Greek

Chicken Souvlaki Gyro

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• Souvlaki Marinade:
• 3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
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• Tzatziki Sauce (cucumber sauce):
• 1/2 cup seeded, shredded cucumber
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
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• 4 large pita bread rounds
• 1 heart of romaine lettuce, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tomato, halved and sliced
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup pepperoncini
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
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In a small bowl, mix the balsamic vinaigrette, juice from 1/2 lemon, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over the chicken, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Toss the shredded cucumber with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and allow to sit at least 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the yogurt, sour cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, rice vinegar, and olive oil. Season with garlic, fresh dill, and Greek seasoning. Squeeze the cucumber to remove any excess water; stir into sauce. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. Remove chicken from marinade and place on prepared grill. Discard remaining marinade. Cook chicken until juices run clear, about 8 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from heat, and allow to sit about 10 minutes before slicing into thin strips. Place pita rounds on the grill, and cook for about 2 minutes, until warm, turning frequently to avoid burning. Arrange warmed pita, sliced chicken, lettuce, onion, tomato, olives, and pepperoncini on a serving platter. Serve tzatziki sauce and feta cheese in separate bowls on the side. Stuff pita pockets with chicken and toppings to serve.

Baklava

350ºF (50 minutes)

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((No picture available, but I'm sure if you google it, you can no definitely find a picture of Baklava))

• 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
• 1 pound chopped nuts
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey

Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.