Tzatziki Dip (so good you'll eat it plain)

Both Dieter and I have spent some time living abroad, and both agree that it was probably the coolest/most exciting time of our lives to date, not to mention the most time we've ever spent apart from one another! (Dieter spent a fabulous month roaming around Italy while I took a semester to live in Athens, Greece and bum around the Islands.)

                                                                    Dieter being fabulous in Rome

                                                           Mairz hanging out in front of the acropolis

 Both of us returned much wiser, much tanner and with some fantastic recipes. While living in Greece, my diet consisted of pita bread, greek veggies (eggplant, tomato and olives were a common dinner) and a seriously unhealthy amount of fresh feta cheese. I took away a massive amount of amazing recipes, but this one happens to be mine (and dieter's) favorite.


Tzatziki dip (pronounced za-zee-kee... greeks and their words, out of control)

Tzatiki
2 cups plain greek yogurt
1 Cucumber
7 garlic cloves (thats right, 7. No making out after eating this)
1 bunch fresh dill
dash of olive oil

Peel skin off of cucumber. Then, into a large bowl, use a carrot peeler to peel off thin slices of cucumber. Once cucumber is completely shredded, take shredded pieces and put into paper towel. then, (and this is important) squeeze EVERY OUNCE of water out of the cucumber. This might take a couple of paper towels, but it's important to remove allllllll water, or the dip will turn out runny and icky. Once cucumber shreds are dry, set aside.

Place two cups of plain, greek yogurt into large bowl. throw in about 2 tablespoon GOOD olive oil (I'm a poor recent college grad, and I still pay the big bucks for good olive oil. no excuses) Chop 7 cloves of garlic into teeny tiny pieces, and stir into yogurt. Take cucumber shreds and stir in as well.

Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 1/2 hour. Right before serving, chop about 1/2 cup dill and stir in as well.

Serve with pita chips, crackers, or if you're anything like us, a spoon.