Greek Farro Salad

Welcome to Day 3 of Salad Week! 

If you follow my blog regularly, you know that my mother was in from FL a couple of weeks ago. She doesn't come to NJ often and when she does, she doesn't get a chance to visit with her extended family often.  Heck, I live here and I don't see my aunts, uncles and cousins besides weddings and funerals much anymore either and the furthest one only lives an hour away! So this time, I arranged to have whomever can make it from our family come to my home for a get together. Nothing fancy, just some apps, drinks, dinner, salads and desserts. Just about everyone brought something too which is always helpful and a special thank you to my Mom and cousin Dawn for doing all of the dishes for me since that was also the day I cut my hand! 

I made some Penne with Vodka Sauce (in the cookbook), Chicken in a Lemon Butter Sauce (in honor of my family in MI that couldn't be here), Asian Chicken Wings (the kids favorite and also in the cookbook), a tossed salad, Homestyle Potato Salad (another one in the cookbook) and I also made this Greek Farro Salad. 

This salad was a total "everything but the kitchen sink" salad I threw together using the few olives, spinach and feta cheese I had left in the refrigerator and didn't want to throw away. It was delicious and my family really enjoyed it.  All in all, we had a BLAST! There was a TON of food left over, even after I sent some of it home with others (go figure) so I didn't have to cook for a couple of days afterward...bonus! 

Greek Farro Salad
Prep Time:  20 minutes                       Yield: 8
Cook Time: 10 minutes                       Serving: 1/4 c.
Total Time:  30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 c. Farro
• 2 c. Water
• 1/4 c. Kalamata Olives, chopped
• 1 Scallion, chopped
• 1/4 c. Fresh Spinach, packed and torn into small pieces
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/4 c. Crumbled Feta Cheese
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt, to taste
• Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions 

1. Place water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Add the farro, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until farro is cooked and the water is absorbed. Remove from the pot, place in a bowl and allow to cool. 
2. Add the olives, scallion, spinach, oregano, feta, lemon zest and juice and oil. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 156 , Carbs 19g, Fat 7.6g, Protein 4.4g, Fiber 2.9g, Sugar .3g

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Calorie Count and may not be 100% accurate. 

Enjoy! 

Fettuccine with Sausage Puttanesca Sauce

This sauce has been on my "to make" list for quite some time, but I was waiting for the right moment. You see, my children never particularly cared for Kalamata olives or capers (or as they lovingly refer to them as "deer poop"...yes I know, I have two comedians on my hands here), but I've been adding them into some of the foods I've been making little by little and they have eaten and liked them each time, just not on their own. 

So when I met Joi, from the Joi of Pickles, at a recent craft fair and book signing event, I just had to try her Kalamata olives. These olives were so fresh and the best part, they were already pitted! I figured I'd make a puttanesca sauce with them and also decided to add in some sausage since I had already taken it out of the freezer. This sauce was INCREDIBLY flavorful with the pungent flavors of garlic and olives and the briny, lemon flavor from the capers. 

Fettuccine with Sausage Puttanesca Sauce
1 lb. Fettuccine
Prepared Sausage Puttanesca Sauce

Sausage Puttanesca Sauce
5 Links Italian Sweet Sausage, casings removed
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. Red Onion, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
3 Plum (Roma) Tomatoes, chopped
1 c. Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
2 tbsp. Capers
1/2 c. Red Wine (I used a dry Tuscan)
1/2 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
1/4 c. Tomato Paste
Fresh Ground Red Pepper, to taste

Directions: 
1. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tbsp. oil and add the sausage; then break apart using a wooden spoon. Saute until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. 
2. In a separate pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp. oil and add in the onion, garlic, tomatoes, olives and capers. Saute until the onions start to turn translucent; then add in the wine, chicken broth, tomato paste and red pepper. Stir well, then add in the cooked sausage. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes;
3. Boil a large pot of water and cook pasta according to package directions; drain water. 
4.  Pour the thick sauce over the cooked fettuccine and toss; coating all of the pasta. Serves 6. 

Enjoy! 

It will speed up the preparation process if you assemble all of  your ingredients prior to making the sauce by getting all of your chopping done at once and putting them all in a bowl. 

If you're looking for a Vegetarian option, omit the sausage and use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth. 

Well, this is it. My last post for 2012. I can't believe this year is coming to a close. It's been a pretty exciting year filled with both good and bad memories, but I'm looking forward to what 2013 has in store.  CEK will be taking some time off to spend quality time with family and friends; and enjoy the spirit of the holiday season. I'll be back January 2, 2013 to ring in the new year with more experiments and I hope you'll follow along on my adventures. 

Thank you for visiting Carrie's Experimental Kitchen 

and from our family to yours, we wish you a joyous 

holiday season and Happy New Year!   ~ Carrie

Shared on Weekend Potluck 1/4/13

Greek Salad

I just love this salad, especially this time of year when the tomatoes and cucumbers are so fresh from local growers. This salad usually calls for peppers to be added as well, but no one in my family particularly cares for them, so I leave the skins on the cucumbers for that beautiful contrasting color. Speaking of color, not only is it gorgeous, this entire salad only took me about 10 minutes to make...BONUS!

Greek Salad
2 Large Cucumbers, skins washed
4 Plum Tomatoes
1/2 Red Onion, thinly sliced
5 oz. Kalamata Olives
2 oz. Feta Cheese, crumbled
Prepared Dressing 

Directions:
1. Slice the cucumbers about 1/4" thick and add to a bowl. 
2. Next, cut the tomatoes into wedges (approximately 6 slices per tomato) and add them to the cucumbers.
3. Add the onions, olives, cheese and prepared dressing and mix well. Serves 8-10. 

Dressing:
3 tbsp. Red Wine Vinegar
3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Add all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until blended. 

Enjoy! 

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a gluten free seed originally from the Andean region of South America. It has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and can be used as a substitute for rice or couscous. Quinoa contains eight amino acids and many people eat it to reduce their consumption of meat. It is also a good source of fiber and contains B vitamins and iron. I have only tried making this once before and served it hot as a side dish and the family hated it. I thought it was ok, but not something I'd make again, but I vowed to give it another try this time making a cold salad with it. AND, since I was sent home with 2 bags of it from the food conference I went to recently, this past weekend seemed like as good a time as any. 


Of course, I gave it my own flare with some of the flavors I love to use most and voila! I have a new salad that my family LOVED. It was filling and flavorful and I will definitely be experimenting with it again. 

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
1 1/2 c. Water
1 c. Organic Quinoa
12 Kalamata Olives, pitted and chopped
1/4 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped
1 Scallion, chopped
1/4 c. Reduced Fat Feta Cheese Crumbles
1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste


Add water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add in the quinoa, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for approximately 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed then remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool. Add to a bowl along with the olives, tomatoes, scallion, cheese, vinegar and oil. Mix well and refrigerate. Serves 8 (1/2 cup). 

*Nutritional Information: Calories 191.2, Carbs 18.6g, Fat 11.4g, Protein 4.8g, Fiber 1.8g

Enjoy!

*Calculations based on ingredients entered into Sparkpeople and may not be 100% accurate.


Shared on Amee's Savory Dish 5/25/12