My Greek Ambition...

Make the Switch

2011-10-10T09:22:00.003+03:00

Hi everyone who is still linked up to the old site here. I have updated the new site with a couple of new posts and was hoping you would check them out: www.seeminglygreek.com

If you haven't made the switch to follow the new site yet, now is the time to do it!!! I really hope you will follow me over there, I have some great recipes to share with you and lots of new stories and pictures coming too!

See ya there :)

Jacquline

PS. I also think I managed to transfer my Google connect Followers to the new site, please let me know if this is working properly for you as I update the new site. Thanks so much!

New Recipe on New Site Posted!

2011-10-01T20:57:00.000+03:00

Hey guys, just wanted to let you know that I posted a new recipe on the new site: Greek Meatballs

They are delicious and pretty easy to make any day of the week. Don't forget to switch over to follow the new site, as time goes by I will be redirecting all traffic from here to there!

New Site: www.seeminglygreek.com

Sneak peak picture... check it out yourself :)

NEW BLOG!!!

2011-09-29T21:28:00.002+03:00

Okay everyone... I have set up a new blog with a personal domain name: seeminglygreek.com (HOORAY!)

Not all the details are fine tuned quite yet but I hope to get everything in order in the next few days, this has been a lot more of a difficult switch then I originally thought. I would love for you to redirect your RSS or Follower Feed to that blog from now on, and pretty soon I will be redirecting all of the posts to the new site. I am also very open to hearing any feedback you may have about the new "still under construction" site, what they say is so true - that when you have too many options, your job becomes way more difficult.

Thanks for all of your support and I look forward to posting some great recipes and articles very soon as well as connecting with you all!

NEW BLOG LINK: seeminglygreek (.com)

Jacquline

Apple Fritters

2011-09-22T18:15:00.000+03:00

Hi everyone, my blog has recently moved sites.... Please find this same post on my new site HERE or copy/paste the address (http://seeminglygreek.com/2011/09/apple-fritters/)

Home site link: http://seeminglygreek.com

Thanks so much for stopping by :) Jacquline

Pork Chops and Baked Apples

2011-09-18T20:00:00.000+03:00

Mmmm... I hope those chops and apples caught your attention! Although they were not a very colorful lunch, they were certainly delicious!!!

We don't eat meat very often here on the island, mostly because it is just really expensive, but pork is one of the more affordable choices. I (personally) am not a huge fan of anything pig — unless it is a Cuban sandwich, the Florida girl in me just loves those - but my husband enjoys every savory bite. Since he loves them, I love to make them for him, and pork is one of the easiest meats to cook. Especially, lightly battered and fried pork chops!

I think we can also all agree that if you are going to eat something fried, you want to wash it down with some wonderful homemade mashed potatoes - another one of my husband's favorites. He calls them smashed potatoes (with a Greek accent), cute isn't it! Cinnamon apples accompanied this plate wonderfully. It was as if they were all made to go together, protein + starch + fruit and sugar = satisfaction!

The recipes were super easy and this could very conveniently be a weeknight meal, ready in 20-30 minutes start to finish!

The meat and potatoes don't really have a measured recipe per say, I just kind of put them together. I can tell you that I washed, dried, and cut a few slits in the fatty areas. Next, I simply salt/pepper the raw pork chops. In a separate bowl or deep plate, I mixed together a few tablespoons of flour with a few shakes of garlic powder, seasoned salt (or salt free mix), and cayenne. Dust off any extra flour and let rest while your oil heats up. I always use olive oil for everything, about 1/4 - 1/2" in a larger non-stick skillet. Fry them about 2-3 minutes each side and set them on some kitchen paper to soak up any extra oil. Simple yet impressive.

The mashed potatoes are even more simple. Peel and slice your potatoes evenly, add to your salted water and bring to a boil. Once potatoes are tender to a fork, falling apart when pierced, drain in the sink. Leave potatoes in strainer and add some milk and butter to the pan (with the heat off, gas stove on low) just until warm and melted. Return the potatoes to the pot with some extra salt and pepper and use an old fashioned hand masher to go to town on those tators!!! If you do not want any lumps, press through a sieve. Simple yet irreplaceable.

Cinnamon Apples Recipe:
2 cups of apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (apple variety you would normally eat)
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. white sugar
1 spoonful of syrup or honey
Several dashes of cinnamon

