Greek Chicken Nachos

 

I don't think they are even on the menu anymore, but Macaroni Grill's Bella Napoli were my favourite thing at the restaurant. They were Italian nachos, of sorts, made with fried lasagna noodles and then topped with cream sauce, Italian sausage, olives and peppers. Some day I'm going to get brave enough to make them. (I'm not very comfortable frying things. I've just never really learned.) 

In the mean time, these are sort of my take on the Bella Napoli with flavours from our Greek dining experiences.  I started making my own hummus because they didn't have it at the Commissary (I say that, and the next my mom comes to visit they will have a huge endcap display of hummus). I really like Rachel Ray's recipe because it has a little smokey kick to it. Also,  previously I had always mixed yogurt and sour cream and diced cucumber for taziki, but yesterday I tried using a recipe and really liked it.

Ingredients 

Rachel Ray's Spicy Hummus

Kalyn's Kitchen's Taziki Sauce 

1 package Pita Pockets

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

3 Chicken Breasts cut into bite-size pieces

Lemon Pepper

Kalamata Olives

Peperoncini Peppers

Feta Cheese

Vinegar (Red Wine or Balsamic)

At least two hours before you intend to eat mix up your Taziki Sauce; it really gets better when given a little time for the flavours to meld. I normally make the hummus at this time as well. (Or you could use prepared products.)

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Season the chicken with lemon pepper. Heat a skillet and a small amount of olive oil. Saute the chicken over medium heat.

Meanwhile cut the pita pockets into wedges and separate the halves. Arrange the pita pieces on a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle them with sea salt. Toast them in the oven for about seven minutes. I set my timer; this is the only way I can avoid burning them to a crisp.

When the chicken and the pita chips are finished assemble the nachos. I like to spread a bit of hummus on each chip (it helps hold all the toppings on). I then scatter the top with chicken, olives, feta and perperocinies.  I like to drizzle a bit of taziki and balsamic vinegar over the whole thing.

Princess Little has a very different approach. She very carefully constructs each nacho. We're normally finished eating before she's finished creating.

Tuna Pockets

Originally I had a recipe for this (Southern Living maybe). This is one of our family's favourites. The recipe could be easily halved to feed fewer people. I also eat it as a salad with just a little drizzle of vinegar and olive oil.

Ingredients
2 family size pouches of tuna (I think they're 11 oz or so)
2 apple
8 oz Feta cheese
1 cup walnuts, chopped  
1 package pita pockets
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Red Wine Vinegar

Directions
Core apples and cut into bite-size pieces. Cube feta cheese and roughly chop walnuts. Combine tuna, feta, apple and walnuts.

Slice pita pockets in half and toast. Stuff pita with tuna mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.

The Big Sandwich

As I mentioned in my menu post, this sandwich originally had a different name (something like  Muffuletta Po'Boy) and came from Southern Living. When I was young my mom always made one long sandwich on French bread and then cut it into individual portions. I originally made it that way too, hence the name "big sandwich." I now make it on sub rolls. 

Ingredients

1/3 cup mayonnaise
6 Sub Rolls
1/2 lb ham
1/4 lb salami
8 oz Mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 small can sliced ripe olives
sliced green olives

Directions
Set the oven to broil.

Slice sub rolls horizontally and set aside. Whisk together 1/3 cup mayonnaise and about a tablespoon of olive juice. (I don't actually measure when i do this. I put a blob of mayo in a bowl and then whisk in some olive juice until I like the consistency and taste of the dressing.)

Arrange bread on a cookie sheet, cut sides up.  Spread a thin coat of the mayo mixture on each piece of bread.  Put cheese slices on one half of each roll (I always put the cheese on the top halves, but i don't guess it matters).  On the other half of the roll layer the remaining ingredients.  I don't think the order really matters, but I do ham, green olives, salami, ripe olives.

Toast the sandwiches under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. (I really like a bit of char on the salami and for the cheese to get bubbly with little brown specks, but then I like "burnt" toast too.)

Match up the tops and the bottoms and serve with carrots or other crunchy goodness.