Lamb Gyros (Recipes 47, 48, 48, & 50)

Summer is coming to a close and Autumn is in the air. I wanted to make 50 recipes before Summer came to an end and I have reached that goal! It was exciting. I've broadened my cooking and baking horizons, tried things that I would have never dreamed of (squirrel comes to mind), and found delicious recipes to make again.

I decided to end Summer's goal by making something I have wanted to make since recipe one. Lamb. Lamb is my favourite meat and lamb gyros... oh! There is nothing better. And so, I set to work.

After grocery shopping for all the special ingredients I set to work on making the pita bread. 

The Recipe:

• 2 1/4 teaspoons of dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water 
• 2 teaspoon granulated sugar 
• 4-4 1\2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 3 tablespoons milk 
• 1 1\2 cup lukewarm water 
• 2 tablespoon olive oil

Mix together the yeast, sugar, and water. Let it proof before mixing in the rest of the ingredients. After kneading let it rise for 15 minutes. Then pinch dough into 12 balls. Allow these to rise for 10 minutes. After rising, roll out and let rise for an hour. 

Preheat oven to 500ºF and bake for two minutes before flipping the pitas and baking the other side for two minutes. 

Then came the tatziki sauce. It was fairly simple... though it took time. 

The Recipe:

• 1 large container of Greek Yogurt
• Lemon Juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 Tablespoon Dried Dill
• 3 Cucumbers (minced)
• Garlic to taste

Place the yogurt in a coffee filter in a spaghetti strainer. Let the liquid drain out of it for an hour or two. This thickens the yogurt. When the yogurt has become thicker mix in some minced cucumbers. Stir around and then add the rest of the ingredients. Add enough Lemon Juice to taste. 

I'm so sorry for the blurry picture. However, those this is possibly the easiest recipe in the world, it is time consuming and something I have wanted to make since recipe one. Carmelized Onions. They become sweet and crispy.

The Recipe:

• Onions
• Olive Oil

Two ingredients. That's it! Simply pour Olive Oil in a skillet. Heat up. Then place sliced onions in and cook for 40 minutes. The result- beautiful, tasty onions. 

Then came the lamb. Mmm. There is no meat that tastes better.

The Recipe:

• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1/4 cup lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Chop up the lamb into strips. Then whip together this marinade and soak the lamb in it for 2 hours. When the lamb is done soaking, mix together the dry seasoning to apply. 

The Recipe: 

• 2 teaspoons paprika 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 2 teaspoons onion powder 
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano 
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme 
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
• dash cayenne pepper

Apply this to each piece of lamb before grilling it. It takes about 3-5 minutes each side for grilling the meat. 

The eaters for this meal were: Sarah, Janessa, Davey, Damarise, and Micah. It was so fun to have them over, especially Sarah. I love having another sister around.

All in all, I think the last set of recipes wrapped up my Summertime goal perfectly. And yes, I did reach my goal before Autumn arrived.

Hummus (Recipe 46)

Hummus is one of those foods that blends together healthiness and tastiness. It can also be paired with countless delicious foods – from vegetables to breads. 

I've made hummus before, but it has never turned out quite right. Sometimes not the right thickness, sometimes too bitter or too garlicky... so I wanted to find a recipe that would turn out great. And I think I found it. 

The Recipe: 

• 1 Can of Chickpeas (use half the juice in the can)
• 2 Cloves of Garlic (unless you like more)
• 4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
• Salt and Pepper to taste

I know it's not much, but it turned out delicious! And a great thickness too. Just blend it together and gather some pita bread, carrots, tomatoes, spinach leaves, and anything else that sounds good.