Add to a large microwave safe bowl and cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on the heat of your microwave. Stop midway and stir. Once they are tender, you should have a glaze, if you want to thicken the glaze add a very little cornstarch. Otherwise, serve warm with your pork chops and mashed potatoes or substitute for a green salad with dinner and serve over vanilla ice cream for dessert!!! Either way is a win-win situation! This is a fast and delicious meal just waiting for you.

~~~~~~~~

In other news, I REALLY REALLY appreciate all of your feedback and helpful advice. I don't think one person said anything negative, a huge encouragement to me for sure! After much back and forth, I have decided to go with my own domain and new blog site, I hope to launch it in the next week and I really hope you will make the change with me. I am going to take a lot of your advice and make my blog a more personal, share more about the village and island where we live, and post more pictures of food and life in general here.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts and opinions. I have selected a random comment winner and....

The winner for a small prize from Lesvos is comment #22 - Anna

"What drew me to your blog and made me bookmark it was that you had truly authentic Greek cuisine recipes. It's hard to find blogs with a collection of such recipes and as others have said already, your stories also add to your blog's uniqueness so definitely don't change this (imo). I also think your photography is very good, very light and crisp. If anything, you might want to get a shot or two of 'tricky' steps in the recipes which might be a bit out of the norm (for people who aren't as familiar with cooking or baking techniques). And I like that along with your Greek recipes you do have non-Greek recipes, I think it's a good way to have variety"

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:22Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Anna, please email me and we can complete your prize giveaway, congratulations!!!

To everyone else, I appreciate and am encouraged by all of your comments. Thank you to each and every one!

See you on the other blog soon!
Kali Orexi,

Jacquline

I need your help, please...

2011-09-15T19:56:00.003+03:00

First, welcome to my food blog if you have recently joined or stumbled upon it. You are always welcome and I am glad to have you. Second, thank you faithful followers who have made it through my chaotic summer with me, if you couldn't tell by my erratic posting and somewhat decline in blog quality, it was such a doosey!

Rest assured though, I have gotten back up, dusted myself off and am ready to get back into the game (per say)!

What I am trying to convey is that I really love this blog thing. I got very distracted there for a while (2 months vaca and returning to a still unresponsive-holding-on-by-a-thread-almost-disappearing-country), but my focus is keen and my eyes are set high! I want to spend more time making this blog great, better than great, remarkable. I want to connect more with my followers. I want people to be feel encouraged and creative when visiting my blog. I want to make a difference in the blog world. I want to write and share with you. I want you to reach out and let me get to know you too.

But how can I do this? How can I get better at this blogging thing?

I know I need to take advantage of my unique situation: I am an American married to a wonderful Greek and we are spending our first few years living in a little village, somewhere maybe forgotten by God :) My life has changed SO drastically in the last 3-5 years, and I still find myself waking up to new and difficult challenges every single day: huge language barrier, no friends, no church community, figuring out this thing called marriage, constant raised taxes (we are at 23% now!!!), constant salary cutbacks from the government, learning to live on a budget, learning to live without "going out" ever - did I mention there is no night life of entertainment resources here (at all), very limited resources concerning variety, ect... ect...

Does it totally sound like I am complaining? Sorry.

I am really so thankful for so many things too: I have a wonderful husband who adores me and we have a great relationship, he really is my best (and only) friend on a day to day basis, we get to spend almost all day together, we live in a safe neighborhood, we buy fresh bread from the bakery, the island is beautiful, we now have an amazing house, a really great kitchen, both have jobs, both in good health, and so much more...

That is basically where I am in life right now and I also have so many big dreams, but for now God has put us here and I want to take full advantage of my surroundings. Why do I need your help? Like I said, I want to make this blog better. How in your opinion can I do that - small and big changes are welcomed!!!

Should I get a .com (personal domain name)?
Should I add a little advertising?
Should I change the color schemes/template?
Should I switch away from blogger?
Should I improve photography?
Should I improve recipes?
Should I improve variety?

SO many "Should I's"; too many to name them all. I would LOVE to hear from you. Anything goes, well, at least constructive criticism please!

1. What do you like about the blog that I should not change?
2. What improvements would you like to see changed, and specific suggestions?
3. ANY and ALL feedback is greatly appreciated

I desperately want to hear from each of you, even if you feel like commenting anonymously!

I want to offer you something for your comments. It unfortunately won't be a big giveaway, something small and able to send via mail from Greece, but it will be something authentic from the island. I will probably let the randomly chosen winner decide between - anything from ouzo to olive oil soap, Greek herbs to pastitsio noodles, mastixa to Greek chocolate. Something will be sent to encourage your comments and show my appreciation for each of you!

Please leave one comment below explaining any and all improvements you would like to see changed, if you reply anonymously, please leave an email or way of contact. Winner will be announced on Sunday, September 18th at 12:00pm CST.

Thank you in advance for all your great advice :)

Peach Butter (Delicious!)

2011-09-12T20:51:00.003+03:00

Summer might be gone officially, but unofficially its fruit still remains :) Watermelons, green grapes, red grapes, nectarines, oranges, apples, and PEACHES!!! A ripe, naturally sweet peach can do wonders for you - it can change your mood, it can give you a much needed pick-me-up, and it can bring back memories of previous summers that you spent as a child running naked through the sprinkler in your backyard! Come on, I know I am not the only one :) Right? Right?

A great way to preserve your peach happiness all year round is to make a simple peach butter. With as little effort as possible you can enjoy a sweet, full flavored delight to spread on fresh bread, french toast, a bagel, ice cream or just eat with a spoon!

Not much to say, except that you should rush out right now and get you some peaches to make this for yourself or a loved one or both!

Homemade Peach Butter Recipe: Makes 4 (8oz) jars, Recipe from Good Housekeeping
6 lbs. Fresh summer peaches
1-1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
4 (8 oz) jars with lids

Clean, peel (optional - some people do, some don't), quarter, and pit the peaches into large sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until very soft, about 25 minutes. Blend in batches or use a hand blender to emulsify to a smooth, consistent "butter" like spread. Continue cooking and add the sugar and cinnamon, stir continuously and turn up the heat to high. Bring to a light boil and then reduce back to medium low, simmering and stirring frequently for about 1 hour. Prepare your jars and lids by boiling in a hot water bath when there is about 15 minutes remaining on your peach butter. Add hot liquid to hot jars and seal. Cool on counter until easy to handle. I recommend saving some for yourself to enjoy the moment you finish. Warm peach preserves over vanilla ice cream sounds like a great reward for all the effort you put into making this delicious treat!

I am sure you figured out that peach butter doesn't actually contain any butter, but rather becomes so rich and spreadable that it is almost like a fruit butter itself. The great thing with this recipe is that if your peaches are sweet, reduce the sugar. You are getting more fiber and nutrients just from not straining the fruit itself.

A simple recipe for the beginning of the week! I have also updated some pictures of the wonderful Moussaka, a classic in Greek cuisine! Check them out and try the recipe if you are feeling up to it :)

Hope you have a really wonderful week,
Kali Orexi

Jacquline

Homemade Fig Cake

2011-09-06T13:00:00.000+03:00

Figs are so popular here in Greece, especially during August! But if you are like me, there are just so many figs you can eat alone. I am sure that there are tons of recipes that you could add figs to including jams, breads, spreads, and cakes. I came across this great little recipe a long time ago and have been waiting to flourish in fresh figs to make it. It was so easy to put together and the taste was simple yet full.

I thought it was quite good for breakfast, and paired nicely with a little espresso!

Fresh Fig Cake Recipe: Makes 1 small Bundt or 1 small square/round cake (Recipe from Allrecipes.com)
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 cups AP flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 cup fresh figs, peeled

Preheat oven to 350ª/175ª. Lightly butter and flour your pan. Sift dry ingredients together in a small bowl, set aside. Measure out your evaporated milk, add the vanilla and almond extracts. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy and light. Alternate adding in thirds between the dry and milk until all mixed well. Fold in your fresh figs until evenly distributed.

