Traditional Greek Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a yogurt sauce that from my experience the Greeks like to eat with everything. If I lived in Greece this would become my permanent ketchup. You could eat it with souvlaki (skewered meat) of any kind, big steak fries, a gyro, or anything else your heart desires. The recipe is not one that is perfectly quantifiable and will really rely on your tasting as you make it.

- 1 package of real Greek strained yogurt, unflavored (the brand i use is called "fage" and is a 17.6 oz container), VERY IMPORTANT to get the Greek strained yogurt to maintain the real taste and integrity of the dish

- Juice of 1/2-1 lemon depending on size and taste

- 1 Cucumber peeled, seeded, grated, and squeezed to drain liquid

- 1 Clove of garlic, pressed or minced and pasted with a dash of salt and olive oil

- Salt to taste

- 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil for drizzling after all other ingredients combined

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl excluding the olive oil until the end. Garnish as you please, as pictured it is merely a suggestion. If you want to get crazy add either minced fresh mint or dill into the tzatziki to add a pop. Serve chilled. Opah!

Simplest Sage Sauce

This butter sauce is virtually impossible to mess up (but if you do, don't feel bad, just try again). Traditionally, heavy Italian pastas that feature big flavors would be accompanied by a lighter, simpler sauce. This butter and sage combination is a great accoutrement to ravioli, gnocchi, or ricotta cavatelli.

- 1 Pound of the ravioli, gnocchi, or ricotta cavatelli of your choice

- 5 Tbsp of unsalted butter

- 10-15 Sage leaves (I prefer to chiffonade the leaves)

- 1 Cup of diced fresh Roma tomatoes (Optional, but I enjoy the added texture and flavor)

- Salt for boiling water and for flavoring to taste at end

- Pecorino Romano for grating

So simple! Set a pot of water to boil. Salt your boiling water and add pasta. At the same time melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sage leaves as the butter turns to liquid. Drain your pasta when cooked, add tomatoes to skillet, and then add strained pasta as well. Toss with sauce to coat, salt to taste, and grate Pecorino Romano cheese to your liking (I like a lot). Silky, velvety, a perfect topping for savory Italian pasta. Buon appetito!