Tasty Eats & Train Wrecks

I made these yummy Greek Chicken Skewers with a Tzatziki Yogurt Dipping Sauce last night. They were so good. Oodles of protein. Would be great for a party appetizer. The whole meal would make a great weight loss surgery friendly end of summer dinner. I served the skewers with two delicious summer dishes... my Corn Casserole (it's sort of like creamed corn but without cream) and my Roasted Veggie Caprese Salad.

We ate this delicious spread while watching *hangs head in shame* the Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion show. The Real Housewives shows are like a train wreck, you just can't look away. These woman seriously need to all spend some time scrubbing sea birds in the Gulf or something. Poor New Jersey between the Housewives and Snookie and the crew on the Jersey Shore that's not the group I would want representing my state (I feel bad most of them are Italian) On behalf of my old neighboring state (I grew up on Long Island) I have visited New Jersey many times, it is a beautiful state, filled with wonderful, lovely, intelligent people and let us not forget it brought us Bruce and Bon Jovi and most Italians would refer to both the housewives and the fist pumpers as "testa di cucuzza" a bunch of pumpkin heads.

Shelly's Greek Chicken Skewers

7 Chicken Breast Tenders, cut into cubes
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
juice of 1/2 a Lemon
several dashes of Greek Seasoning
Kalamata Olives, pitted
Cherry Tomatoes
Bamboo skewers or cute food pics

Cut the chicken tenders into 2" cubes. Thread onto metal skewers leaving a little room between each piece of chicken. Mix olive oil and lemon juice together. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle each side of the skewers with Greek Seasoning. Place skewers in the fridge and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour. BBQ for 10-12 minutes or so till chicken is done.

Unthread the chicken from metal skewers and thread (using same hole) onto food pics with a Kalamata olive and a cherry tomato. Serve with Shelly's Tzatziki Yogurt Dipping Sauce.

Shelly's Tzatziki Yogurt Dipping Sauce

1 Cucumber, grated & drained
3 oz. Fage Greek Yogurt (I use 2%, plain)
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon Greek Seasoning
1 Garlic Clove, minced
Kosher Salt to taste
a few twists of Black Pepper

Grate cucumber and allow to drain for a 1/2 hour in a mesh sieve. Discard juice. Add to remaining ingredients and mix till combined.

Shelly's Corn Casserole

1 Yellow Onion, diced
3 cups Corn Kernels
1 (4 oz.) can Green Chilies, diced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
a few twists of Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Butter
1 Tablespoon Multigrain Pancake Mix (I use this)
1 cup Milk
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 cup Crunchy Onions (the green bean casserole kind)

I used fresh corn I BBQ'd on the grill (how I do it) and then removed from the husk but frozen, defrosted (even canned) would be fine.

Saute onions till golden. Add chilies and corn. Add seasonings. Make a well in the center and add butter and pancake mix and cook for 1 minute. Add milk slowly stirring constantly. Cook till thickened and bubbly about 5 minutes. Add Parmesan. Mix to combine. Pour into a Pyrex casserole dish. Top with crunchy onions. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes till golden.

The Roasted Veggie Caprese Salad (recipe posted here)