Gently add to pan and smooth or lightly shake until the batter is even. Add to hot oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick removes clean from center.

Dust with powdered sugar or serve alone warm.

Optional Topping Recipe:
2 cups fresh figs, chopped
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Add to a saucepan and cook until boiling, reduce to medium heat and simmer for 20 minutes until thickens. Pour over warm cake for a more dessert like sweet.

I thought the cake was perfectly sweet without the additional topping. The fig taste was nice but not overpowering. A very nice, moist cake to serve during summer!

Even if you are not a fig fan, I think you could enjoy this cake very much.

I guess summer is officially over and school is back in session. Well, here the teachers are heading to seminars this week and the kids will begin school on September 12th. I will (thankfully) start teaching English lessons beginning October 1st. And after a somewhat roller-coaster ride, emotionally speaking for me, this summer - going back and forth whether we will move abroad, will V come to the States, will I be able to visit everyone I want, do I have enough time/money to stock up on things I need, will I make it through with all my luggage, what will 2 months apart mean for us, will I have a job, and will we change houses? Let's just say I desperately needed to get off the ever spinning ride before I lost my lunch.

There is so much truth though in that God won't give us more than we can handle.

Sometimes I feel like I can't handle it, but once I finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, my eyes can adjust and my heart/spirit can begin to feel some relief from the struggle of trying to understand what happening.

All that to say, we are not moving abroad this year, V did not get to come to the US, I was not able to see everyone that I wanted, I did get to stock up on basics I needed, I did somehow made it through with 96% of my luggage, we did survive 2 months apart, I will have a job this year, and we did change houses!!! I survived and am beginning to breathe a bit more normally.

Traveling is just hard sometimes; relationships are just hard sometimes; trusting is just hard sometimes; LIFE.IS.JUST.HARD.SOMETIMES.

But I promise you that it IS those difficult moments that allow us to taste the sweetness of life, that teach us more about ourselves, that grow us closer to the ones who truly love us, and strengthen our faith that God's plan is not always the same as our own - but His plans are infinitely better!

I hope you enjoy some fig cake if this recipe isn't too late to get fresh figs, and I also want to just thank each of you for your following, support, encouragement, and time. It all means so much to me and I wish I could invite you all over to my new kitchen for a cup of coffee and something homemade to enjoy!

This is my new kitchen for the year and I am eager to share some delicious recipes and tips along the way. Hope you had a great summer, and I am sure you are as ready for cooler weather (I AM)!

Kali Orexi,
Jacquline

PS. Hope you had a great Labor Day... I sure did. I celebrated another year of being alive with my wonderful husband.

Easy Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

2011-08-28T22:00:00.000+03:00

Well, forget my last post of not always getting what you want because it looks like we are moving after all; NOT to the US (yet) but we are changing houses here on the island. I am getting really excited for the 1st to hurry up and get here already! We decided after MUCH back and forth finally because sometimes quality of life is worth not having those few extra ~~bucks~~ euros, right? Well, I sure hope so :)

I can't wait to show you pictures of my new kitchen too, besides going from a 2 room house, we will now have 2 bedrooms (for you to all come visit!), 2 bathrooms, a living room, small office, and a dining room table (have I ever mentioned that we eat holding our plates, usually on the couch?!) We will most definitely feel like a king and queen in our new home, and even though we will not be able to afford any outside luxury - our home is sure to become a place of peace and comfort, not to mention full of SPACE!!!!!

What better way to celebrate than with a chocolate cake!

This is a chocolate cake for everyone: easy enough to make, but scrumptious enough to share and show off to family and friends!

I changed my mind on the frosting last minute, typically it calls for a white chocolate frosting but I tried a more unusual one that I came across from another very well known blogger!

This cake is so delectably moist, it can be served without any frosting at all if you choose! (Recipe from Good Housekeeping)

Easy Chocolate Buttermilk Cake Recipe:
Printable Recipe
2 1/4 cups AP flour
3/4 cup cocoa, unsweetened
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup oil (Canola, sunflower, olive, ect)

3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease two 9" rounds or a Bundt pan, dust pans with cocoa and/or line with parchment paper. In large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, and salt. In medium bowl, with a wire whisk, mix buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until blended. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mix and whisk until smooth, but careful not to over beat. Divide batter evenly between pans or pour slowly into Bundt pan, spread evenly. Bake until toothpick is inserted and removed clean - about 30 minutes for rounds or 40-45 for Bundt cake. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes, then run knife around rounds and flip gently onto the racks. Or, if using Bundt pan, run tip of knife around to loosen edges and invert until cooled and easily removed from pan.

For the frosting, I wanted to try this vanilla/butter one I came across on the Pioneer Woman's website. It was actually submitted by someone else, but just got great reviews. Here is the recipe. It turned out pretty good on the cake, but I won't lie and say it was the BEST frosting ever, in my opinion is wasn't. I thought it was too soft and whipped, at least for the hot summer; I kept the cake in the refrigerator and it helped it to set up a bit more. The flavor was a nice, smooth vanilla and butter taste, but I guess I was more used to a decoration frosting. In my full opinion, this cake really does NOT need a frosting, at most I think a light glaze would have been perfect! I loved the chocolate cake and it really was so simple to make!!! What do you think, have you tried this frosting before and if so, what did you think?

I am not sure when we will have internet up and running at the new place, but I am eager to show you the then and now pictures!

Thanks (as always) for dropping bye and I would love to hear from you anytime!

Kali Orexi,

Jacquline

White Eggplants and a return to Lesvos

2011-08-23T21:00:00.000+03:00

Well, what can I say except that I am back to the island and still not quite settled in yet, grrr... suitcases still erupting with clothes! The past few days that we returned together to the island, we have been searching for a new apartment to live in for the following year. If we aren't going to be moving abroad, then I would gladly welcome the change of a new living environment. The problem is that we (definitely) don't always get what we want - that lesson is always hard to learn, again and again!!! After looking at around 8 other places to live, we found one we loved but ~~probably~~ out of our budget and the rest were not worth the extra stress/costs of moving, either similar size or much older. As of now, we are staying put in our current shoebox.

Another subject to discuss is the generosity of Greeks, specifically, Greek mothers :)

I always love visiting my in-laws and I am in a much better place now than when I was simply "dating" their son and not able to communicate at all (they speak no English, I spoke no Greek), and when there is a communication barrier, there must be another way to express approval, gratitude, and love. With Greek moms, this is easily shown by cooking and in return you eat ~~what~~ everything they put in front of you. Seriously, I am not exaggerating one bit; simply ask my mom, my cousin, and best friend who came to Greece for the wedding and were stuffed like it was going to be the last Thanksgiving of eternity at every meal. When there is a ~~second~~ third plate of food handed to you, there is only so many times you can politely say no before just accepting it while trying to force a face that you are still hungry. If you have Greek blood in you, I am 100% sure that you understand - especially when visiting your mom or yiayia! Up until maybe only a few months ago, this was the very problem I faced with every Greek "momma" that I visited in their home. I was overladen with spoon sweets, liqueurs, biscuits (aka hard cookies), pitas, coffees, juices and anything else they had prepared the previous day or so, enough for a full meal to say the least. In the beginning, I was embarrassed because I usually didn't even like the "typical" offerings, so, as soon as they would leave the room, I begged my husband to finish mine off for me before they returned - true story, multiple times!

But now things are better, for one, I can communicate in Greek so much better. Not fluent, but at least enough to politely refuse when being offered something that I really don't want or have room for. Also, I think I have "gained" somewhat more of a family status, instead of just being a visitor/guest. Lastly, I quit finishing everything on my plate (before I was full) so that when offered, I could simply show I still have some on my plate to enjoy - Caution: this approach does not always work, many times they do not think twice about loading you up with triple portions at a time.

