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Smooth and Creamy Homemade Hummus

partysugar — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:00:57 -0700

Although I've made hummus with canned garbanzo beans a bunch of times, recently, I decided to experiment with a dried variety. The resulting hummus was delicious and incredibly rich with a perfect texture. Using the dried beans seemed to make it fuller and more luxurious than other any other hummus. You do, however, need to let the beans soak overnight, so don't wait until the last minute to make the puree. Served with crisp pita chips, this hummus was a scrumptious start to a Mediterranean meal. To look at the recipe,

Simple and Quick Meal: Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa

YumSugar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:00:16 -0700

Like many of you, I find myself pressed for time, but still crave a somewhat sophisticated meal. This week I came up with a recipe for Mediterranean chicken that didn't cramp my schedule or my style. It's also wholesome, with the Peruvian grain quinoa, which has a high protein content. Next time I make it (which will definitely be soon), I'll stir in the basil at the last minute to prevent wilting. If you're not a fan of raw garlic, sauté it for a minute to mellow out its flavors. To look at the recipe,

Fast & Easy Dinner: Shrimp and Chickpeas

partysugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:45:43 -0700

Fancy a trip to an exotic Mediterranean destination? Take one tonight with this enticing meal. The shrimp is marinated in a cool, cumin-flavored yogurt before being seared on a hot grill. Canned garbanzos get a grown-up makeover when seasoned with red pepper flakes and fresh tomatoes. Fill out this pairing with a store-bought roasted red pepper hummus and pita chips, and you've got a meal ideal for entertaining. To escape from the mundane and get the recipe,

Name That Dish!

YumSugar — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:15:44 -0700

The fast and easy dinner that PartySugar posted today has me going Greek. It reminded me of one of my favorite Mediterranean meze pictured below. Do you know what it's called?

Not Your Regular Nachos: Mediterranean Nachos

partysugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:00:03 -0700

Yesterday before heading to the Nordstrom Fall Preview Fashion Show, I whipped up a quick batch of my signature nachos for FabSugar and I to enjoy. With no time to run to the store, I used ingredients leftover from last week's Greek nachos to make a vegetarian, Mediterranean-inspired appetizer. The pita chips were crisped in the oven before being topped with a Spanish sheep's milk cheese. Once the cheese melted, I garnished them with an easy salsa of grilled cherry tomatoes, green pepper, and kalamata olives. The final result was an incredibly satisfying snack. To learn how I made these,

Fast & Easy Dinner: Mediterranean Grain Salad

partysugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 07:45:13 -0700

A great staple to incorporate into your weekly diet is the grain quinoa. Like couscous, quinoa takes on the flavors of its surrounding ingredients. In this recipe, the quinoa is tossed with crunchy peppers, cool cucumbers, and salty olives. Although cheese is not one of the components, crumbled feta or goat cheese would be delicious stirred in with the vegetables. To experiment with quinoa tonight,

Reader Recipe: Greek Penne and Chicken

YumSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:00:31 -0700

Audreystar says she's been on a Greek cooking kick lately, and she's not alone. I've also been somewhat fixated on feta cheese recently, and this Mediterranean mix of chicken, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, onions, parsley, and feta looks incredibly yummy.

I love that she found the recipe while looking for a way to use up her surplus of fresh parsley! Leftover herbs are always inspiring my dinners, too. This dish looks like a fast and easy weeknight meal, so to get her recipe plus step-by-step photos,

'Wich of the Week: Mediterranean "PB&J"

YumSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:00:20 -0700

When I opened my fridge the other day and saw fig preserves and almond butter, I thought, "that's like the Mediterranean equivalent of peanut butter and jelly!" Remembering that I also had a block of feta cheese, I took that glimmer of an idea and came up with something weirder: a Mediterranean-inspired marriage of a PB&J and a grilled cheese. I spread the fig jelly and almond butter on apple-walnut bread (though any sweet bread, such as cinnamon raisin, would do). Then, I added some crumbled feta and grilled it in a skillet coated with olive oil. I figured the flavor combination would either be totally gross or totally good, and thankfully, it was the latter. This 'Wich of the Week is at once creamy, nutty, salty, and sweet. If that sounds like your sort of sandwich, check out the recipe and more photos when you

Name That Dish!

partysugar — Sat, 17 May 2008 06:30:24 -0700

Many of you said you loved the other day's grilled veggie and couscous recipe. Below is another delicious Mediterranean dish named for the special vessel it's cooked in. Do you know what it's called?

Mediterranean Side: Rice Salad

partysugar — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 04:13:13 -0700

With tailgating season upon us, it's time to start thinking about delicious and portable side dishes. Sure potato and pasta salads are classics, but why not surprise your guests with a tasty Mediterranean-style rice salad? Spinach, cucumber, and fresh oregano add vibrant green goodness. Kalamata olives and feta cheese give the salad a salt kick and red pepper flakes pack in a teeny bit of heat. This salad pairs well with anything from gourmet steaks to good old burgers and dogs. It would be excellent with roasted or barbeque chicken as well. You know you are tempted by the picture, so get the recipe now!

Definition: Saffron

partysugar — Thu, 31 May 2007 15:48:30 -0700

Saffron
A spice often used in Mediterranean and Moroccan cooking that is the dried point of pollination of the purple crocus (a flower similar to the iris). Each flower only provides three strands of saffron that must be carefully and painstakingly hand picked and dried, making it the most expensive spice in the world. For one ounce of saffron, 14,000 tiny strands must be harvested. Saffron adds a deep yellow color to dishes and was at one time a dye used to color cloth. A little goes a long way with most recipes calling for a small pinch of saffron threads to add a pleasant spicy smell and aromatic flavor.