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Many of you know that I was a super-picky eater growing up. But one of my absolutely-positively-no-good-very-bad “foods” to avoid was….dum dum dum…crust. Oh my goodness. I avoided it like the plague, which happened to drive my Grandma Ebright crazy. The more I picked it off of my toast, my pizza, the bottom of my rolls, and the edge of my brownies…the more determined she became in her mission to convince me otherwise. We would have lengthy discussions about how the crust was made from the “same ingredients” as the yummy, soft center of my toast. And of course about how it was “never good to waste food”. She even persuaded a gullible, straight-haired little me that eating crust would make my hair curly! (Which briefly “worked”, until a question to my hairdresser set the record straight!)
Thankfully, the pendulum eventually swung, and I became a total crust-loving foodie. And Grandma’s disapproving looks eventually turned to amusement at family gatherings as she watched me choose the end of a loaf of bread, or finish off entire pieces of pizza, or even (gasp!) show her pages from my food blog. I still think of her every time I bite into a slice of toast though. :) Love and miss her.
Athenos (the maker of some rockin’ feta) has recently introduced a new grandma character of their own — Yia Yia. She’s the quintessential traditional Greek grandmother who’s not always the most approving, but her love for family and the quality, simple, fresh ingredients in Athenos is strong. Which totally rang true when I used their feta in this a-mazing autumn pizza. It combines the butternut squash and bacon combination I used in one of my favorite pasta recipes with some fresh spinach, red onions, and yummy feta. And holy cow. I took some to the guys in my band to taste-test, and even they (who called it a “girly” pizza before trying it) gave it a big thumbs up. No sauce or herbs needed. The ingredients make this pizza fantastic….crust and all. :)
So in honor of Yia Yia and my grandma (who nurtured and set the example in our family of an incredible love of reading!), we are giving away one $50 Amazon gift certificate this week. You can use it to buy a pizza stone, cookbooks, music for dancing in the kitchen, or even a pro-crust brownie pan…you name it! The winner will also receive coupons for free Athenos feta, and a fantastic serving platter and utensils. Read below for details and enter to win!
***This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, KellyBeth!***
6 slices lean bacon, cooked and diced into 1/2″ pieces
1/3 cup crumbled ATHENOS feta cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large bowl, toss together the butternut squash, onion, and 2 tablespoons olive oil, then spread the mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, stirring and turning the vegetables about halfway through.
Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the top of the pizza crust. Leaving a 1″ border for crust, toss the Mozzarella cheese evenly over the center of the crust. Layer with spinach, then bacon, and the squash/onion mixture (breaking up the onions if needed). Then sprinkle the top with feta cheese.
Bake pizza according to recipe/package instructions. Or bake for 10-12 minutes, until crust is slightly golden and the Mozzarella is melted. Slice and serve immediately.
Ali’s Tip:
If butternut squash is not in season, this would also be delicious with sweet potatoes!
$50 Amazon Gift Certificate Giveaway
Giveaway Prizes:
$50 gift certificate to Amazon.com
Serving platter and serving utensils
5 free coupons for ATHENOS feta
Entry requirements:
How to Enter: Leave a comment on this page mentioning a story about a favorite Yia-Yia figure in your life, or your favorite way to use ATHENOS feta cheese.
Required: You must include your email address in the comment form. I will need it to contact you should you win.
Deadline: October 10, 2011 at 11:59pm Central Time
2 Opportunities for extra entries:
Twitter: Copy this exact text into a tweet, and then post a link to your tweet in a comment below — “Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift certificate from @athenos at @gimmesomeoven this week! https://bit.ly/o4AZMA #giveaway #recipes
Facebook: “Like” Gimme Some Oven on Facebook, and leave a comment here saying you have done so.
Facebook: “Like” Athenos on Facebook, and leave a comment here saying you have done so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Fine Print: No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will be selected at random by Gimme Some Oven using Random.org. Entries that do not follow the entry requirements will not be considered. Winners will be notified via email and will have 48 hours to confirm receipt of the email. If the winners do not reply within 48 hours, another winner(s) will be selected. Giveaways will be mailed to the winners’ address. This post is sponsored by Athenos. Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me. However, my opinions are entirely my own and I have not been paid to publish positive comments toward Athenos products. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Gimme Some Oven.
