split pea soup

*more about this recipe here*

Ingredients: 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 stalks celery, chopped, 1 3/4 cups dried split peas, 1 bay leaf, 2 carrots, chopped, 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed, 1 onion, chopped, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 cans chicken broth, 2 ounces diced ham, 2 teaspoons dried chervil, salt and pepper to taste.

1. Saute the garlic, onion and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add peas, broth, bay leaf and ham. Cook on low heat 3-4 hours until peas are soft.

2. Once the peas are soft, stir in the potatoes, carrots and chervil and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add water as needed to adjust the thickness of the soup.

Original recipe here.

Homemade Gyro's

Gyro recipe here: http://greekfood.about.com/od/porkrecipes/r/mockporkgyro.htm
WAY WAY WAY to salty... I'll have to try again without so much salt. But using pork tasted just as good and was much cheaper than lamb.

Tzatziki recipe here: http://greekfood.about.com/od/appetizerssalads/r/tzatziki_sass.htm
Really, really yummy. We like this and used it to dip our fries....

Over all this was good and we will be trying it again but with much less salt. Gyro's are one of our favorite meals and to eat them at our favorite restaurant costs about $38. This meal cost me $12.65 pricey but not as bad as eating out. If I shopped for this meal on sale then it would be even cheaper.