Back to the focus though, their generosity, Greek women (especially moms) have a knack for giving you anything and everything you show interest in - almost to anyone, not just a guest. The Greek culture itself is probably one of the most giving cultures I have lived in, because they live by a philosophy that, "If it isn't too much, than it isn't enough"! Most of the time I welcome this generosity, but sometimes (to be really honest with you) I find it a little too old-fashioned for me. Okay, I only think this when it is expected to give instead of giving because you want to - the other time is when I "discuss" with my husband that we only need 1 bunch of bananas or 3-4 apples since we are only two people. When he does the shopping or cooking, I've learned to expect a generous portion!

Overall, I love the generosity. For example, upon leaving the main land for the island, we had enjoyed many fabulous meals prepared by Presvitara (my mother in law) and one in particular I enjoyed was the "Santorini" fried eggplant (white eggplants battered in flour and fried in olive oil - simple but fantastic)! The day we left I was handed a bag of 5 huge white eggplants + a bag of Halkidiki olives + a jar of local honey + two bags of a special grain + an extra large jar of spoon sweets from yiayia (grandma). My first thought was, "How the heck are we going to carry all of this stuff with us when I alone brought back 2 HUGE suitcases plus hand luggage?". After the brain maneuvering and seeing my husband's eager grin to make sure we take it all with us, I conceded that where there is a will - there is a way. Good thing we were taking the 13 hour boat ride, or our luggage limits would have never been approved. Finally, 4.5 bags in hand each we made it to the island with everything, including 5 battered white eggplants!

And this is what happens when you leave the kitchen for 5 minutes and your husband finds a permanent marker!

Needless to say, I didn't have time to prepare anything fancy with them, I simply fried them up into delicate yet salty/sweet eggplant fries - WOW!!!

What I learned and what you need to know about white eggplants is that they are the original - the reason they were named "eggplants" in the first place is that they looked like little eggs hanging from their leaves! They also are slightly sweet and not bitter, which is great because you don't have to bother sweating them before using! They do have thicker skins, which should be removed, and sometimes contain bigger and more obvious seeds (but theses shouldn't be a problem for you)!

I am not sure if I have come across these in the US before, maybe I have just always overlooked them but you shouldn't make the same mistake: instead, see them, buy them, try them, love them!

And although it is hard for me to always live by the philosophy, "If it isn't too much, then it isn't enough" (simply because I don't like wasting things) we should all have an abundantly giving heart! As my husband sees it, "Then they will always have enough to share with others" and it is true that the more you give, the more you will receive - we just got half of a 50+lb. bag of local potatoes! You can now expect some more potato recipes very soon, I mean we are only TWO, how can we possible eat 25+ pounds of taters before they go bad?! Potato recipes welcome :) We have already eaten lavish mashed potatoes for dinner one night and Shepard's pie the following - I am hoping to get more creative than that in the next few days so, please email me your favorite potato recipe if you are feeling generous.

I also plan to get back into updating 2-3 times per week now that we are almost settled back into what will hopefully be an even better year than last :)

Kali Orexi to all of you friends and followers,

Jacquline

The Feast of the Dormition of Mary

2011-08-14T22:00:00.000+03:00

In my journey of being a Protestant to joining the (Eastern) Greek Orthodox faith, there has definitely been some ups and downs. The first down was in the beginning of dating my husband and discovering that we not only had many cultural differences but religious ones too. I then lacked the faith that we could find some common ground to stand on together without trying to persuade one another to the other side, God proved me wrong! At that point though, there was already an abundance of love pulling us together, so from there we began the challenging road of figuring out how we could be together and what it would look like in an everyday life setting. The first high came when I began to look into the history of Christianity and Orthodoxy. I was enthralled to discover so much about not only the roots of the Christian faith itself but also the foundations of the Orthodox faith. I became captivated about where, when, and how Christianity started and even carried on today in so many of the same ways!

I won't recount all of the ups and downs I have faced thus far, but another one of the difficulties I had in accepting the faith was all the emphasis the Orthodox place on the Virgin Mary. Growing up Protestant, the only fuss made about Mary was around Christmas and even then it wasn't such a big deal. Through all my reading and asking about why there is so much attention given to the mother Mary, I have learned or realized why more in depth through a few of the following reasons: ...(this is not an extensive list)

1. Mary was chosen by God to bear his son; God specifically chose to not only use a human, but MARY uniquely!

2. She is seen as the bridge God used to send Christ to earth and because of this bridge, she is called "All Holy" and receives veneration.

3. She is seen as the fulfillment of the Old Testament archetype revealed in the Ark of the Covenant, because she carried the New Covenant in the person of Christ, giving her respect and reverence as a result.

4. The Orthodox make a great distinction between worship and intercessory prayer, just as we ask others to pray for us, asking the Virgin Mary or other Saints of the faith to intercede on our behalf is common practice. This though is much different than praying to them or giving them your adoration, which in the Orthodox faith is held only for Christ himself!

5. She is called the "Theotokos" as an affirmation of the divinity of Christ being both fully God and Man.

6. She is recognized as the highest saint of the faith because she accepted the will of God without hesitation, thus making her the perfect Christian model for us to eagerly follow.

Although, I honestly cannot say that I have asked Mary to intercede on my behalf, I do not see it as a division of my faith anymore. I especially like the example of heeding God's will and creating a "saint worthy" life to be left as my mark. There is still so much I am learning about this faith, and in spite of the fact that I am living in the country that full force practices Orthodoxy, I feel lost so much of the time with the language barrier. Church itself is so very different in practice than what I am used to or how I would even prefer to grow spiritually, but I am pressing forward with determination to make the most of where God has placed us for the time being!!!

Tomorrow, August 15th, is the "Dormition of the Theotokos" (Mother Mary) celebrating the death, resurrection, and glorification of Christ's mother. According to Orthodox tradition, Mary died like all humanity, "falling asleep" not voluntarily, like her Son, but by the necessity of her mortal human nature which is invisibly bound up with the corruption of this world and then the ascension of her body into heaven. For a greater understanding and explanation of the icon (above) for this feast, please visit the GO ARCH webpage (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America). We plan to celebrate with a huge feast for lunch, I will include a picture asap with all the wonderful delights we have/will prepare!

All of the struggles we have and will face, by the grace of God, make us not only stronger individually but together in our marriage and the unique faith we have found together! My prayer for each of you today is to not only be thankful for where God has you now (despite the ease or difficulty of season), but to whole heartedly trust - without evidence of what your eyes see, be led by your spirit instead - where He is taking you! I am in the middle of trying to do the same, so let's journey together!

Side note: we will be in Lesvos another year after MANY ordeals and lack of communication from anyone within the department that sends teachers abroad! This is me trusting and looking by faith that God's plan for our lives is better than our own, amen!

Lefkada, Greece

2011-08-08T12:44:00.001+03:00

I am safe and sound in Greece after 24 hours of traveling and a small side trip with my wonderful husband. I have gotten to travel some within Greece, but there are still so many wonderful places we haven't been yet either. I think one could spend a year just traveling in Greece - mainland and the thousands of islands - and still not see all the beautiful hidden jewels of this country. There are a total of 6,000 islands and islets of Greece, but only 227 of those islands are inhabited - and only 78 or so have more than 100 people living on them. Each island and even city is known for something unique and special from that area and there are hundreds of different village accents depending on where you are traveling.

Upon picking me up from the airport, we drove to northwest Greece and visited a smaller island that is reachable by a bridge, Lefkada. This was a couple of the best days in my life. Now, it could very well be that I had been away from my husband for 2 months and we could have been in a village forgotten by God and still been happy, but I think Lefkada was beautiful as well.

The one thing I was not a fan of was traveling in peak season, now that it is August we were surrounded by more tourists than Greeks (not that it is a bad thing, just the density of people was troubling). We even took a day boat trip to visit a couple of the nearby smaller islands and swim at some beaches unreachable by car, and we didn't find out until the trip that it was actually a Scandinavian tour - we were 2 of the 7 Greeks aboard, I was the only native English speaker!!! So, I admit that I don't do well with crowds, I would much prefer visiting somewhere with a few people and feeling like it was more authentic and special; no Disney Land for me :)

