Greek Village Salad, My Blogiversary, and Giveaways!

In November 2010, Katerina, of the awesome Culinary Flavors, had a blogiversary giveaway, and I was one of the lucky winners.  I was beyond excited to receive the most wonderful Greek cookbook, The Best of Greek Cuisine by Vefa Alexiadou.  Mouthwatering pictures accompany each recipe and just make you want to run into the kitchen and go mad making everything.  Well, a couple of weeks ago, we had a soup and salad potluck at work.  I made a white bean salad, split pea soup, and the subject of today's post, Greek Village Salad.  I had gone into Sam's over the weekend before the potluck, and I noticed a 3-pack container of tiny English cucumbers, as well as some beautiful tomatoes.  I tossed both into the enormous grocery cart, and then made my way over the dairy section where I bought a 3 lb block of feta, because everyone needs a ginormous hunk of feta in their refrigerator.  Anyway, I had the makings for Vefa's Greek Village Salad.  I've made it again since then and served it alongside grilled chicken and chunks of freshly-baked bread - absolutely sensational - almost like a taste of summer, minus the mosquitoes and Louisiana humidity.  If you're lucky enough to come across some sensational cucumbers and tomatoes during the cold months, then I highly suggest this salad.  If not, bookmark it for the summer to serve as a wonderful light meal or alongside grilled meat and fish.
So, today is Louanne's Kitchen 1-year Blogiversary!  My first post focused on the best brownie recipe I've yet to find, and my advice still stands, if you're looking for something extra-special for the chocoholic in your life, make these brownies for a Valentine's day treat.  To celebrate my blogiversary, I'm giving you, some of the dearest and most wonderful people I've ever met, presents!  Don't you just love presents?  I most certainly do, so for the next 4 weeks, I'm going to give you all an opportunity to win one of the following presents: a subscription to Louisiana Cookin' magazine, Marcelle Bienvenu's Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make a Roux?, Cooking Up a Storm: Recipes Lost and Found from The Times-Picayune of New Orleans, Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link's Louisiana, Tom Fitzmorris's New Orleans Food: More than 225 of the City's Best Recipes to Cook at Home, River Road Recipes: the Textbook of Louisiana Cuisine.  All you have to do is leave me a comment telling which you would like to win.  If you are the lucky winner chosen by random.org, you'll win your choice!  The giveaway is open to everyone, even my international blogger buddies, although the magazine subscription is only valid for residents of the US.  I'll choose the first winner on Tuesday, 2/15 and start the next giveaway on 2/16.  I do ask that you be a follower of Louanne's Kitchen, so just click the little follow button on the left, and leave a comment.
Finally, I'd like to say thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and kind comments you left about my dad.  It's stage 3 cancer, and it's spread to the lymph nodes.  He's getting a port put in for the chemo, which will start in the next 2 weeks, to be followed by radiation.  His chances aren't terrific, but we're all looking hoping and praying for the best.

Goodness, I almost forgot to leave you the salad recipe!  Here you go:

Greek Village Salad, adapted from The Best of Greek Cuisine by Vefa Alexiadou
2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 red onion, sliced
10-12 pitted black olives, sliced (Kalamata)
1/4 lb feta cheese, cubed

Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Combine salad ingredients.  Mix dressing ingredients until emulsified, and pour over salad.  Toss to coat and serve.

Linked to Full Plate Thursdays, Tuesdays at the Table, Tuesday Night Supper Club, Whatcha Makin Wednesday, Thursday Friends Cafe, Twitter Hop Thursday, Friday Potluck, Fat Camp Friday