Gyros

We love some gyros and I saw a recipe where I could make it at home.  All I have to do is to figure out a falafel recipe and I won't have to go out for my fave half and half pita.  From Taming Twins *

Serve with white sauce from here  or tzatziki from here, shredded cabbage, hot sauce (we used harissa), tomato, cucumber or pickles, feta, fluffy pita, raw red onion or we liked pickled red onion.  Any and all combos are welcome (my kiddos don't like tomatoes for example so they left it out).

1 lbs each ground beef and ground lamb (or just all lamb)

1 heavy tbsp onion powder

1 heavy tbsp garlic powder

1 heavy tbsp ground cumin

1 heavy tbsp sweet paprika

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients well with clean hands until the meat is smooth

Form the mixture in a long log inside a large piece of aluminum foil

Roll along the long edge of the meat mixture and then pinch and twist each end, kinda like a container of sweet tarts, or how you would roll and store compound butter

Place in your slow cooker and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 5-6 hours

Check to make sure your meat is cooked using a meat thermometer (ours was well over the 160 F that was quoted)

Let sit at least 15 minutes and then thinly slice and assemble your pita

Check out the original website for oven prep instructions and for reheating instructions

*I just got a whole lesson of doner versus gyros.  The name depends on where it originally comes from.  Also white sauce (in our halal recipe) versus tzatziki (a Greek sauce with lemon, dill and shredded zucchini).  For even more nerdy food info, donair from Nova Scotia is another version mostly made with beef, cheese and a sweet white sauce.  I had no idea.  Many thanks to my dad for all this info.