Staying to ourselves wasn't really a problem either, we toured the island and didn't bother much with the mainstream nightlife or crowded villages. The one place Lefkada is famous for that we did go though, is Porto Katsiki (Port Goat - named because of the steep cliffs that the goats often love). This was probably the most popular beach on the island and supposedly in the top 10 of Greek beaches overall. IT. WAS. SPECTACULAR. But it was also VERY crowded and I got easily annoyed by not only the hundreds of people that kept flooding in but also the audacity for them to charge for parking at a public beach after driving an hour and trekking down to the actual beach. We stayed only an hour and when we were in the water swimming and not inundated by all the people and shouting, it was picture perfect! I felt like we were placed in a postcard and all the colors came to life, a little surreal to be true. I definitely recommend visiting in more of the mid season so you don't have to share the beach with as many people, but keep in mind that the water will be pretty dang cold outside of August-September! Here are a few UNEDITED photos from Porto Katsiki and some other beaches around Lefkada.

I will try to post some more pictures when things settle down a bit more, as of now we are in north Greece with the in-laws and trying to figure out exactly where we will be next year. ~~There is still a~~ ~~small chance~~ we ~~could~~ ~~be moving stateside, but we aren't holding our breath until it actually happens. I will keep you updated as we find anything out!~~ As of now, we will 99.9% chance be in Lesvos again. We are trusting that God is in control and not us, He always knows better, right?!

I haven't been cooking lately either, just enjoying lots of gyros, summer fruits and vegetables, and now my mother-in-law's amazing cooking. Especially during times of fasting like now (until August 15th for the Ascension of Mary) she can transform the most simple dishes into complete masterpieces!!! I will have to observe and learn some of her secrets, and maybe I will share them with you too!!!

Hope you are all enjoying the wonderful summer, especially if you are near a beach!!!

Banana Blueberry Muffins

2011-07-30T06:55:00.000+03:00

Since I have been in the US, I have taken several trips. I have flown to Virginia and Kentucky, and driven to/through North Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Florida!!! Let's just say I have hardly slowed down long enough to enjoy all the wonderful and endless ingredients around me. But every once in a while I stopped for just enough time to make something delicious, like these banana blueberry muffins with an oatmeal streusel topping!!!

After two months, two weddings, two wonderful trips (one with family and one with friends), and still no official news from the Greek government, I am VERY ready to return back to Greece and see my husband! I have come to fully realize that you can be surrounded by lots of people and lots of things, but if you are away from the one you love - life just isn't as sweet and time goes by twice as slow. I wonder why the grass always seems greener until you step over, then somehow you grow to miss the old, brown grass from where you came:) I am all for changes and challenges in life, but in less than 4 days, I will be back with the Mr., and even though not all will be right in the world, my heart will be back at ease and I will be in the arms of someone who loves me dearly. And maybe the brown grass will even seem a little greener once I get back, but then again, maybe not?! Ha ha.

Banana Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Recipe: Makes 12 regular muffins
Printable Recipe
1 cup all purpose Flour
1 cup whole wheat
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup oil (EVOO or Canola)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk (or almond milk with 1 tsp. lemon juice)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup blueberries (tossed in 1-2 T. flour)
2 small bananas

Streusel Topping:
2 T. cold butter
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
pinch cinnamon

Line your muffin pan or grease very well. Wash and dry your blueberries and then toss them in a small bowl with your extra flour, set aside. Mash your bananas in another small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl combine brown sugar and oil, whisking or mixing quickly until light in texture. Add buttermilk, egg, and vanilla whisking until uniform. Either combine in a separate bowl all the dry ingredients or use a mesh bowl strainer to sift over the wet mix, stirring slowly using a folding form, careful to only mix until combined. Slowly fold in the bananas and blueberries, careful again not to over stir.

Preheat oven to 375°. In another small bowl mix all of your ingredients together with a fork or your fingers, until crumbly. Sprinkle over the tops of your muffins and put in preheated oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops are golden brown and tester stick removes clean. Enjoy warm with a little butter or cold glass of milk!

I took these little guys on one of my trips with me and there were plenty to go around. I loved them as breakfast or as a mid day snack and I hope that you will too. Some people may not be into the combination of banana AND blueberries but feel free to replace with any fruit or nut you like instead. I also prefer the whole grain taste and slight "nutty" hint when using whole wheat flour, but it is also very easy to replace the wheat using 2 cups all purpose flour. Whatever floats your boat :) Make it work for you!

In another week or two I will be back in my comfort zone and home environment for cooking and taking pictures, believe it or not that has actually become Greece even through my limited options. I promise not only more regular posts but also better pictures and recipes too! Until then though, I truly hope that you are enjoying your summer and making the most of each sun filled (and super hot) day!

Kali Orexi,
Jacquline

Summer Dips

2011-07-22T04:05:00.001+03:00

Howdy Friends!!!
Finally... an updated blog post! These dips are both easy and delicious!

I am still in the States, moving around and staying busy as ever. Believe it or not, we have still not heard any updates about transferring abroad and I am leaving in 9 days back to Greece. As of tonight, the EU leaders are trying to determine what the future holds for Greece and how to prevent a domino effect of bankruptcy and default, although, "Greece is in a uniquely grave situation in the euro area," the statement said. Article Here. And as of now, it looks that everyone is pulling together to help Greece, read further here. I won't bore you with the details but the links above are from the BBC webpage and provide very insightful information if you are interested.

I hope to hear something, anything, as soon as possible so we can officially move forward with our lives. These last two months in the US have been bittersweet to say the least, although I have gotten much needed quality time with my family and friends, I miss my love. Although, there are endless things to see and do here, I miss my very bestest friend. All I can do it keep busy and not stop too long to think about how much I miss him, and also keep trusting that God has a plan for all of this - His will be done, not ours. We are both walking forward in faith, blindly trusting that the best is yet to come!

I wanted to share a couple of delicious and very simple recipes for parties or just fun appetizers. The first one is made with black beans and I love black beans!!! Greece doesn't sell black beans (as far as I know) and I have been craving for them for the past year and half - they are my favorite legume by far :)

Summer Black Bean Salsa Recipe:
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can whole corn (white or yellow), drained and rinsed
1/2 red bell pepper or tomato, chopped
1 small avocado, neatly chopped
1/4 cup onion of choice, green or purple
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
1 - 2 limes, squeezed
1/2 - 1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper

Drain and rinse beans and corn, chop all other ingredients and squeeze limes and stir in spices. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 3 hours, serve with tortilla chips - Scoops work great!

The second dip is more of a Texas classic with a funny name. Texas Caviar Dip was actually invented by a New York chef who moved to Dallas to work at Neiman Marcus, but had no clue what to do with black eyed peas. She eventually came up with this simple, affordable dip that the rich customers just loved!

Texas Caviar Dip Recipe:
1 can black eyed peas
1/2 bell pepper of choice, chopped, optional
1 can corn, drained and rinsed, optional
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 chile or jalapeno pepper, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley if preferred)

1/4 cup olive oil*
1 T. apple cider vinegar*

1/2 tsp. salt and pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder*
1/2 tsp. dried oregano*
1 tsp. cumin*
(*or as a spice substitute use italian dressing, a little goes a long way!)

Mix everything in a bowl and let refrigerate overnight or at least a few hours to enhance flavor!

I also had some extra black beans that I blended with a spoonful of sour cream, some jalapenos, salt and pepper, and some minced garlic. This was terrific drizzled over the dips, spooned onto a chip, or even served with a fresh quesadilla!

If you have never tried these, I suggest that you whip them up for your next get together. The summer is the perfect season to enjoy these bean melodies. Remember, make it suit you, use whichever bean you prefer most and mix and match the ingredients that you love.

Thank you again for all sticking around during this chaotic season of life and for each and every prayer said on our behalf. We trust and know that God has a plan, His will be done - not our own!

Hope you're having wonderful summer.
Kali Orexi,

Jacquline

Spaghetti with Lentil Meat(less)Balls?