***This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to our winner, KellyBeth!***
Wow, I have so many memories of my grandmother, but my favorite, is being very young, and her pulling up a stool for me in the kitchen to watch her cook. I would just watch as she turned simple ingredients into amazing dishes. I miss her daily!
When I lived in Spain, I met a lot of Yia Yia figures… the Spanish grandma or abuelita is usually very short and knows everything about everyone. Including me, the adopted American into Spanish culture. I had at least two abuelitas assuring me that should I ever return to Spain, their casa was open and welcoming for me to stay!
I like feta cheese on an amazing summer salad: baby greens, sliced strawberries, candied almond slices, and feta with poppy seed dressing. It is divine and I could eat it every day.
My “Yia Yia” would have to be a tie with my “dear, sweet, wonderful” grandma (yes, she had us grandkids call her that since we were little), and my fabulous mother. First, my DSW grandma has always taken a real interest in teaching me how to make homemade classics, like noodles, her special chili, and my husband’s personal favorite pie crust. It’s nice to know my “feel good” cooking started from what I learned from her. My mother is a fantastic cook. I know that everybody says that about their mother, but really, I think mine has to be way up there on the scale of great cooks. She has taught me to appreciate fresh ingredients, flavor, and beautiful presentation. On top of that, she is wonderful mother and I’m so lucky that she is mine.
Oh yum! My boyfriend and mother LOVE feta cheese and he is always begging me to make a greek pizza. We usually use it in wraps with peppercinis, spinach, cream cheese (his other cheese love) and other goodies. But he also loves winter squash so I will have to try this when our winter squash is ready to be picked!!
My Yia Yia story is definately about my own grandmother. She is simply wonderful. Some of my fondest memories are sitting on the front porch snapping peas from her garden, making homemade noodles for her amazing chicken noodle soup and of course always begging her to lick the bowl when she would make desserts. :)
I think my favorite Yiayia figure is my own grandma, even though we are not Greek. She is the person who taught me to cook, who kept me fed, who gave me lots of hugs and kisses. She took me to church and just about any other place that she went. Even now, in her 80s she still checks up on me, tries to cook for and feed me and like for us to go places together.
I liked gimme some oven on facebook a looooong time ago. :-)
My Yia-Yia story involves my grandma Jane, who was my best friend until she passed away during my senior year of high school. She was rather loud and opinionated, and she really taught me how to stand up for myself. One of my favorite memories of her is often hearing her belting out (in a rather awful singing voice,) “Hail to the Redskins! Hail Victory! Braves on the Warpath! Fight for old D.C.!” I was born and raised in Kansas, and couldn’t understand as a kid why she sang the Redskins football fight song (she had lived in the Washington DC area for many years,) but that has turned out ironically as well – I now live in Washington DC… I miss her every day.
I love using Athenos Feta in fresh salads for lunch!
Look. At. That. Pizza.
Wow, I have so many memories of my grandmother, but my favorite, is being very young, and her pulling up a stool for me in the kitchen to watch her cook. I would just watch as she turned simple ingredients into amazing dishes. I miss her daily!
When I lived in Spain, I met a lot of Yia Yia figures… the Spanish grandma or abuelita is usually very short and knows everything about everyone. Including me, the adopted American into Spanish culture. I had at least two abuelitas assuring me that should I ever return to Spain, their casa was open and welcoming for me to stay!
I love using Athenos Feta for homemade pizzas, especially ones with feta, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes.
While I am not a fan of feta (I want to like it, but every time I try it its just not there), I do like Athenos greek yogurt. Mmmm… =)
I love feta in Greek salads!! But I’ll eat it by itself too lol
Like Gimme Some Oven on FB!
like Athenos on FB
My boyfriend and I go through a container of Athenos Feta every few days, seriously! We eat it on salads, pasta salad, dips, even by itself!
Like GSO on Facebook!
Like Athenos on Facebook!
