It's All Greek To Me!

Tonight, I am trying something new. An all Greek, home-made meal. The chicken is marinating in a yogurt and rosemary infused marinade, and even the spanikopita was made by me and my friend di cucina, Kathy. Working with phyllo dough is a little tricky, as it dries out very quickly. I printed off Ina Garten's recipe for "Dinner Spanikopita" and followed it to the letter. The results were fabulous! So, if you are feeling adventurous in the kitchen, check it out at foodnetwork.com. Even with 2 experienced cooks working the recipe, it took us over an hour to produce about a dozen servings. We made them in a bigger size, which I think was easier, since it was our first time working with frozen phyllo dough. The chicken is also adapted from an Ina recipe. It's grilled outside, so does not heat up your kitchen. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs, which are fairly easy on the budget and the waistline! Don't be scared of the yogurt in the recipe. It makes the meat so juicy and delicious. I think you are going to love going Greek! Greek Style Grilled Chicken Thighs 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 4 to 6 pieces each 1 lb. non-fat plain yogurt 5 T. fresh rosemary, snipped 1 clove garlic, smashed and minced 1/2 tsp. dried oregano juice of 1 lemon the zest from 1/2 of that lemon 1 tsp. sea salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1 medium red onion, quartered and separated into pieces

Mix together everything except the red onion. Let this mixture marinate in the frig at least 30 minutes, up to over night. Over a large cookie sheet, thread your chicken pieces on to a skewer (bamboo or metal, but be sure to soak the bamboo first in water if that's what you use) alternately with a piece of red onion. This is a very messy procedure! Be sure to wash your hands well after handling raw chicken and clean any surface that it touches. Preheat your outside grill or get a grill pan nice and hot. Lay your chicken skewer on the grill, turn the heat down a little and let it alone for about 5 minutes. Turn it once and grill a few more minutes till the onion starts to brown and the chicken is cooked through -- about 8 - 10 minutes total. Serve with rice or pita bread.