2011-07-06T14:30:00.000+03:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!!! I didn't do really anything special, we were and are under a burn ban here so I didn't even really get to see any fireworks. I didn't make anything red, white, and blue because that usually involves making cupcakes or some other sugar infused dessert. I have been really trying to get fit and use all the nutrition knowledge that I studied and learned at Baylor University (there must be some benefit from a degree I am not using at all :) right?

Well, I am getting serious about getting back in the shape I was when I was rowing on the crew team or when I was cooking for a diabetic (lots of veggies and fruits with controlled carbs) while living in Belgium. My weakness is carbs - I love bread and to be real honest, I also love baking and trying new recipes, oh, and I can ALWAYS eat ice cream! My other problem is that I hate to see food go to waste, so I usually end up eating it (and enjoying every bite along the way!). I really love finding and sharing new recipes too, but along the way I have picked up some very unnecessary weight that I just tell myself is the newlywed 15 (but more like 20). I love healthy food too and so I am going to stay with the Greek inspired mediterranean dishes but I will also be adding some really good substitutes or "healthy" indulgences on occasion too.

We eat a lot of pasta on the island, mainly because it is so cheap and easy to prepare. We typically combine it with a simple homemade sauce or even some sauteed veggies, but to get the needed protein when not eating much meat, legumes are a good alternative. I came across this recipe on one of the bloggers I follow, her name is Jennie and her recipe for these lentil ricotta balls is wonderful. I love that she topped her spaghetti with some fresh basil, if we would have had some on the island when I made these it would have enhanced the flavor even more!

So, the next time you are in the mood for something a little different or even just a lighter and healthier alternative to meatballs, please make these. You can always make extra lentils and freeze them for an easy go to meal when the pantry gets low too. The texture is of course different from hearty, more dense meatballs but I just really fell for little guys. Now, these are in no comparison to kleftedes (Greek meatballs), which I will share a wonderful recipe with you as soon as I lose a few more pounds! But if you have never had the authentic Greek meatballs, then you really don't know what you are missing anyway, right?

Lentil "Meat(less)Balls" Recipe:

Printable Recipe

2 cups cooked lentils

2 lg. eggs, slightly beaten

2/3 cups bread crumbs

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated

1-2 T. parsley

salt and pepper

Olive or Canola oil for frying

Process the ingredients together, pulsing a few times until smooth. Rest for 1-2 hours in the fridge. Shape into 1-1 1/2" balls and lightly fry in hot oil until golden brown. Sprinkle with extra parmesan and serve as is or place over spaghetti as a meat alternative or even make a meatless ball sandwich!!!

I also now have my computer back after having sent it off for some maintenance, so now I will try to get back in the routine of posting more often as I have in the past. I am still in the USA and my wonderful husband is still in Greece, we are still patiently waiting to hear back whether we will be moving here somewhere or staying on the island another year. Fingers are tightly crossed for finding out this week, but with the all the "stuff" happening in Greece right now, I am not sure when we will find out. All prayers are still greatly appreciated! I'll keep you up to date!

Kali orexi friends,

Jacquline

Moussaka

2011-06-30T10:00:00.003+03:00

So, I must admit that cooking Greek food in the US (especially where there isn't a Greek community or available authentic Greek products) is much more complicated and interesting than I expected. I am not sure how many of you have been facing similar issues when trying to recreate any of my (or other) Greek recipes. I have found that there are some quite huge differences in a few Greek products here compared to there, especially the yogurt and feta quality and consistency. But there are also big differences in the vegetables, specifically cucumbers - American cucumbers are freaking huge; I recommend using the British or mini cucumbers for your tzatziki or Greek salads. The tomatoes, eggplants, and even zucchinis are extraordinarily large too (Texas sized, maybe?) and not as flavorful as the garden grown variety.

On the other hand though, I have thoroughly enjoyed the oversized kitchen with granite countertops, a kitchen island, convection oven, dishwasher, and outdoor grill! I guess the grass is always greener on the other side!!!

A couple of weeks ago I made one of the most popular Greek dishes, called moussaka. This is a rich eggplant based, lasagna-like dish that is also sometimes made with potatoes (mine is at least, but you could easily substitute for a double portion of eggplants)! My family loved it and I will most definitely be making it again and again. My husband says it is the "king" of Greek foods, maybe that is because it takes like 3-4 hours to prepare or maybe because you feel like a king when you are eating this divine dish.

Moussaka Recipe: Serves 6-8

Printable Recipe

2 medium or 1 extra large eggplant

sea salt

3-4 medium potatoes

salt and pepper

1 lb. lean ground beef (or lamb)

1 large white onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, pressed

2-3 T. EVOO + extra

1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon)

1-2 bay leaves

pinch all spice

3-4 fresh tomatoes or 1 large can whole peeled tomatoes, processed

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 -1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

Bechamel Sauce Recipe:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

4-5 cups hot whole milk (substitute 2% milk if preferred)

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

½ tsp nutmeg

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 1/2 - 2 cups hard cheese (kefalotyri, parmesan, or romano)

Eggplant and potato preparation: Wash eggplants and trim the steams. Leave or peel off the skin and cut lengthwise or round thinly sliced pieces. Place in a large strainer and sprinkle liberally with sea salt. Set aside for 30 minutes to let sweat out the bitter juices of the eggplant. Rinse with chilled water and pat dry with paper towels. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and either grill, broil, or fry until soft and tender. Grill for just a few minutes on each side or broil for 10-15 minutes on a baking tray or fry lightly, until the eggplant is lightly browned and soft. Set aside to cool.

Clean the potatoes really well, removing the skins if desired. Thinly slice with a sharp knife into 1/4" rounds. Let soak in a large bowl of cold water for 15 minutes and then pat dry. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill for just a few minutes on each side or broil for 10-15 minutes on a baking tray or fry lightly, cooking until centers are soft. Set aside to cool.

Meat sauce preparation:

Heat a lightly oiled skillet on medium-low heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes and then add the garlic and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until transparent and soft. Add the meat and sauté until lightly browned, season lightly with salt and pepper.

Carefully drain of any excess fat and then add tomatoes, and sprinkle half of the breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly and then add all the spices (cinnamon, all spice, and bay leaf) and wine. Cover lightly and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until all liquids are absorbed. Turn off the heat and set aside uncovered. Before assembling, add 1 ladle of the bechamel sauce to the meat mixture and combine well.

Bechamel sauce preparation:

To save time, prepare the sauce while the meat is simmering. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Gradually add the sifted flour, ¼ cup at a time whisking quickly until smooth. Repeat until all of the flour is added and there are no clumps. Increase the heat to medium-low and slowly add the milk continuing to whisk constantly. The sauce will slowly begin to thicken, about 10-15 minutes. Once it coats a spoon, remove from heat and slowly add the beaten eggs in a stream and then the spices. Return sauce to the heat and whisk for an additional minute or two until all ingredients are combined. Set aside to cool.

Assembling the moussaka:

Preheat the oven to 350/180 degrees. Lightly oil the bottom and sides of your baking dish (square for thicker, rectangle for thinner). Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs over the bottom of your pan, align the potato slices on top of the breadcrumbs, overlapping slightly. Spread half the meat mixture (remember to have added 1 ladle of bechamel sauce) on top of the potatoes, and then layer the eggplant slices, also overlapping slightly - making sure to cover the entire dish. Spread the remaining meat mixture over the eggplants and top with the remaining bechamel sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes, and then sprinkle the cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the top becomes golden brown and bubbly. Leave the moussaka in the oven with the oven door cracked open for another 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the moussaka to cool for an additional 15-20 minutes before serving, this ensures that it sets up properly.

Whoohoo.. did you make it through all that? I imagine you only read every detail if you planned on preparing this bad boy! I promise that your endeavor will not be in vain though, you will be thankful with each and every bite you take!

This recipe only appears quite complicated, truth is that it just has many steps involved. I tried to be detailed and it really is worth the effort for an impressive Greek-style dinner. Let me know what you think. Thanks so much for your support and patience during this transitional stage of life.

Kali Orexi,

Jacquline

Chicken Souvlaki with a Lemon Oregano Marinade

2011-06-22T22:00:00.006+03:00

