Friday Food Fun…Stuffed Goodness

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I am an average cook, don’t like to bake– but I love to EaT!

Wahoo! it’s Friday and to kick off the very first Friday Food Fun post I have chosen to celebrate Olive My Pickle – because everything they sell is delicious and their name is Awesome!  However one item in particular has been working my taste buds into overdrive– their vegan stuffed grape leaves-YUMMY!!  It’s too bad they only last me a few minutes and then I have to wait til next Friday- So if you haven’t checked in with those folks you should – you won’t be disappointed!  You can find them at our local Farmer’s Market every Friday. Cheers and Happy Eating!!

grape leaves

But if you have a hankering and can’t wait til next week here’s a recipe from Martha Stewart– good ole Martha, she makes everything 🙂

Ingredients

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 cup brown rice, cooked according to package directions
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup currants
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken broth
  • 32 grape leaves (about 1/3 of a 16-ounce jar), rinsed, dried, and stems removed
  • 1 lemon, sliced crosswise into 8 slices

Directions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add mixture to a large bowl, along with cooked rice, parsley, mint, lemon zest, currants, and pine nuts; stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to bowl; stir to combine and set aside.

 

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place one grape leaf on work surface, vein-side up. Place 1 heaping tablespoon rice mixture in the center of grape leaf. Roll leaf from bottom up, folding in sides to form a 2-inch log. Place seam side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Repeat process with remaining grape leaves and rice mixture.

 

  1. In a large bowl, mix together chicken broth, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil; pour over grape leaves. Top grape leaves with lemon slices. Place a second 9-by-13-inch baking dish on top of grape leaves and lemon slices and fill halfway with water to weight down. Carefully transfer to oven and bake until grape leaves are tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve immediately.

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and the latest Flagler Surf Star: Robbie McCormick– this kid takes his surfing to the next level!

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Ride the Wave with Flagler Surf 🙂