Yia Yia's Spinach Tarts

I have made a resolution for the upcoming 2011 year to complete an ebook with recipes I inherited from my grandparents.  My Uncle recently mailed me their complete collection handwritten on cards in various tins. 

My grandparents, who were both 100 percent Greek, enjoyed cooking and always ate very healthy.  When I was a young adult, I would sit at my grandparents' breakfast nook and copy down family heirloom recipes, which I, in turn, prepared for my own family during the holidays.  Even though these recipes are very old, delicious and very healthy, I still need to “tweak” them a bit.  Why??  It is because the ingredients that my grandparents used 80 years ago were much better in quality than the exact same ingredients used today.  Therefore, I need to change or modify some of the ingredients to preserve the healthy integrity of the recipes.  My ebook will contain the original recipe my grandparents’ used as well as my updated version.  I will include a list of reasons for the changes in ingredients.  This will enable you to understand my thinking as well as teach you how to adapt or amend your own recipes to make them healthier.   Today I’m going to share with you one of my favorites – Yia Yia’s Spinach Tarts!

I so enjoy making these spinach tarts during the holidays.  You can make them in advance and keep them in the freezer.  They are the perfect appetizer! 

INNER BEAUTY WORKSHOPS

APPETIZER

 

YIAYIA’S SPINACH TARTS – Original Version YIAYIA’S SPINACH TARTS – Inner Beauty Workshops Version For the Filling: 1 (10oz) pkg. frozen spinach 1 egg beaten* ¼ tbsp. chopped onion ½ teasp. Salt*, pepper to taste 1 cup feta cheese ¼ cup butter 2 tbsp. grated Romano For the Tart Shell: 1 (3oz) cream cheese softened ½ cup butter, softened 1 ½ cup flour* Place spinach on paper towels and squeeze until barely moist.  To prepare the filling, combine in large bowl next six ingredients with the spinach.  Mix well. Cream until smooth the three ingredients for the tart shell.  Shape into 30 (1 inch) balls.  Shape them into ¾ inch muffin pans.  Add filling in each tart shell.  Bake in preheated 350 oven for 30 minutes or until done.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.  Keep in freezer until ready to reheat in oven or serve immediately. For the Filling: 1 (10oz) pkg. frozen organic spinach 1 egg beaten (from a pasture raised chicken)* ¼ tbsp. chopped onion ½ teasp. Sea salt*, pepper to taste 1 cup goat feta cheese ¼ cup raw butter 2 tbsp. grated Romano, preferably raw cheese For the Tart Shell: 1 (3oz) raw cream cheese softened ½ cup raw butter, softened 1 ½ cup flour – whole wheat preferably freshly ground. Place spinach on paper towels and sqeeze until barely moist.  To prepare the filling, combine in large bowl next six ingredients with the spinach.  Mix well. Cream until smooth the three ingredients for the tart shell.  Shape into 30 (1 inch) balls.  Shape them into ¾ inch muffin pans.  Add filling in each tart shell.  Bake in preheated 350 oven for 30 minutes or until done.  Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.  Keep in freezer until ready to reheat in oven or serve immediately. *It is important to look for frozen ORGANIC spinach to avoid the pesticides in conventional spinach.  When shopping for dairy items for this recipe, please look for the best quality, organic or raw preferred.  This will enable you to avoid the hormones and antibiotics in these items.  I never buy table salt, always opt for sea salt.  Instead of using white flour for this recipe, it can taste just as good with freshly ground wheat flour.  That way you retain the bran and germ of the grain as well as all the nutrients. I absolutely love this recipe and will be making them again for New Years!!  Keep a look out for my ebook in late spring.  Enjoy!!