One of the most popular street foods in Greece (maybe after gyros) is called souvlaki. Souvlaki is simply meat on a stick, the most common meat being pork or chicken. It is marinaded usually all night or at least all morning and then grilled to perfection and served either in a pita sandwich or just with homemade french fries and of course, tzatziki. Souvlaki is also a simple Greek food that can be made at home with only a few ingredients! I love my souvlaki grilled out in the summer time and served with an ice cold glass of beer and homemade fries.

Greek Souvlaki with a Lemon Oregano Marinade Recipe:
4 T. Fresh lemon juice
3 - 4 T. EVOO Oil
1 T. red wine vinegar (or just wine)
1 tsp. Greek oregano
1 tsp. Greek thyme, optional
2 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 onion, sliced or cubed
salt and pepper

Simply whisk everything together and set aside while preparing souvlaki sticks.

Souvlaki Meat Sticks:

Printable Recipe

1 lb. chicken or pork (shoulder), cubed

Handful of red and green bell peppers, cubed

1/2 onion, white or purple, cubed

Soak your wooden sticks in water for at least 30 minutes and then assemble your chicken/pork cubes alternating with peppers and/or onion cubes. Place in shallow pan or dish and pour marinade evenly over all of the souvlaki and let marinate overnight or at least a few hours, turning once.

Souvlaki is best grilled over charcoals on a low to medium heat, but can just as easily be grilled on a gas or indoor grill. Depending on the thickness and size of your meat, cook evenly on both sides until middle is white but still juicy. I always like to baste it once or twice while grilling using some of the marinade.

Authentic souvlaki is served with a half a lemon and some extra Greek oregano sprinkled over the meat and potatoes. For a little healthier option, try using these oven fries.

Summer is the perfect time for this Greek treat, try it and let me know what you think? I always love hearing from you in the comments section or a personal email.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you are having a great week!

Kali Orexi,

Jacquline

Baklava

2011-06-14T11:15:00.004+03:00

Thank you for your continued patience in my erratic posting, things have been very much overwhelming for me this past week or so and don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The first wedding was really beautiful and a great success, tomorrow I am leaving for the second wedding (where I am matron of honor for my best friend from high school). I am so excited for my two great friends to enter into the wonderful ~~roller coaster ride~~ world of marriage; I am a HUGE fan of finding and marrying your best friend and spending the rest of your life loving and learning to love them!

But enough about love and marriage, before I left the island I made baklava. I must first confess that Greek syrup sweets are not my go to when I am craving something sweet, but that was all before I MADE them at home! The patisseries are professional in making them, but they are almost always way too sweet for my taste! But by reducing the sugar and syrup content, the end result is a flavorful combination of nuts + cinnamon + sugar + perfectly crunchy phyllo = a wowing Greek dessert to say the least!

Homemade Baklava Recipe:
Printable Recipe

1 pkg, thin phyllo

1 cup butter, melted

2 cups walnuts*

1 cup pistachios*

1 cup almonds*

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2-3 T. white sugar

1 T. cinnamon

1 small package of whole clove buds

*measured and then processed or chopped

Syrup Recipe:

1 1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

2" lemon peel slice*

2" orange peel slice*

3/4 cup light honey

* Preferably without the white, bitter part

Melt butter in microwave or small pan on the stove and set aside. Unroll your phyllo dough and cover lightly with a damp cloth or towel. Measure and then process or finely chop your walnuts, almonds, and pistachios; mix together with sugars and cinnamon, set aside. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F, and gently brush your pan and 5 sheets (each) with melted butter and layer into the bottom of the pan. Evenly spread 1/3 of the nut mixture all over the bottom layer. Butter 2 more phyllo sheets and repeat, finally topping your baklava with 5 final buttered phyllo sheets. Cut with a sharp knife into triangles or squares, gently holding the phyllo so that it doesn't break apart. Push a clove bud into each triangle to hold the phyllo together and add a little decor. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown. While the baklava is cooking, prepare the syrup - bring the sugar, water, peels, and cinnamon stick to a boil for about 15 minutes and then add the honey, letting boil just another few minutes. Let cool until the baklava is ready, then pour over the hot baklava. Serve warm or room temperature, sprinkle with some extra crushed pistachios, optional.

This is a wonderful recipe to share and can easily be halved or the mixture can also be prepared ahead of time. Even if you have not liked baklava in the past, I encourage you to try this recipe.... it is a Greek classic!!!

I hope you are enjoying your summer and if you are feeling stuck in a boring routine, remember that sometimes that grass isn't always greener on the other side. I have really been contemplating returning to my little Greek bubble; plus, I am just totally lost without my other half - this has truly been a couple of the hardest weeks of my life! Thanks for your continued prayers and encouragements as well, it is so powerful to hear from each of you, thank you so very much!!!!

Kali Orexi,
Jacquline

American Culture

2011-06-07T23:00:00.003+03:00

I have only been in the USA for approximately 3 days, 12 hours, and 42 minutes but from the moment I touched down in Miami, I knew I was in for lots of surprises. I expected to be welcomed with lots of friendly faces speaking English, but I think there are more people speaking Spanish than English - oddly enough, I felt a little bit more comfortable hearing another language!

I am in a lot more culture shock than I expected to be, there are just so many differences between a big city like Dallas and an unknown village called Kalloni. Let me paint you a picture of some of the major contrasts. Before I left the island, the sun was getting hotter and hotter and the beaches were becoming more and more crowded. Foreigners and locals were filling the coffee shops drinking gallons of instant coffees (like frappes) and rolling dozens of cigarettes to smoke hand in hand with their coffees. There (surprisingly) isn't much chit-chat during the 2-3 hour coffee breaks and relatively little mobile phone use at all. As a matter of fact, people are just in another world and seem to have very little stress or worry, or maybe it is because they are too bored to really do anything more than sit and drink their coffees. As far as traveling within Greece/Europe, people also kept to themselves and even packed their own snacks, they take their time and never seem to be in a hurry for anything. I had a ridiculous argument with the baggage check-in lady because she came at me ready for a fight or at least in my perspective, she did NOT know the meaning of the word customer service. One of my biggest pet-peeves is that (especially in Greece) people don't really know their jobs like they should, you should always be ready to be ping-ponged from office to office or person to person.

While I have been trying to transition here, I have gone through a little culture shock, or rather reverse culture shock. I never expected to see EVERYONE with iphones, the expression "everyone and their grandma has one" is totally true - my Nana actually has an iphone!!! There were also so many people with iphones, ipads, kindles, and other entertainment devices, and if they weren't busy with something electronic, they were chatting casually with their neighbor, very uncommon for me over the last year and a half. Everywhere I went, random people would initiate conversation or there would be be a constant chatter sound around me. Even the "acceptable" walking pace is at least double or triple that of Greeks, this part I enjoy because I always am ahead of everyone. The little shopping I have had to do, I have been amazed at the friendliness and eagerness of everyone to help and welcome me - that is one huge thing I miss a lot. The last major thing is the variety and accessibility OF EVERYTHING!!!! I get overwhelmed walking into a gas station or grocery store and have quickly forgotten what it is like to not be able to find something I want or need. I had adjusted and grown accustomed to anextremely simple life without the need for many things.

Hopefully the transition will continue to be smooth, but someone very wise explained it to me very well: he said that coming back from a village (especially visiting my circus of a family) is like drinking from a fire hose instead of stepping into the kiddy pool - that is exactly how I have felt in a good/weird kind of way, I adore my family but we could totally be a traveling circus!

To keep this up as a food blog, I really want to share with you a delicious little Czech stop on South I-35 that sells the best kolaches and other sandwiches. If you ever find yourself between Austin and Waco, I highly suggest that you stop in West, Texas for a couple ~~dozen~~.

I made pastitio for my family today and it seemed to be a big hit, I substituted the long, hallow noodles for just the small ziti ones and it still turned out wonderful. Thanks for your continued patience as I ease back into this culture and my very hectic schedule!

Kali Orexi,

Jacquline

Stuffed Zucchini

2011-06-01T19:45:00.090+03:00

Dear readers and faithful followers of Seemingly Greek,

I need to ask for a little grace in the coming weeks. I have many new recipes to share and I had this perfect "plan" of having all of the images uploaded with the typed out recipes - but, that dream isn't a reality. It is actually furtherest from the truth... I should be uploading a picture of my living room in an utter mess as I try to get ready to leave tomorrow for the States.

