitter and I used it in the dressing. It's the perfect base for this dressing and still has bold flavor on its own! I've had this salad with a chicken breast, pitas, and hummus for dinner numerous times! It's perfect when you're in the mood for something light. So flavorful! 

Chunky Greek Salad
Makes 4 cups of salad (about 2 dinner salads or 4 side salads)
Total time: 10 minutes

Ingredients
1 cucumber
2 tomatoes
1/4 red onion
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
4 oz feta cheese

Chop cucumber, tomatoes, and 1/4 onion. Mix all ingredients. For a dinner salad, serve with a grilled chicken breast and whole wheat pitas and hummus!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread French Toast

Why didn’t I think of this before? French Toast made even more delectable by using fancy bread? How had this not occurred to me earlier?! Don’t waste another weekend breakfast without this dish in your life. The extra sweetness from the cinnamon and raisins almost makes syrup unnecessary. I could just pick up a slice and eat it with my hands! And it’s good cold too. Oh, is it good cold. French toast tastes like Saturday and Sunday morning to me, and this version makes it taste even more like dessert!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread French Toast

Makes 6 Servings

Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 loaf cinnamon raisin bread, sliced

4 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Pinch salt

Tbsp butter

Maple syrup for serving

Makes 6 servings

1. Mix eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt and pour into a large plate.

2. Lay the bread in the egg mixture and flip to coat both sides. 

3. Melt about 1/4 Tbsp of butter in a pan and cook a few French toast slices over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Repeat until the whole loaf is cooked. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!

If you are able to slice your own cinnamon raisin bread, thick slices work best for french toast! 

Mix together the milk, eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt for the batter.

It's easiest to flip the bread in the batter if it's in a large plate!

Coat both sides of the bread in the batter. 

Cook in a little bit of melted butter on both sides...

Until the french toast is golden brown!

I really wish I had some powdered sugar to put on top! Serve with syrup and devour. There's something about a special big breakfast on the weekends. Lounging around in pajamas for way too long, drinking coffee, and eating a decadent breakfast that you might not have time for during the week - make some cinnamon raisin bread french toast and you'll be one happy camper!

Kickoff Cupcakes

Aren't these just the cutest things you've ever seen?! My mom used to make Easter cupcakes with green grass made of coconut and little eggs candies on top. This is the football season version! The flavors are from one of my favorite candy bars - chocolate, coconut, and almonds. Festive, bite sized, and sweet :)

Featured in La Petite Fashionista Magazine :)
Kickoff Cupcakes
Makes 5 dozen mini cupcakes
Baking Time: according to cake package
Decorating Time: 1 hour

Ingredients
1 package chocolate cake mix and required ingredients (usually eggs, water, and vegetable oil)
1 lb vanilla frosting
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
3 oz whole plain almonds
Green food coloring

1. Prepare cake mix according to package and bake in mini cupcake portions.
2. While the cupcakes are cooling mix coconut flakes and green food coloring 3 or 4 drops at a time until a medium green shade is achieved.
3. Mix half vanilla frosting with green food coloring 3 or 4 drops at a time until a medium green shade is achieved. Fill a pastry bag or a zip top bag with one small corner cut off with the remaining white frosting.
4. Frost the cupcakes with green frosting. Sprinkle coconut on top until covered and pat down. Use extra frosting as glue and place the almond on top of the coconut. Pipe small lines of white frosting on top of the almond like the laces on a football.

The little minis are so cute! Prepare cake mix according to package and bake in mini cupcake portions.

While the cupcakes are cooling mix coconut flakes and green food coloring 3 or 4 drops at a time until a medium green shade is achieved.

It kind of looks like a galaxy! Mix half vanilla frosting with green food coloring 3 or 4 drops at a time until a medium green shade is achieved.

Fill a pastry bag or a zip top bag with one small corner cut off with the remaining white frosting. Cut as small of a corner off as you can and  do some test lines to see if the size will work. I'll admit, I had to transfer the frosting to a few bags before I got the right size! But they're just zip lock bags, so no biggie.

Frost the cupcakes with green frosting.

Sprinkle coconut on top until covered and pat down. Green grass!

