Good side dish - posted for Jane Cherry and others that may be interested,

Ray

Mediterranean Tza-Tziki

2 cups plain yogurt (homemade is best if you can make it)

1 large (12 ounces or so) cucumber – peeled, halved lengthwise, and coarsely grated
1 tsp. coarse kosher salt

¼ cup sour cream
1 tbs minced fresh parsley
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 ½ tsp. minced fresh dill (or about ¾ tsp. dried)
1 ½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic - minced

Place two layers of cheesecloth in a sieve, place over a deep bowl, and put yogurt into sieve. Cover and refrigerate overnight (if you do this for 24 hours, the yogurt will be thicker – like a cottage cheese and the resulting dip will be a thicker tza-tziki).

Toss cucumber with the salt and let stand in refrigerator for 1 hour. Drain as much liquid as you can, and then dry the cucumber by patting with paper towels.

Put yogurt in a bowl and discard liquid.

Mix cucumber with yogurt, then mix in remaining ingredients.

Season with salt and pepper if desired.

Cover and chill for 1 to 4 hours.

Note: This makes about 2 cups if you drain the yogurt for 8 to 10 hours, but only about 1 ¼ cup if you drain it for 24 hours.

Good one, Ray. You're right about this being particularly good with homemade yogurt. Plain, store-bought yogurt does work well too but check the label. The yogurt drains much better if you can avoid brands that include pectin or gelatin, common in low-fat yogurt, but sometimes found in whole-milk versions as well.

Your version with dill is my favorite to serve with fried or grilled zucchini or as a dip for pita or chunks of grilled salmon. Replacing the dill with mint is something I do to serve with grilled lamb kabobs and grilled or fresh ripe tomatoes. Minced fresh fennel for some or all of the dill is also good with grilled salmon or keftethes--little Greek meatballs. And try a mint version with diced mango and/or pineapple folded in with the grated cukes. Kind of Caribbean/Greek thing: Great with spicy chicken wings fresh off the grill or jerked chicken quarters.

I starving now. I'll be making your version today I'm sure.

Thanks Ray. I'm sorry I've been away for a while, but I'm trying to catch up. Will try both herb variations, or maybe both together. I love the Greek yogurt, as it's so thick and creamy. Then again, I love that layer of fat on the cream top as well.

Jane,

Glad you are back and I hope you enjoy the Tza-Tziki...

Ray

Problem is Ray, I've been so busy cooking for everyone else, I haven't been cooking for my family. Last nite was the gourmet chili dog. It's pretty sad around here.

Jane,

I worked in the corporate world for 36 years and for quite a bit of that time, I had my priorities wrong, and it resulted in all kinds of problems (including a divorce). It took me quite a while to really reach an understanding of where my priorities needed to be. I will share below the learnings I have based on my experience.

Your first priority needs to be yourself – because if you are not healthy and well, you can’t take care of your family or your career / job.

Your second priority needs to be your family, because if you are worried or thinking about them too much, you will not be as effective on your job as you could be without those concerns.

The career / job needs to be last priority.

However, I realized that at times, the job might be top priority for a while (there are periodic crises that need attention), or the family might be top priority (if someone is sick, etc). BUT, over a time span of 3 or 4 months, you should be able to look back and see if your overall priorities were yourself, then family, and then job. If not, you
are not living life as you should be for “the long haul”

Just my humble opinion.

Oh, I am now happily married to lady who is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Our life is a dream!

Good luck to you.

Ray

Ray, you are totally rite on. Owning my own business has distracted me from the obvious, and I seem to fall pray to the whims of everyone else, making money, and overlooking my own sanity.

Just this week, I have been inundated with new clients. Let alone taking care of the ones I already have, two of these are very high profile people here. Service businesses (putting the product aside), are demanding, especially when it comes to the food that nutures them. You have a tendency to bend over, and I really mean bend over backwards to make sure the client is happy. Bottom line ~ I don't give my time to the first two you mentioned.

I have just started doing some things for me. Going for facials, seeing a plastic surgeon for repair on scars, and home improvements, and landscaping. I get so much joy from my home, and we do a little at a time when we can. Our projects are major here, costly and time consuming even though we do it all ourselves.

I'm getting there, and maybe soon, I will have gotten my career to the point where I can just say no whenever I want, but for now, I take on most of the business that comes my way. Some people who want me, don't deserve my time and I usually know that right away from a phone conversation. Having your own business is so different from working for anyone else.

Jane,

I'll send you a separate e-mail rather than take more space on this forum.

Ray

Ray,

Very good stuff. Thank you for the recipe. It worked out excellently on Kevin's gyros.

I used greek yogurt. It came out a bit tangy, but it worked very well on the meat.

Thanks again,
Josh

Josh Z,

Glad you enjoyed it. I made it recently to go with some greek chicken kabobs and it was outstanding.

Ray