Greek Olives

 

My daughter and granddaughter traveled to Greece in late March.  One of our surprises made me so happy!  Three packages of Greek olives!  Each of these varieties have their own unique taste and texture.  It was difficult to choose our favorite, but if pressed (see what I did there!), I would choose the kalamata and Sweet Harold leaned more toward the giant black olive.  Yes, they all contained pits.  No, they are nothing like the black olives you find in cans and on pizzas.  The green is definitely not the stuffed with pimento variety!

I'm posting pictures of both the front and back of the packages showing all the Greek wording and then an individual picture of each olive variety.

Dining Out Southeast: Blue Fin Japanese Sushi and Steakhouse, Oxford, AL

Recently, we found ourselves hungry while shopping at the Exchange in Oxford, Alabama.  Blue Fin Japanese Sushi and Steakhouse hasn't been open for very long and we knew we wanted to give it a try.

We were warmly greeted and immediately noticed many groups dining on the hibachi side of the restaurant.  The atmosphere was one of celebration.  It seemed like there were quite a few groups enjoying family time and birthday parties.  

Sara was our server and she was helpful in suggesting different menu items to try and was always professional and prompt to check on our table.

We ordered a Lemon Drop (for me) and a Long Island Iced Tea for Sweet Harold while we checked out the extensive menu!

We both agreed that these were two of the better cocktails we've enjoyed in restaurant in quite a while.

We began our meal with an order of five Cheese Dumplings: Cream cheese, crabmeat, onions, and celery, wrapped in egg roll skin and deep fried. 

These were lightly fried and the filling was extra creamy with a nice portion of crabmeat.  We would order these again.

I ordered from the "kitchen menu" and my meal came with soup and salad.  I had a choice of clear soup or miso soup.  I chose the clear.  So flavorful!  The house salad is one of my favorites.  It was served nice and cold and the lettuce was so crunchy.  No semi-wilted pieces of lettuce in this bowl.

My main course was the Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura:  Lightly battered shrimp (6 pieces) served with tempura battered zucchini, sweet potato slices, and onion rings.  As always, a gorgeous presentation.  I chose wisely!  I loved everything about this meal.  This entree is served with either steamed or fried rice.  I choose fried rice which is served with Yum Yum Sauce.

Sweet Harold chose the Spicy Roll Combo:  8 pieces spicy tuna, 8 pieces spicy salmon, and 8 pieces spicy crab and served with choice of miso or clear soup and salad.

For a fun twist, check out how the sushi was delivered to the table!  The nice robot served brought the food to the table and then returned to the sushi bar.

The atmosphere was great, the restaurant was clean and fresh, service was perfection, and the meal was delicious.

If you're shopping in Oxford, drop in and give them a try.  Next time, we will try the hibachi portion of the restaurant.

Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic

This recipe is perfect for weeknights!  It bakes in 15 minutes and is loaded in flavor thanks to a combination of coriander, paprika, cumin, garlic, and lemon.  Take a trip to the Mediterranean right from your kitchen table.

1.5 lb. cod fillet pieces (4-6 pieces)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

5 T. fresh lemon juice

5 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. melted butter

5 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 t. ground coriander

3/4 t. sweet Spanish paprika

3/4 t. ground cumin

3/4 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, and melted butter in a shallow bowl (don't add the garlic yet). Set aside.

In another shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, spices, salt, and pepper.  Set next to the lemon sauce.

Pat the fish fry.  Dip the fish in the lemon sauce then dip it in the flour mixture.  Shake off excess flour.  Reserve the lemon sauce for later.

Heat 2 T. olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  Watch the oil to be sure it is shimmering, but not smoking).  Add the fish and sear on each side to give it some color, but do not fully cook (about 2 minutes on each side).  Remove the skillet from heat.

To the remaining lemon sauce, add the minced garlic and mix.  Drizzle all over the fish fillets.  

Bake in the preheated oven until the fish flakes easily with a fork (about 10 minutes).  Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the chopped parsley.  Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of www.themediterraneananddish.com

White Cabbage and Carrots

 

This is a recipe from a cookbook (Greek Culinary) my daughter and granddaughter brought back for me from their recent trip to Greece.  It's full of authentic Greek dishes and I am enjoying learning about these different recipes.

