This dish is perfect for picnics – it can be made the day ahead and it is best served room temperature.

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Mediterranean Rice Salad

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tsp salt divided
• 1 1/2 cup jasmine rice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano or 1 tsp fresh oregano
• 1 tsp fresh chives or mint
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 2-3 cups spinach leaves chopped
• 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
• 1 cucumber peeled, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup green onions sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives optional
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

• Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan.  Once boiling add rice and 1/2 t. salt.  Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let sit, still covered, for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and put in large bowl.
• While rice is cooking, make the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, chives/mint, 1 tsp salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.
• Add the dressing to the rice, mix, and immediately add the spinach and toss.  Let this sit until the dish is no longer steaming, about 15-20 minutes.  
• Add remaining ingredients and stir.  Serve at room temperature.

Notes

To make this dish a meal, sprinkle 1 1/2  pounds of shrimp (deveined and shelled, tails on) with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.  Sauté in a tablespoon of hot oil until shrimp curls and turns pink.  You can also use sautéed chicken breasts instead of shrimp.

Easy, easy, easy … and tasty too!  You can make these skewers early in the day of your simple celebration (keep refrigerated).

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Party on a Stick

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Greek

Servings 12

Equipment

• Small wooden skewers

Ingredients

• 2 cucumbers
• 40 small cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 blocks feta cheese good quality, such as Boar's Head cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• 40 pitted kalamata olives
• 40 small wooden skewers
• 1 bottle creamy Caesar dressing for dipping

Instructions

• Peel the cucumbers and cut lengthwise.  With a teaspoon, scrape out the seeds and cut into 1/2 thick pieces (they will look like half moons).    
• To assemble, place a cucumber on the skewer followed by a tomato (it will sit in the cucumber).
• Next, add the feta and top it off with an olive.  
• Place on a platter with the dressing on the side for dipping.

Serves 10-16.