20 Reasons Why I Got A New Dog

1.   I temporarily lost my mind.

2.   My last child is leaving for college, so I needed another baby in the house.

3.   I like my guests to have their crotch sniffed when they enter my home.

4.   I get to buy the latest most up-to-date vacuum every year.

5.   At least I get outside….As I stand in the bitter cold waiting for her to pee.

6.   I can dress her in last year’s clothing styles, and she won’t complain.

7.   She will eat whatever I cook.

8.   The saliva on my window creates a privacy screen.

9.    I have an escort to the bathroom.

10.  I have an escort when I leave the bathroom.

11.  Who needs water to wash my face.

12.  When I’m bored, I can always pluck dog hairs off the couch.

13.  I always know when my mail has arrived.

14.  When it is thundering and lightening, I have company when I’m hiding under the table.

15.  She’s the only person in the house who will listen to my commands. 

16.  I no longer need to buy fertilizer for the lawn.

17.  When I’m not home, the neighbors get to hear a beautiful serenade.

18.  I can tell the dog my innermost secrets and she won’t tell anyone.

19.  I have a singing partner when I’m singing the barking dog jingle bells song.

20.  She loves to have her picture taken just as much as I do………;)

I hope you appreciate my humor.  My new dog’s name is Abbey.  She is five months old and is part Australian Shepherd and part Labrador Retriever.  We adopted her from an animal shelter in Nassau County, New York.  The shelter, North Shore Animal League, is a “no kill” facility.  My dog was brought in as a puppy, adopted and returned.  The owners said she was too much to take care of and they didn’t have the time.  Why adopt a puppy?...Duh!!

I’ve been asked by so many friend and family members why I adopted another dog since I was adamant the past two years that I didn’t want another one. (My dog, Duke, died two years ago at the age of 11).  Here is why……  A home does not feel like a home without a pet.  Pets add warmth, fun, and unconditional love to your home.  Did you know that your pet’s love can balance your emotions.  For instance, a dog that licks you with affection or waits patiently for you to come home can flood your body with pleasure hormones.  A study recently published states that if you just watch a dog play for 15 minutes a day, you can dramatically lower your stress levels.   When you watch your pet play, that can trigger feelings of love and joy in you.  In addition, animals connect you to nature.  You must go outside to play with them, walk them, watch or keep an eye on them.  When I grew up, I remember watching my cat in the backyard, who just sat on the picnic table for hours and hours.  Yes, pets can be a pain to take care of, but they are ultimately worth it because of the joy and enrichment they bring to life. 

UMMMM.....  MAYBE I SPOKE TOO SOON

Dinner on the Run - Rice Pasta with Peas

It’s that time of the year.  In the words of Professor Hinkle from Frosty, everyone is so “busy, busy, busy.”  Just like I am, I know you’re crazy busy with holiday details such as shopping, wrapping gifts, writing cards, etc.  You probably don’t have the time to plan, prepare and cook meals like you do during the rest of the year.  However, this is not an excuse to give your body poor nutrition or bad foods just because you don’t seem to have the time to cook. Your body will pay the consequences at a time when it is important to keep your energy levels up.  Is it ok to cut corners this time of the year?  DEFINITELY!  There are a few ways to keep cooking to a minimum and still give your body what it needs.  One suggestion is to use a crockpot.  All you need to do is assemble ingredients in the morning and you will have dinner at the end of your day. You may also want to prepare a stir fry.  You cannot get much quicker than that.  Lastly, look to make quick dinners that do not require a lot of preparation or cooking time.  I am sharing one with you today.

This dinner is healthy, fast and easy.  It only has six ingredients and cooks in about 15 minutes.  What more can you ask for when you don’t have time to cook.  I will confess, however, that I always make a salad for dinner.  I like to have something raw with each meal.  If you don’t have time to make a salad, you can always peel some carrots or celery.

Rice Pasta with Peas

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Butter or coconut oil for sautéing

1 pkg organic frozen peas

1 tbsp. organic tomato paste

1 pkg 12 oz, brown rice pasta

Bring to a boil a pot of water on the stove.  When water comes to a rolling boil, add pasta and lower heat and simmer according to package instructions.

In the meantime, in a skillet warm the butter or coconut oil.  Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté until onion and garlic begin to caramelize.  Add tomato paste and keep on low. 

