Giant Cous Cous with Butternut Squash, Feta Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This is literally one of the best cous cous I've ever made!
I think the balance between the richness of the sun dried tomatoes along with the sweetness and the bland taste of the butternut squash, and last-but-not-least the saltiness of the feta cheese gives this dish the right amount of deliciousness that will make your taste buds dance all day long!

For 2 to 3 servings:
150 grams of Giant Cous Cous
70 grams of Feta Cheese
1 Little Butternut Squash
10 Sun Dried Tomatoes (in oil)
Rosmary
E.V. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

First wash the squash... look at that, isn't it pretty? XD

I feel so sorry I have to peel you and cut into pieces, but here goes... (!) 

Place the pieces into a large tin, spread over some extra virgin olive oil and season with some rosmary, salt and pepper.

Cook into the oven at about 200° for around 40 to 50 mins, until soften.

Boil the cous cous according to the instructions on its box. 
Chop both the sun dried tomatoes, the squash and the feta cheese. Add some other olive oil to taste, mix well and serve :) 

Whole Grain Barley, Spinach and Feta Salad

To make this easy-peasy recipe all you need for 4 to 5 servings is:

300 gr of Whole Grain Barley
100 gr of Frozen Spinach Cubes (better if finely chopped)
100 gr of Feta Cheese
5 Mints Leaves
1 Glove of Garlic
Salt, Pepper & E.V. Olive Oil to taste

Wash and rinse the barley then boil it in a generous amount of water for about 30 mins (or according to the instructions of its pack).

In the meantime, cook the spinach in a pan with a couple of table spoons of oil, a pinch of sea salt and the garlic glove, finaly chopped (if you don't like its taste, you can leave it whole and remove it before assembling the dish). This would take about 10 mins at medium heat.

Once the barley is cooked, drain it then allow both the spinach and the barley to chill.

Roughly break the feta cheese in a bowl, then add the barley, the spinach and the mint leaves finaly chopped.

Season with a couple of table spoons of olive oil, pepper and more sea salt to taste.

Best served cold or at room temperature. 

Xmas Pan Brioche Wreath with Shitakee and Porcini Mushrooms, Brie and Spinach

Ehmm, ehmm! 
Now it's really been a looong while since I haven't posted a little-tiny recipe. My apologies.

Hope you'll forgive me after taking a glance at this tastefull recipe I'm posting right now. 
It's a delicious pan brioche with a really rich and greedy filling. 
Allow me to suggest this dish for a Christmas or New Year's Eve buffet.

Ingredients:
..for the dough..
500 gr of Plain Flour
200 gr of Room Temperature Skimmed Milk
100 gr of Corn Seed Oil
2 Eggs
10 gr of Salt
12 gr of Yeast
1 tablespoon of Honey

..for the besciamella sauce..
300 gr of Skimmed Milk
30 gr of Corn Seed Oil
30 gr of Plain Flour
Grated Nutmeg
salt

..for the filling..
400 gr of Frozen Spinach
10 gr of Dried Porcini Mushrooms
20 gr of Dried Shitakee Mushrooms
40 gr of Brie Cheese
1 glove of Garlic
1 tsp of Onion Powder
2 tbp of Light Soy Sauce
2 tbp of E.V. Olive Oil

Make the dough by mixing all the ingredients in the following order: flour, yeast, honey, eggs, oil, milk and salt. Let it prove for about 1 hour (the more the best).

In the meantime let's take care about the filling: 
Let the dried mushrooms idratate first by placing them into a bowl and pouring them over some boiling water (enough water to cover them entirely). Wait for 30-40 mins then dry them.

In a casseroule pour a couple of tablespoons of extravirgin olive oil, an hint of onion powder, 1 garlic glove grated, salt, pepper and the spinach. Allow to cook at low heat for around 15-20 mins (covered).
Slice the reidrated mushrooms into thin stipes and add them to the spinach mixture. 

Cook for another 10-15 more then add the soy sauce.

In another smaller pot make the besciamella sauce: mix together the flour and the oil, then add very carefully the milk keep stirring with a whisk. Add some grated nutmeg and salt to taste and cook it at low heat until thicker (for around 7 mins stirring all the time).
Add the brie cheese to the besciamella sauce and let it melt at low heat. 

Combine both mixtures and allow to cool down.

Take the dough, divide it into two and roll each piece into a rectangle. 
Fill each rectangle with part of the filling and wrap it into a sausage shape.

Plait both rolls and give them a wreath shape. Seal the wreath with some water and apply some cherry tomatoes pierced with a wooden stick.

Allow to prove for about 1 hour more.
Preheat the oven at 200° C and cook the pan brioche wreath for 30-45 mins, until golden brown.

 Serve lukewarm and enjoy :)

Merry Christmas y'all folks!