I like using Athenos Feta in salads.
I “Like” Gimme Some Oven on Facebook with my username Mary Happymommy.
I “Like” Athenos on Facebook with my username Mary Happymommy.
Yay! My email is lunn.maureen@gmail.com
My fave way to use Athenos feta is classic but so good…in a nice spinach salad with dried cranberries, walnuts, and a sweet vinagrette.
My fave way to use Athenos feta is classic but so good…in a nice spinach salad with dried cranberries, walnuts, and a sweet vinagrette.
I love using feta in omlettes and on pizza! So good :)
I liked Gimme Some Oven on Facebook.
I liked Athenos on Facebook.
I liked Athenos on FB!
Feta on top of some grilled chicekn. Yum!
I like feta cheese on an amazing summer salad: baby greens, sliced strawberries, candied almond slices, and feta with poppy seed dressing. It is divine and I could eat it every day.
I like Gimme Some Oven on facebook :)
I like Athenos on facebook
My “Yia Yia” would have to be a tie with my “dear, sweet, wonderful” grandma (yes, she had us grandkids call her that since we were little), and my fabulous mother. First, my DSW grandma has always taken a real interest in teaching me how to make homemade classics, like noodles, her special chili, and my husband’s personal favorite pie crust. It’s nice to know my “feel good” cooking started from what I learned from her. My mother is a fantastic cook. I know that everybody says that about their mother, but really, I think mine has to be way up there on the scale of great cooks. She has taught me to appreciate fresh ingredients, flavor, and beautiful presentation. On top of that, she is wonderful mother and I’m so lucky that she is mine.
I “Like” Gimme Some Oven on Facebook!
on salads!
I love to use Athenos Feta baked with tomatoes and shrimp.
I love feta on lots and lots of things. My husband makes some pasta dishes with feta tossed in that are absolutely wonderful.
I like Gimme Some Oven on Facebook!
I like Athenos on facebook!
i use athenos all the time in greeak salads!!! YUM!!!!!!!
i like gimme some oven on FB!
i like atheno on FB :)
I love feta in a wrap with hummus, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, and spinach!
feta + spinach omelettes! :)
Oh yum! My boyfriend and mother LOVE feta cheese and he is always begging me to make a greek pizza. We usually use it in wraps with peppercinis, spinach, cream cheese (his other cheese love) and other goodies. But he also loves winter squash so I will have to try this when our winter squash is ready to be picked!!
I liked your page, this comment and Athenos yoghurt ;)
I like Athenos on facebook, whoo hooo ;)
My Yia Yia story is definately about my own grandmother. She is simply wonderful. Some of my fondest memories are sitting on the front porch snapping peas from her garden, making homemade noodles for her amazing chicken noodle soup and of course always begging her to lick the bowl when she would make desserts. :)
I “like” you on facebook. :)
i love feta on my salads!
Oooooh I love Athenos feta cheese so much. Spinach salads, baked feta chicken, so many options!
i tweeted! @LeanGrnBeanBlog
I “liked” you on Facebook!!
I like to make crazy feta dip using Athenos feta cheese. This pizza has some great flavors–can’t wait to try it!
I think my favorite Yiayia figure is my own grandma, even though we are not Greek. She is the person who taught me to cook, who kept me fed, who gave me lots of hugs and kisses. She took me to church and just about any other place that she went. Even now, in her 80s she still checks up on me, tries to cook for and feed me and like for us to go places together.
I love using Athenos Feta in pasta salad. Great in the summer.
I liked gimme some oven on facebook a looooong time ago. :-)
My Yia-Yia story involves my grandma Jane, who was my best friend until she passed away during my senior year of high school. She was rather loud and opinionated, and she really taught me how to stand up for myself. One of my favorite memories of her is often hearing her belting out (in a rather awful singing voice,) “Hail to the Redskins! Hail Victory! Braves on the Warpath! Fight for old D.C.!” I was born and raised in Kansas, and couldn’t understand as a kid why she sang the Redskins football fight song (she had lived in the Washington DC area for many years,) but that has turned out ironically as well – I now live in Washington DC… I miss her every day.