Because this was a last-minute plan, I decided not to try too many new recipes but stick to a few old favorites that I know my friends love. There are two things I make that always have them drooling (literally - what can I say? they are a special bunch). One is my GRILLED SHRIMP which is the simplest thing in the world to make and the other is EDAMAME HUMMUS. Again, both always elicit excitement from my friends so I thought I would share the 'recipes' here. The shrimp is marinated in garlic, olive oil, and whatever herbs I have on hand and grilled just long enough to cook through. The worst thing you can do with shrimp is over-cook it. The edamame hummus is a creamy, delicious dip that can be served with just about anything.
Another delicious creation I made is my variation of GREEK CROUTES. I have this lovely cookbook called 'The Complete Book of Vegetarian Cooking' which I rescued from a used book store in my neighborhood. Although the title is hyperbolic, it is a good book with nice photos and some great recipes. The Greek Croutes is an open-face, warm sandwhich with broiled vegetables and melted cheese. What's not to like? For my purposes I altered the recipe and turned in into an appetizer. It works. Instead of country white bread I use a black olive baguette, sliced and toasted, and cover it with vegetables and goat cheese. Honestly, I kinda took away the Greek. But it does have a Mediterranean lilt to it overall.
I must note, before I start throwing down recipes, that I rarely follow the exact recipe I am given. I make many adjustments, concessions, etc to get it to where I want it. So, these 'recipes' tend to be a bit free-form and do not always give exact measurements. For me, cooking is about experimenting and taking some chances. Also, I like to make things easy, uncomplicated. So, if I can substitute 4 ingredients for 1 (see prepared Tahini Sauce) I am going to do that.
The recipes follow in their own posts.
