Every Day Should be Earth Day :)~

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!... I read this somewhere on the internet today, and very much agree and belive in it!......

“The vernal equinox calls on all mankind to recognize and respect Earth’s beautiful systems of balance, between the presence of animals on land, the fish in the sea, birds in the air, mankind, water, air, and land. Most importantly there must always be awareness of the actions by people that can disturb this precious balance.”

It's a rainy one here in CT. April Friggin' showers...It has rained every weekend since Apr.1.......I know this because my softball team hasn't had a real practice because of it....Our first game is this Thursday.... Yikes!....

Tomorrow is Orthodox Easter, Greek Easter for me...I loved this as a kid! I got to celebrate twice some years......My best friend Lisa's family also celebrates tommorow....She is Ukrainian....Generallly it's a week after "regular Easter" , but some years its a couple of weeks..... It's after the Jewish religion celebrates Passover.... And after the first full moon, after the spring equinox.

For my Papou (my gradfather) my mom would make Greek Easter dinner....She would have a roast leg of lamb with potaotes and gravy. Spanakopita, Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), Calamata olives, Feta cheese, and for desert Baklava and rice pudding with raisins......

Roast Leg of Lamb
4 large garlic cloves, cut into slivers
1/2 c Olive oil
1/2 c Lemon juice
1 TB Fresh oregano leaves,
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Fresh rosemary chopped
Freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 cup red wine
1/2 c chicken stock
2 tablespoons flour mixed with 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

With the tip of a small knife, cut many slits in the skin of the lamb. Insert the garlic slivers into the slits. In a bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, rosemary, and pepper. Brush the lamb generously with this mixture. Place the lamb in a shallow roasting pan. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours. Cover the remaining basting mixture and set aside.

Bring lamb to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Roast the lamb for 1 hour. Drain off any fat that is in the bottom of pan. Add hot water into the pan. Continue to roast the lamb, basting every 20 min..... Allow 20 minutes per pound for total roasting time, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb, without touching fat or bone, registers 140 for rare, 160 for medium, and 170 for well done. Remove lamb from the oven and set aside, lightly covered for about 20 minutes before carving. This allows the meat to rest. If you carve too soon you will loose the yummy juices......Skim the fat from the juices in the pan and strain through a sieve.

In a skillet saute shallots until tender. Add wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add the strained pan juices and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the half of the butter and flour mixture and simmer until thickened. If necessary whisk in remaining butter and flour mixture. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Baklava

1 lb. Frozen phyllo sheets
1 c Melted butter
2 c Finely chopped walnuts
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 c Sugar
3/4 cup honey
1 c Water
1 TB Lemon juice

Thaw phyllo pastry and separate sheets according to package directions. Keep pastry not being used covered with clean damp towel to keep it from drying out. Place pastry sheets in a greased baking pan, one by one, brushing each sheet quickly and all over with melted butter.

Combine nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon; sprinkle over buttered pastry. Place remaining sheets on top, brushing each with melted butter. Cut baklava pastry into 2-inch diamonds. Bake at 400° until brown and crisp, about 30 to 35 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine remaining 3/4 cup sugar, honey, 1 cup water, and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Boil baklava syrup for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until syrupy. Cool and pour over baklava.