Greek Quinoa Salad- Quick. Easy. Greek.

I love Greek Food!

Olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta...a little tang, a little spice, a little creamy from the olive oil or yogurt...it's just delightful!

On one particularly sunny day, I made this Greek Quinoa Salad. It was light, refreshing...and very Greek!

Oh look- its our Uncorked wine glass in the background!
Uncorked is an event supporting our local symphony and opera.
The Hubs and I attended Uncorked last year. Mason and I used to go to the opera,
so it was a nice way to remember and honor her.

I found this recipe on Pinterest. I love all of the fresh herbs and produce in this dish. It would be perfect on a hot day!

Lemons!

So here is what you need:

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 cup diced tomatoes (I used halved cherry tomatoes)

1 cup diced cucumber (peeled and seeded)

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup sliced kalamata olives

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 tsp fresh chopped mint

1 tsp fresh chopped parsley

1 tsp fresh dill

juice of 2 lemons (3-4 Tbsp)

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

coarse salt and fresh black pepper to taste

*I added cooked shrimp to mine to increase the protein.

What you need to do:

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool.

Mix everything together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours for flavors to mesh.

That's it! Really- that is it. 

You will be amazed by the wonderful flavor in this dish. And all you do is cut, cook, cool, mix!

Look at all of that fresh goodness!!!

There you have it. Quick, Easy, Greek.

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

Blueberry Blintz Bake with a Farmhouse Scramble- Easy & Fancy!

I trust Ina Garten. 

Really. Everything I have made from her recipes...perfection!'

I remember the first time I saw her show on the Food Network: The Barefoot Contessa. 

I loved the name. It really seemed to fit me. I love being barefoot. I will wear flip fops or sandles, but I do not like having to wear closed-toed shoes (or the cold that usually accompanies them). 

And Contessa...I think I'm a Disney Princess at heart. 

It just seems to fit!

Blueberry Blintz Bake- Ina Garten...Farmhouse Scramble- something of Tracy's own creation.

There is an ease about Ina. She moves with such grace around her kitchen; and when she is finished cooking, and is ready to enjoy her beautiful meal with her guests...they have her undivided attention.

She has never let me down either.

When I need a good recipe...one that will impress, but that is easy enough for me to handle...one that will taste really, really, really great...that's when I turn to Ina...The Barefoot Contessa!

Love this Ninja food processor/blender!!!

My grandmother's birthday is on February 8th and my mom's is February 9th.

This year, I wanted to do a very nice brunch to honor them. So, of course, I looked at an Ina Garten recipe...Baked Blintzes with Fresh Blueberry Sauce!

I mixed 1 1/4 cups milk, 2 Tbsp sour cream, 4 Tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 4 large eggs, 1 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 Tbsp of sugar, and 1 Tbsp of baking powder in my Ninja blender.

I poured 1/2 of the batter in a 13 x 9 pan and baked at 250 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, I mixed the cheese filling, whisking together: 3 cups of ricotta cheese, 8  oz mascarpone cheese, 2 large eggs, 1/3 cups sugar, 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest (I used 2 lemons), 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp kosher salt.

I spread the cheese mixture over the top of the baked batter, then I covered the filling with the remaining batter.

I finished baking it at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes.
(Ina suggests letting it set for 10 to 15 minutes after baking.)

Now for the sauce!
I combined: 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (I used 3 oranges), 2/3 cup sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch. I Brought this mix to a boil and allowed it to thicken.
Then, I added 4 half-pints of  blueberries!

I let it simmer for about 4 minutes, until some of the blueberries burst, but most remained whole.
I added 1 tsp of lemon zest and 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice, and then allowed it to cool.

Now to the Scramble...

I browned and drained 1 lb of hot turkey sausage.

I sauteed shallots and mushrooms in the turkey grease and 1 Tbsp of butter until tender.
I added halved cherry tomatoes and cooked until they softened.

I whisked 10 large eggs and about 1/2 cup milk with 1 Tbsp of Herbs De Provence.

I poured the egg mix over the veggies and scrambled the eggs.

I then poured the scrambled mixture over the drained sausage in a bowl and stirred in 1/3 cup cheddar cheese.

Baked Blintz and Farmhouse Scramble!

It went over so well that everyone had seconds and my grandmother asked me for recipe!

This would be a great Valentines brunch! It really is no-fail!!!

I pray you all enjoy Valentines Day. Sweethearts come in so many ways...moms, dads, children, spouses, old friends...

Love comes to me from my family, dear friends, the Hubs, my cats...but it comes to me daily in Jesus!

"Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you." Jeremiah 31:3b AMP

I'm thankful that: "He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]" Hebrews 13: 5b AMP

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3: 16-19 NIV

Je te aime, mes amis! 

(I love you, my friends!)

La Bonne Vie Y'all!!!