Use extra frosting as glue and place the almond on top of the coconut.

All ready for the final touch!

Pipe small lines of white frosting on top of the almond like the laces on a football.

They're just adorable! And bite sized which is perfect for finger food at a tailgate party! These fun and festive cupcakes will be a hit at any football celebration!

Sideline Sippers

This recipe is inspired by my friend Rebecca's famous (or infamous) punch. Ever since I tasted her punch I've been making it for every large gathering I host, especially if we have to beat the heat! The citrus flavors make it delightfully refreshing AND mask the alcohol very well ;) This batch below is LARGE but cutting it down is easy - just use a 750mL bottle of vodka, one lemon lime soda, and 12 fl oz frozen lemon lime concentrate mix.

Featured in La Petite Fashionista Magazine :)

Sideline Sippers
Makes 14 servings (16 fl oz each)
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
1.75 L vodka
4 L lemon lime soda
24 fl oz frozen lemonade concentrate mix
Sliced lemon, lime, and orange for garnish


- Mix all ingredients and serve chilled with ice.

Spike It Salad

This little salad you can eat with your hands is the perfect compliment to other heavier tailgating and barbecuing foods. I wanted a dish that didn't have meat, you could eat with your hands, and that was bit on the lighter side to balance out all the cheesy and barbecue-y goodness happening with the rest of the tailgate menu. And it's so convenient! No utensils necessary. Just drizzle your favorite salad dressing over the top and eat like shish kabob!

Featured in La Petite Fashionista Magazine :)
Spike It Salad
Makes 24 salad skewers
Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
24 (6 inch) wooden skewers
2 cucumbers
2 green bell peppers
1 container grape tomatoes
1 head of lettuce
16 oz Colby Jack cheese
1 can whole black olives
Salad dressing for drizzling


1. Wash all veggies and cut cucumbers, bell peppers, cheese, and lettuce into 1 inch chunks.
2. Stick tomato, lettuce, cucumber, bell pepper, lettuce, and cheese onto the skewer. Serve with salad dressing for drizzling on top.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

I'm really excited to share the beauty that is Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip with everyone. This dip is a CROWD PLEASER  if there ever was one. It is probably my friends' favorite thing I cook for them! I wish I could make a meal out of it... but that would probably be a bad idea. The spiciness and cheesiness and the chicken! Ugh! You can't beat it. I'm telling you... This is one of my favorite things to cook and eat. If you're having a party with more than 4 or 5 people make 2 batches or else you will be out of dip FAST.

Featured in La Petite Fashionista Magazine :)

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Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

by Saucy Jocey's Kitchen August-11-2012

This cheesy, spicy, meaty Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip is the ultimate crowd pleaser at tailgate parties on gameday!

Ingredients

• 1 chicken breast, cooked and chopped
• 1 block (8 oz) softened cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing (or ranch if you prefer)
• tortilla chips, celery, and carrots for serving

Instructions

1. Mix blue cheese dressing, cream cheese, and hot sauce until evenly combined.2. Mix in chicken and shredded cheese.3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven until the cheeses melt, about 10 - 20 minutes.4. Stir and serve with tortilla chips, celery and carrots. Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 20 mins Yield: 4 cups

Chop up the chicken.

It seems like a lot of hot sauce but trust me, it will be fine if you eat medium or hotter buffalo wings.

Mix together the blue cheese dressing, the softened cream cheese, and the hot sauce so all of the flavors come together evenly. You might need to take a fork to the cream cheese if it's still a little firm. No worries though. All of the cheeses will melt in the oven and it will be easy to give it a good mix in the end.

Stir the chicken and shredded cheese into the buffalo mixture. It's hard not to eat half of it at this stage because it's REALLY GOOD cold too.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes just to melt the cheeses. And then give it one last stir!

This recipe is for a single batch but a bigger batch is pictured above. If more than 4 or 5 people will be eating it I would HIGHLY recommend making a double batch! The first few times I made it for parties the single batch was gone in about 10 minutes. I'm telling you - Crowd. Pleaser.  Serve with tortilla chips, celery, and carrots! Enjoy!