Slow Cooker Greek Style Chicken

     I'm going to tell you right now: this is not a pretty looking recipe. Reviewing the photograph, it's actually pretty fucking horrifying. Fortunately, if you can get past the visual, it's really quite a tasty meal. Is it truly authentic Greek? Hell no. It has oregano. I think the whole "Greek" theme falls apart after that. Look, it's tasty and super easy to make. Just look at a picture of something nice while you eat it. As always, notes and changes are in blue.

Slow Cooker Greek Style Chicken
via Fix It and Forget It Lightly

Directions

• 6 medium sized potatoes, quartered
• 3 lbs chicken pieces, skin removed
• 2 large onions, quartered (this is a shit-ton of onions. We went with a single onion, cut into sixths)
• 1 whole bulb garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tsp salt (omitted, we used 1 teaspoon Spice House Pilsen Seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

1. Load potatoes in bottom of slow cooker. Add chicken, onions and garlic.
2. In a small bowl, mix water with oregano and spices.
3. Pour over chicken and drizzle oil over the top.
4. Cook on HIGH for 5-6 hours

Good times!

Salata Horiatiki (Country Greek Salad)

     If there is any one salad I love above all others, it is the Greek salad. The combination of flavors is wonderful. There are a ton of variations on this salad, but this one from The Best Traditional Recipes of Greek Cooking is one of my favorites because it is Too Damned Easy.  It comes together in minutes and is a visually impressive dish. I, personally, would add anchovies to this, but the Wife isn't a huge fan of the little fishies, so I generally leave them off. Other than that, there isn't much I would change here. This is a winner as-is. As always, notes are in blue.

Salata Horaitiki (Country Greek Salad)
via The Best Traditional Recipes of Greek Cookingby Maria Mavromataki

Ingredients

• 3-4 tomatoes
• 2 medium cucumbers, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 5 ounces black olives
• 2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and cut into big pieces
• 2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt, oregano
• 7 ounces feta cheese, cut into chunks (our ALDI only sells crumbled feta, so that's what we used)

Directions

1. Wash and slice the tomatoes in quarters and place them in a bowl. Add cucumber, onion, olives and peppers
2. Dress the salad with the vinegar, olive oil, salt and oregano
3. Add feta, toss and serve

Good times!

Avgolemono (Greek Egg, Lemon and Rice Soup)

     With the weather turning cold, the Wife is demanding soup. One of her favorites is Avgolemono. We used to get this soup from a Greek restaurant when we lived up north. It is thick and extremely rich. The texture can be a bit off-putting to some people, but those people are lame and need to get over it. This recipe calls for constant vigilance to make sure you don't end up with scrambled egg soup. Thus, this recipe qualifies as A Pain In The Ass. For the life of me, I can't recall where I got this recipe. If anybody recognizes it, let me know and I'll give credit where credit is due. As always, notes are in blue.

Avgolemono
Greek Egg, Lemon and Rice Soup

Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken stock 
• 1 cup orzo pasta or rice (we've always used rice)
• 4 eggs, separated
• Juice of 3 lemons or 9 tablespoons lemon juice (go with fresh if you can. It's not quite as good with the bottled lemon juice)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bring stock to boil and add rice or orzo. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. 
2. When orzo/rice is nearing tenderness, whisk egg whites in separate bowl until medium peaks. Add egg yolks and lemon juice, whisking continuously. 
3. When orzo/rice is finished, transfer 2 cups of the hot stock to the egg/lemon mixture, adding slowly in a constant stream and beating vigorously to prevent the eggs from solidifying. 
4. Take he soup off the heat and add the beaten mixture back into the pot, whisking to incorporate. Serve immediately with fresh ground black pepper. 

Good times!