courtesy of Colombe Jacobsen-Derstine

Even simple meals can help re-create moments from past travels, and new flavors and spices may conjure a country you’ve always longed to visit. It can transport you to another place and time, and  it’s a lot less expensive than a plane ticket and a dinner in, say, Athens.

Even if you don’t have access to international markets with exotic ingredients, you can still keep dinnertime interesting without it costing much.  Tip 1: Try unfamiliar flavor combinations and cooking techniques. Tip 2: Look for simple recipes with ingredients readily available from your local supermarket.

Greek food is a great place to start, with some traditional Greek Soup (known as avgolemono). It calls for eggs, rice, chicken, chicken broth, lemon, and dill.  These are easy-to-find ingredients that come together for a Greek take on chicken rice soup. (I can even pull off this soup at the end of the week, when my larder is almost empty.  Even without the chicken it’s delicious, although a little less filling.)

Along with the avgolemono, if you have time, make this flaky and feta-rich  Spinach Filo Pie as an accompaniment to create a family-style Greek menu.

These simple Greek dishes are not only more cost-efficient and healthy  than eating Greek take-out food.   It can bring the whole family to a new place without ever leaving the dinner table. Who knows? Table talk may even  turn to the warm sun of Mykonos, and the great Greek philosophers. Anything’s possible.

Try these other Greek classics at home.

• Greek Salad with Chicken

• Baklava

Categories: Dinner Tonight | Tags: Chicken Soup, Greek Chicken Dishes, Greek Cuisine, Greek Vegetable Dishes, Spinach
No Comments | Post Your Comment