The last eight minutes or so, add the peas to the pasta and continuing cooking at a simmer.  Drain water.  In a large bowl, combine the pasta and peas with the onion/tomato mixture.  Toss to coat and serve.

Aaahh!!…..More time to Shop!!

Book Club List - The Vision Board

The New Year is quickly approaching. It is time to think about those resolutions. I am totally inspired after reading Viktor E. Frankl’s book “Man’s Search for Meaning.” (See November Book Club selection.) With Frankl’s words fresh in my head, “It is we ourselves who must answer the questions that life asks of us, and to these questions, we can respond only by being responsible for our existence,” I’m ready to search for meaning in my own life.

Therefore, I have chosen “The Vision Board” by Joyce Schwarz for my next Book Club selection.  I absolutely love the idea of creating a “Vision Board.”  What a great way to cultivate and develop your inner self.  The vision board is a collage of images that illustrate pleasures that give meaning to your life.  For instance, your favorite quotes, art, poetry, literature, family, friends and activities.  Also, the vision board is a collection of your future goals, dreams, ambitions and aspirations. What a great tool to help you achieve the goals in your life.

“If you are not creating your life, it is creating you.”

The Vision Board - Joyce Schwarz

AFTERWORD

I highly recommend reading this book if you are seeking some valuable advice on making and designing a vision board.  The Vision Board, by Joyce Schwartz, is an instrumental tool in helping you create the board of your dreams.  I particularly like her advice in three areas.  First, she says not to “rush” your board and to take your time gathering up information.  This is something that shouldn’t be done in an afternoon.  I like the idea of keeping a folder of pictures, inspirational words or thoughts until I am ready to sit down and make my board.  Second, I like her idea of a “vision statement” to accompany the vision board.  She gives suggestions as to how to search within yourself to find it.  I was surprised that her techniques helped me to find my vision statement, something that I hadn’t thought about since I was a child.  Third, she reiterates throughout the book that you should always express gratitude for what you currently have.  I think sometimes we get caught up in what we want that we forget what we have already……..

 

Oh Where Oh Where Did The Crafters Go?

Dad's painted miniatures

What are your New Year’s resolutions?  Have you thought about it yet?  The year 2011 is right around the corner.  I have a suggestion for you.  How about learning a new craft or revisiting a craft you were enthusiastic about as a child.  You will challenge yourself and at the same time rekindle an interest in something that may have been long forgotten. 

 I was completely taken by surprise recently when I shopped at Michael’s craft store in Riverhead.  It was completely empty.  Oh where oh where were the crafters?  There was no one buying yarn, no one buying thread, no one buying acrylic paint, no one buying fabric, no one buying model aircrafts or cars, no one buying puzzles.   I was truly saddened.  The realization hit me….certain crafts are becoming obsolete.  Why?  Can it be that we are so fascinated by new technology, that we have forgotten to use our fingers for anything but computers and cell phones?  It’s not just teenagers who are missing out on the satisfaction and pride in making something fun and creative, but adults as well.  It’s time to discover or rekindle the joys of crafting like our grandparents did.

My grandmother knew how to do it all.  She liked to knit, crochet, sew, and do needlepoint.  When I was a young child, I so desperately wanted to learn how to crochet.  I begged my grandmother to teach me.  She used to say, “Why do you want to learn this old thing.”  I persisted and the reason was twofold; I wanted to make beautiful items and I also just loved the word crochet.  Unbeknownst to me, a pretty word sparked a lifetime interest.  At the age of 7, I was making granny square vests and wearing them to school.  I picked it up again as a young adult and made many beautiful things for my home such as afghans and doilies.  In fact, I crocheted a doily for every table in the house!  My husband used to joke that he doesn’t have to worry about me growing old because I already am…lol

Not only can you make fun and beautiful things by doing these crafts, it is also a great stress reducer.  It allows your mind to relax as you concentrate on the job at hand.  You cannot multi-task when doing these crafts (like washing dishes and talking on the phone).  They require your time and attention.  It will recharge you and keep you young as you continue to learn and grow.  So why not consider making one of these crafts your New Year’s Resolution.  You are never too old to learn something new or revisit a childhood interest.





