Gyros

Gyros meat:

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs. ground beef

.75 lbs ground lamb

1/2 large onion, minced or grated 

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. oregano

2 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. thyme

2 tsp. majoram 

2 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together by hand. Place in covered bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight to let the flavors meld. Pulse in food processor until minced and well blended. Place into greased casserole dish, pressing down flat, and bake at 325 degrees for 60 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove from pan and place on cooling rack for a few minutes. Slice as thin as possible.

Tatziki sauce:

Ingredients:

1 cucumber

2 tsp. fresh parsley or mint chopped fine

3-4 gloves garlic, minced

2 tbs. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. cumin

16 oz. plain Greek yogurt 

Directions:

Peel and seed cucumber. Dice in small pieces. First combine first five ingredients. Then fold in yogurt. Do not over stir as it will tend to make it watery.

 

Old Fashioned Buttermilk Bread

Ingredients:

2 1/4 tsp. Yeast

1 1/2 cups Water

1 stick butter + more to coat pans

5-6 cups flour + more for board

Pam spray

1 cup buttermilk 

1 tbs. sugar

1 tbs. salt

1/2 tbs. apple cider vinegar

3 tbs. honey 

Step 1:

Starter:  In small bowl mix together 2 1/4 tsp. yeast (1 packet) + 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees or less) proof for 15 minutes until foamy.

Step 2:

Add 1 cup water + 3 tbs. butter in small sauce pan. Bring to boil and then allow to cool until warm to touch. 

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbs. sugar

1 tbs. salt

1/2 tbs. apple cider vinegar

3 tbs. honey 

Step 3: 

In large bowl, whisk together these five ingredients above and then pour in the warm water/butter from step 2. Then stir in the yeast starter from step 1.

5-6 cups flour

Step 4:

Add flour to bowl one cup at a time. When it becomes to difficult to stir with a spoon (around 3-4 cups it gets hard to stir) roll out onto floured board and knead by hand slowly adding in remaining flour a little at a time until you have incorporated all 5-6 cups of flour and dough is no longer sticky. Knead for an additional five minutes. The dough should be smooth and have a bounce back when pressed. If there is no bounce back, knead a few more minutes.

Step 5:

Grease large bowl with oil or butter. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat the dough in oil. This will keep the dough from sticking to the sides of the bowl as it rises. Place Saran Wrap over bowl. (Tip: spray the Saran Wrap with Pam on the side that will potentially touch the dough to keep it from sticking.) Allow dough to double in size. This should take 45-60 minutes. 

Step 6:

Roll dough out of bowl and onto floured board. Punch down dough and need for just a minute. With sharp knife divide dough in two equal halves. Place each half into a well buttered loaf pan. Cover with Saran Wrap, spraying Pam on the dough side of the wrap. Allow to rise for 45 minutes. 

Step 7:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt about 4 tbs. of butter. Using pastry brush, liberally brush butter onto too of each loaf. With sharp knife make 3-4 slightly diagonal score marks.

Step 8:

Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes until golden brown and it will smell amazing! That means it's done!

Step 9: 

Remove from pans. When you tap the bottom of the loaf it should sound hollow. That means it's cooked through. Allow to cool slightly before slicing.