Summer Menu Ideas. No cooking summer menu by Greek Chic.

Keep celebrating summer with a Greek Chic Summer Menu! The no cooking summer menu is easy to prepare ahead of time. Entertain with ease, so the host and guests both have a great time. Even if it is a dinner for two, treat yourself to a delicious meal summer meal by Greek Chic Cuisine.

For more recipes and to order your book - go to http://www.greekchiccuisine.com/

Menu

Watermelon Feta Salad - This recipe is great for summer! A blend of watermelon and creamy Feta cheese makes it refreshing.

Orzo Pasta with Shrimp - Light and refreshing taste full of flavor.

Chicken Souvlakia - Lightly marinated kebabs with lemon and oregano. Grilled to perfection.

Tzatziki - A refreshing cucumber sauce or dip. Great with crusty baquette or pita

Ouzorita - The best fusion drink where Greece meets Mexico!


Watermelon Feta Salad
Serves: 4


Ingredients
1 small watermelon, cubed
½ red onion, sliced
¼ cup Kalamata olives
4 ounces Feta, thinly sliced or crumbled
1 cup baby arugula lettuce
½ cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: 1 tablespoon balsamic.


Method
1. Add cubed watermelon, sliced onions, and arugula to a large serving bowl.
2. Whisk olive oil, salt and pepper, and oregano together
in a small bowl. Pour over watermelon and arugula.
3. Garnish with Feta and olives on top of the salad. Drizzle with balsamic.
Greek Chic It: Replace arugula with ribbons of cucumbers to add pizzazz to your
presentation. To make ribbons, thinly slice cucumbers lengthwise with a mandolin
slicer or a knife.

Orzo Pasta with Shrimp

Serves: 4


Salad Ingredients
1 pound large shrimp, cooked, peeled, and deveined
1 cup orzo pasta, cooked
4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
1 large ripe tomato, diced
15 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2 green onions, chopped

Dressing Ingredients
1 teaspoon fresh or dried dill
1 ½ teaspoons garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
pepper to taste


Method
1. Boil orzo pasta until fully cooked. Rinse and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Set
aside.
2. Mix orzo, shrimp, tomato, chopped olives, and onions.
3. Using a separate bowl to make dressing, combine oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt,
dill, and garlic. Whisk well and add pepper to taste. Pour over shrimp orzo pasta.
Finally, sprinkle crumbled Feta cheese on top.
4. Salad can be prepared up to 3 hours ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate.
5. Line a serving platter with romaine lettuce or red cabbage leaves. Mound salad on
top to serve. Garnish with fresh dill sprigs and olives.


Chicken Souvlakia

Serves: 4


Ingredients
1 ½ pounds chicken, large cubes
2 tablespoons oregano, dried
1 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon pepper
2 fresh lemons, juiced
salt to taste
12 skewers, wooden


Method
1. To make marinade, whisk olive oil, oregano, juice of one lemon, salt, and pepper
in a large bowl. Mix well.
2. Cut chicken into large cubes Measuring about 1 ½ inch cubes. Add meat to the
marinade mixture and toss until they are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for
approximately one hour. Soak wooden skewers in cold water before use.
3. Thread the pieces of meat onto skewers and place on a pan.
4. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high. Cook the kebabs by occasionally turning
and basting them with the remaining marinade from the bottom of the pan for
about 15 to 20 minutes. Finally, squeeze more fresh lemon juice over top. Meat
should be fully cooked with internal temperature of 160°F.
5. Serve with bread and tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki
Serves: 4–6

Ingredients
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Greek yogurt, plain
1 cucumber, grated with skin
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt

Method
1. Grate the cucumber using the large holes on a cheese grater. Extract the seeds.
2. Squeeze excess liquid from cucumbers through a strainer. Discard excess juice.
3. Mix cucumber, yogurt, sour cream, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a bowl.

Ouzorita
Ingredients

1. 1 lime wedge
2. ice

3. 1 1/2 ounces vodka

4. 1/2 ounce ouzo

5. 1/2 ounce triple sec

6. 1 ounce fresh lime juice

7. kosher salt



Method

1. Moisten the outer rim of a martini glass with the lime wedge and coat lightly with salt. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all of the remaining ingredients, shake well and strain into the martini glass. Garnish with a lime.

More recipes or to order the book, go to http://www.greekchiccuisine.com/

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta is something I make all the time for guests or for my family as a casual dinner. This is always in my refrigerator ready to be served. Recently, I made this for over the 4th of July weekend for a Lake party and the guests loved it. It's perfect for a summer buffet, since it's still delicious served hot or cold.

The colorful array of red peppers paired with your favorite pasta. I usually pick Farfalle (butterfly) or Penne pasta. With only a few ingredients, try this for dinner this week. I suggest doubling the recipe so you can use the sauce for later. I love this sauce! See recipe below.

Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

Ingredients

14.5 ounces Italian Stewed Tomatoes, chopped

1 lb 13 ounces Mancini Sweet Roasted Peppers, chopped

3/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

salt and pepper to taste.

*optional 4 grilled Italian sausage, sliced

Method

1. In a deep pot over medium heat, pour in olive oil then garlic and onions. Sweat the onions, but do not brown the onions or garlic.

2. Quick chop the roasted red peppers and stewed tomatoes before adding them to the pot. Add, sugar, salt and pepper and stir ingredients well.

3. Turn heat to medium-high and cook for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally.

4. Simmer at low to medium heat, for another 15 minutes.

5. Boil pasta of choice al dente and in a serving bowl toss sauce in with pasta. Serve hot or cold.

6. Garnish with side of feta cheese.

*Optional - Grill 4 Italian sausages and once fully cooked. Slice and toss in with the Red Pepper sauce.