I served this simple, but delicious, side dish alongside baked cod fillets.  The olive oil and lemon juice dressing cut through the richness of the fish dish and balanced out the flavors nicely.

The recipe uses a different measuring term than what I am accustomed:  a half teacup of olive oil.  A little research shows that most teacups hold six ounces.  So, I used 3 ounces of olive oil.  Adjust for your taste accordingly.

I'll share the recipe exactly as written.  This is one you'll "play be ear."  

1/2 white cabbage

2 carrots

1/2 teacup olive oil

2 T. finely chopped dill

the juice of one lemon

salt

Wash the cabbage.  Scrape and grate the carrots and finely shred the cabbage.  Mix them in a bowl.  Sprinkle with salt.  Add the olive oil, the lemon juice, and the dill.

Around Lolly's Table: Cockadoodledo!

Recently, while reorganizing all my dinnerware, glasses, crystal, Fiestaware, and serving pieces, I came across this fun set of plates and berry bowls.  I have a confession to make.  I have NO IDEA where I purchased these or when!  This is totally unlike me, but imagine my happy surprise when I unearthed these from a shelf.

I immediately had the idea for a table setting for a brunch.  I just love this table!

The pattern is Poppytrail by Metlox.  A quick check on Ebay showed many sets for sell with production dates from the 1950s to the 1980s.  There are a variety of matching serving pieces along with a canister set and a cookie jar!

Here's a picture of one of the place settings.

The rattan chargers paired with the wooden handled flatware.  The napkins, with their neutral colored checked pattern and wooden napkin rings, bring a rustic touch to the table.  

I've had the rooster/hen table runner for years.  The Hull pottery "hen on a nest" is the perfect centerpiece!

The four mugs, from JC Penney, are each a color in the rooster's tail!  

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Of course, I think nearly every family had a set of these glasses.

Bear Creek Minestrone

 

The fun with Bear Creek Soup products continues!  Today I decided to enjoy their Minestrone variety.  Here's a picture of the product with my "add-ins."

You can certainly open the package and add it to 8 cups of boiling water, let it simmer for 15 minutes and have your meal.  But, as y'all know, I have to have my add ins!  I browned the Italian sausage in a skillet while the water came to a boil for the soup.  Because I'm adding in the crushed tomatoes (with basil), I only used 7 cups of water instead of 8.

Here's my method:

1)  Brown sausage in a skillet over medium high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

2)  Bring 7 cups of water to a boil in a soup pot or Dutch oven.

3)  When water boils, whisk in the soup mix and lower heat to a simmer.

4)  Add in 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes and stir to combine.

5)  When sausage is browned, add it to the soup pot.

6)  Let simmer 15 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn't stick.

After 15 minutes, your minestrone will look like this!

Ladle into individual serving bowls and top with grated Parmesan if you'd like.

Some garlic bread served alongside would be a great addition to this comforting bowl of soup.

Our verdict?  Sweet Harold says THIS one is his favorite.  Full disclosure:  He says that about each new one we try!

I'll definitely keep this variety in the pantry for future meals.

Around Lolly's Sideboard: Springtime Tulips

With the Easter bunnies packed away for another year, it's time to celebrate Spring!  I removed some of the other Fiestaware plates and accessory pieces and added different colors for this sideboard setting.  

The main color palate for this sideboard originated from this particular set of mixing bowls.

This set of four Fire King Tulip mixing bowls belonged to my mom.  I've admired them for years.  I knew the vibrant colors would coordinate perfectly with colors of Fiestaware.  

Here's a LINK which provides some great background information on this line of bowls which were originally made in the 1940s.

I went to my Fiesta stash and began searching to match up what I had available in whites, blues, greens, orange, yellow, and red.  

My daughter gifted me the egg cups for Easter this year.  

It's so much fun to play with all these gorgeous colors and variety of pieces.

I couldn't resist incorporating these two Morning Glory pitchers made by Anchor Hocking in the 1950s.  This one was my mom's.  She gave it to me years ago.

This one I found at a sidewalk sale in the French Quarter in New Orleans a year or so after Hurricane Katrina.

If you look closely, you'll notice a slight variation in the color pattern of the two pitchers.  They've both special to me for different reasons.  I had to let them have a moment to shine in this season's sideboard.