Greek Pasta Salad

 Ingredients
1- large cucumber chopped
2- Roma Tomatoes chopped
1- 5 ounce jar of pitted Kalamata Olives
1- 4 ounce pkg. crumbled Feta cheese
1 med. White onion halved and slice thinly
1 pound box of tri-color Rotini

Vinaigrette dressing
1 tablespoons of Olive Oil
½ tsp.  Garlic  powder
½ tsp. Greek Oregano
½ tsp. Dried basil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. Lemon Juice
¾ cup of red Wine vinegar

Cook pasta according to the box, drain and cool
Add chopped cucumber, chopped tomato, Olives, feta cheese, onion,  in a large bowl and stir in the cooled pasta.

In a small bowl whisk , olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, mustard, lemon juice and red wine vinegar together and pour over the  pasta mixture and toss and serve at room temperature.

French Potato Salad

Great for Picnics, because it contains no Mayonnaise

2 pounds  small white  potatoes
1 ½ tsp. white wine vinegar
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp.  kosher salt
¾ tsp. black pepper
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup finely diced red onion
2 tbsp. minced dill
2 tbsp. minced parsley
2 tbsp. dried basil

Drop the potatoes with the skin on into a large pot of boiling water and cook 20 -30 min. or until tender. Drain and cool. When cool cut the potatoes in half or smaller depending on the size of the potato and place in a med . bowl.
Combine the vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper and whisk in the olive oil. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the onion, dill, parsley, basil  and toss together, serve at warm  or at room temperature.

Sunshine Thumbprint cookies

Ingredients 
½ cup of  Virgin Coconut oil
½ cup of unsalted butter room temperature
1/2 cup of  sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 
21/4 cups of  self rising flour
½ cup of shredded coconut
3/4 cup Orange fruit spread or Orange Marmalade
Parchment paper   


Method
 Cream the butter, coconut oil and sugar on high speed for about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the butter/ coconut oil  mixture.  Add the flour. Mix until just combined. Place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350F. Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter Place the balls on parchment lined cookie sheets.  Press down with your thumb to make a small well in the center of the cookie. Do not press too hard or the cookie will fall apart. Fill with 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly firm. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet to firm up before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Makes 2 dozen cookies.

3 Bean Salad- Mediterranean Style

2½ -  tablespoons  Olive Oil
2½ -  tablespoons Red wine vinegar
1 -  teaspoon sugar
¼ -  teaspoon salt
¼  - teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ -  teaspoon Greek Oregano
1 -  tablespoon  Parsley
½  - clove garlic—minced
1  - cup of rinsed and drained  canned Fava beans
1 - cup  of rinsed and drained canned Chick Peas (garbanzo beans)
1  - cup of rinsed and drained  canned Cannellini beans
½ -  red  bell pepper  finely chopped
1/2 -  small red onion  finely chopped
8  - pitted Kalamata olives—finely chopped


Put the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and garlic in a bowl and whisk together  until well combined. place the beans, olives, red pepper, and onion in a large bowl, then toss with the dressing until well combined. Serve at room temperature.

Za`atar Flatbread

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 Tbsp. yeast (1 packet)
1 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
6 – 7 cups all-purpose or bread flour
Za`atar  
Olive Oil


 Za`atar can be purchased at Middle Eastern markets or specialty stores you can order online.  http://www.penzeys.com/

Make the Dough: Place the water in a large bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, sprinkle the sugar on top and let sit for 10 minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam. Mix in the salt and half the flour. Add the rest of the flour one cup at a time, just until the dough holds together. Knead the dough well (either by hand or in a standing mixer), adding flour as necessary until the dough is smooth and shiny. You may need more or less flour than called for in the recipe.

Put the kneaded dough in an oiled bowl to rise, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a dish towel, and put it in a warm spot. Let the dough rise for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces and pat each piece into a 6” round flatbread. Place the flatbreads on baking sheets with rims; 6 dough rounds fit on a half-sheet pan. Use your fingers to dimple the tops of each flatbread. Let the flatbreads rest for 20 minutes.



 Dimple the flatbreads one more time. Drizzle with Olive oil and sprinkle with Za`atar.  Bake the flatbreads, one baking sheet at a time, for 8-10 minutes, or until the flatbreads are golden.