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fakorizo-greek-lentils-and-rice

In the 1990s, I lived next door to the most amazing Greek woman and her family. I swear she was the neighborhood Yia Yia to everyone she liked. The smells coming from her home were intoxicating! I would be walking home with my daughter after school let out and you just knew where those amazing aromas were coming from! One day, I'm bringing my daughter home early due to chicken-pox! Yia Yia saw us from her porch and gave us a beautiful smile and waved! Within minutes, a knock on the door had come and it was Yia Yia's grandson. He had said, "Yia Yia asked if you girls are ok? She said you had come home earlier than usual and was concerned?" I was so touched by that! I explained to the grandson that my daughter had come down with chicken-pox, so I had to take her out of school. The grandson translated in Greek with what he had learned. The look on Yia Yia's face was just priceless. She shouted from the fence "I take care of you and your girl! Yia Yia get something!" The grandson ran back and fetched a bagged casserole dish and came back over to my door. "Yia Yia said that you dont have to cook dinner tonight. She is sharing her Fakorizo with you!" I got all choked up and thanked both of them for this wonderful meal! This is my interpretation of how Yia Yia made this as she didn't use any recipes. She was very much a "little this, lots of that" and it was such a special moment for me that she was sharing how she made this dish. This recipe is written in a way that allows for making adjustments. The recipe will feed six to eight people.

Ingredients