Crochet – My personal favorite!!  Crochet means “hook” in French.  It is a series of interlocking loops of thread onto a chain (chain stitch) using a rod with a hook at the end.  The hardest part is learning how to weave the yarn on your left hand.  Once you get the hang of it, you will love it. (See photo of blanket I made).  There are many sites online that have instructions plus videos on how to crochet.  Here is one site:   http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Crochet



Jig Saw Puzzles – Did you like to put together puzzles as a kid?  Have you tried one as an adult?  These aren’t the easy ones you put together as a child.  They have some challenging puzzles that contain anywhere from 500-1,000 pieces.  It is hard.  The good news is, they are relatively inexpensive.  Make sure you don’t need that table top for quite some time…lol  Go ahead and give it a try!  They are a great mental challenge.  Here is a website that has a nice assortment:  http://www.puzzlewarehouse.com/

Knitting - Knitting is NOT the same things as crocheting.   It is a completely different craft whereby two needles are used, unlike one for crochet.  When you knit, you make a garment by a series of connected loops.  There are many “how to” videos available on the internet or you can check out this website:  http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/learn-to-knit

Latch Hook Rugs-To make a latch hook rug, you use a tool with a “latch” and draw loops of yarn though a canvas.  They usually come in kits with very easy to follow directions. I taught myself how to make hook rugs when I was young.  I also taught my daughter how to make these. (see photo).   Here is a website with pages and pages of kits!  (I may have to buy one!)  http://www.marymaxim.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/category4_10001_10054_15056_-1_15055_15055

Model Aircrafts/Cars – The model aircraft and cars come in kits with easy to follow instructions.  They are usually small replicas of actual cars or airplanes.  You glue them together and paint as per the instructions.  If you cannot afford the real thing, why not try putting one of these together:  http://www.hobbyplace.com/plastics/cars1.php 

Needlework (cross stitch) –Cross-stitch is a popular form of counted-thread embroidery in which X-shaped stitches in a tiled, raster like pattern are used to form a picture.  Cross stitching is really intense.  It requires a bit of concentration and accuracy.  You can make some absolutely beautiful needlework (see photo of birdhouses I cross stitched in 1997).  Beginners should start with a kit and follow the instructions.  Here is a website with kits:  http://www.everythingcrossstitch.com/

Painting Historical Miniatures – Miniatures are sold and then painted with acrylics. You can follow a book to see accurate and authentic period costumes.   My Dad enjoys painting very small military figures.  (see photos)  Here’s a “how to” get started on painting miniatures:  http://www.stormthecastle.com/miniatures/painting-miniatures.htm

Sewing - We all know what sewing is, but can we use a sewing machine?  There are many adult education programs that offer sewing as a class.  You can probably find a used sewing machine on Craigslist to get started.  One great thing to learn how to make is fabric grocery bags.  You can take them everywhere to avoid plastics.   Here is a website for more information:  http://sewing.about.com/od/bagstotespurseproject/ss/grocerybag.htm

Tatting – Tatting dates to the early 19^th century.  Tatting is a handcraft for making lace out of very fine yarn.  Items you can make are lace edging, doilies or other decorative pieces.   Informational videos can be found online.  Also please check:  http://www.craftown.com/instruction/tatting.htm

Woodworking -  Oh the joys of hand making your own woodwork!!  You can purchase already made objects such as birdhouses and paint or stain them yourself or you can actually make a birdhouse from scratch.  There is no end to the imagination as to what you can make out of wood.  All you need is the right tools (of course, follow safe practices) and you’re off to create something…  Here is a website with great do-it-yourself wood working videos.  http://thewoodwhisperer.com/category/video/ 

What fun!!  I want some power tools!!

   

I hope I have inspired you to create and add crafting to your list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2011!  Go and have fun…….

Hmm…Does anyone collect anything either?  Coins? Stamps? Magazines?