I thought I would have all day today to not only finish packing but to also upload and post some new (fabulous) recipes. That was before I learned that I had to go to the main city (Mytilene) to turn in some paperwork, and if any part of you is Greek or has ever lived in Greece, I am sure you can fully understand that what should have taken 2 hours at most - TOOK ALL DAY!!!! Running from one office to the next, and back to the original office only to learn that I was missing an important stamp from the village I live in (40 minutes away)!!!!! You also understand that right now the public servants are not getting paid by the government and hence are not motivate to work at all (regardless whether some of them weren't motivated even before the payments stopped). The offices also close at 1pm everywhere and if you don't complete your paperwork the first day, you must return the next - lucky me, I get to go to Mytilene today, tomorrow morning, and tomorrow night!

I thank you so much for your understanding while I am transitioning. I also don't know if I have shared this or not yet, but my husband and I have applied to move abroad to teach (under the Greek government) at a Greek school in the US! So, with the addition of not only having to fight bureaucratic stuff and packing at the last minute, I am leaving my husband for at least 1 1/2 months and figure what is important to take if I don't return in August!?!? We find out (hopefully in July) if God has blessed us to move abroad!!! Remember us in your prayers, we would love to be transferred to either Florida or Delaware... completely different adventures, but wherever He chooses I am sure it will be a right fit. And I finally have a peace that if we are still here on the island, that I can and will make it - I will have my husband, a great (new) friend, and a job! His will be done, not ours!!!!

I plan to still keep blogging while in the US, but my schedule is pretty busy so maybe it will look a little different then it does now! Thanks again... I appreciate you all!

PS. This stuffed zucchini with avgolemono sauce was fantastic!!!!!

Stuffed Zucchini Recipe with Avgolemono Sauce:
Printable Recipe
4-6 medium-large zucchinis*, tops removed and carefully cored

4-5 T. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1/2 kilo (~1 lb.) minced meat or chopped mushrooms

1-2 onions, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1 T. dried Greek oregano

1 T. fresh mint or dill, optional

1 small bunch fresh parseley, chopped

1 T. tomato paste or 3/4 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 large tomato, chopped

1 cup rice

3-4 small/medium potatoes, peeled and chopped evenly
1/2 bullion (beef or vegetable) cube (or homemade stock)
1-2 cups additional hot water
*or substitute a couple of tomatoes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Wash, cut off bottoms, and hallow the middle of the zucchinis or slice into simple zucchini boats and spoon out centers. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place meat (or mushrooms) and onions in the skillet, cook until brown and drain excess fat; then, add dry rice stirring to coat well and let cook for 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, oregano and mint/dill, zucchini flesh and fresh tomato, mix together and cook approximately 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and 1 1/2 cups hot water. Continue cooking 10-15 minutes, adding more water if needed until rice becomes just tender or al dente. The mixture should be wet, but not runny. Mix in the chopped fresh parsley and spoon or fill zucchinis and/or tomatoes with the mixture, arrange in a large baking dish. Add chopped potatoes around the vegetables, dissolve the bullion cube in hot water and fill the pan until half the height of zucchinis, drizzle with a little olive oil. Cover lightly with foil or cover and bake 30-40 minutes in a preheated oven. Remove foil or top, and continue baking 10-20 minutes, until stuffing is tender and lightly browned.

Avgolemono Sauce Recipe: Egg Lemon Sauce
2 eggs
1 large or 2 small lemons
1/2 cube bullion (or homemade stock)
1 - 1/2 cup hot water
1-2 tsp. cornstarch or flour

Beat eggs in a medium bowl or pot with a whisk on high for 30 seconds, add juice of 1 lemon and continue to mix well. Melt bullion cube in hot water and slowly drizzle while continuing to beat for another minute or so. Sift the cornstarch over the pot and stir well until fully incorporated. Let simmer on low for a few minutes until it begins to set up and then remove from heat. Keep in mind that as it continues to cool, it will continue to thicken. Serve the zucchinis and/or tomatoes with some potatoes on a plate and top with some avgolemono sauce, the combination of flavors are sure to knock you out of your seat!!!

*Sorry this recipe took so long to post, but I hope you enjoy it with your family or friends and let me know how it turns out for you!

Kali Orexi,

Jacquline

The Greek Frappe, II

2011-05-28T23:27:00.001+03:00

Now that it is practically summer here in Greece, everywhere you look there are frappes. Whether you are passing by a coffee shop, there you will find many Greeks enjoying the sun and their frappes; whether shopping in a store or two, you are sure to find the workers sipping their frappes; or relaxing on the beach and savoring each sip. This is by FAR the most popular drink in Greece and I have yet to meet a Greek (besides my husband) that does not drink at least 3-5 PER DAY!!! To read about my experience and first review of the frappe, visit here, they are still too strong for me to this day despite how obsessed ~~others~~ everyone else seems to be with them!

I must admit though, that it is one of the easiest drinks to make: coffee, water, and a cup with a lid... plus sugar and milk if you are fancy! It is uniquely characterized by its thick, creamy foam that you get by either shaking or using an electric wand. They are so easy to make and so popular, that they can even be bought at corner kiosks and made simply on the go by adding a little water, shaking until you have a foam and adding the remaining water.

In addition to a recipe (below), you must also know how to order a frappe when coming to Greece. Whether you take a lot or a little sugar with your coffee or even prefer it plain, it is all said in one simple word:

"Sketo" ...plain, without any sugar
"Metrio" ...medium, usually ~1-2 small spoons of sugar
"Glyko" ...sweet, usually ~2-3 spoons of sugar, sometimes 4 depending on where you go

And if you want milk, you just add "me gala". So, the next time you are in Greece (or in a Greek shop) and want to order a frappe, now you can use your Greek: (I would like a frappe...) "Tha eithela ena frappe...." + "metrio me gala" (medium sweet plus milk)!

Greek Frappe Recipe:
2/3 - 3/4 cup filtered water
1 spoon of nescafe (or other instant coffee)
1 spoon sugar (for metrio/medium sweet)
~1/4 cup evaporated milk (or ~1/3 cup regular milk)
handful of ice

Use a small electric frothing wand, if you have handy because this creates ideal foam instantly. Simply add coffee, sugar, and 1/3 of the water into your cup and beat until thick. Add some ice, remaining water, milk, and stir gently with a straw!
If you do not have a wand, simply put 3 ice cubes, 1/3 cup of the water, sugar and nescafe in a shaker or any closed container with a tight fitting lid, and shake very well for about 30-45 seconds. The coffee should get very frothy and thick. Pour into a tall glass of your choice and fill with a few more ice cubes. Put another 1/3 cup of water in the shaker and swish around to pick up all the rest of the foam and coffee. Add to glass. Pour in evaporated milk and a few more ice cubes if desired. Stir with a straw.

Always serve with a cold glass of water, because whether frappes were meant to be or not, they are commonly enjoyed for 2-3 hours at a time! Once you have sipped your way down to only foam, you just add some water to make your coffee last longer! I mean there are only so many sips you can take while smoking a pack of cigarettes per hour, it kinda takes a while :)

If you are going to drink such a strong coffee, might I tempt you with some Chocolate Chip bars made with a coconut and walnut topping?! Let's just say that I made the frappe more for a photo opt than I made to actually enjoy it. I like the taste well enough, but for some reason within minutes the caffeine hits me like a narcotic and I get a little crazy, strange but totally true!

Anyway, it is my motto to try everything twice... you just never know if that first time was a fluke or not :) And THE Greek frappe is most definitely worth trying at some point in your life! As a testimonial, I have an American friend who moved here (to Greece) and did not even like coffee when he came, maybe a Starbuck's latte every now and then but we all know those don't count as coffee, it is 90%steamed milk - my kind of coffee! Now, he loves frappes and drinks at least one cup every day! I don't know how you do it Tracy, but I totally think it makes you more Greek :) You can check out his view on Greek life, here!

Kali Orexi and let me know if YOU like or have ever tried a Greek frappe?

Giveaway Winner....

2011-05-28T09:51:00.001+03:00

I think I might just love having giveaways as much as you guys enjoyed participating!!! Seriously, I was eager and giddy with every comment, every facebook like or refer, and every tweet!

A BIG thank you to everyone who participated:

We had about 75 people participate, 60 comments, and 290 total entries including all of the possibilities! With the random number generator, we have our winner: #125 was Lisa Bennet, Congratulations Lisa and I hope to hear from you in the next day or two for a shipping address!

Since my first giveaway was so fun and such a success, you can guarantee that I will have more to follow (as my budget allows, of course!) ,,, so keep your eyes open for more Greek Giveaways!!! Maybe next time I will ship out some Greek ouzo, Greek coffee, and some other popular treats!

Thanks again sincerely to everyone who participated, I wish I could send you all a package!

Surprise Muffins and a Giveaway

2011-05-25T18:35:00.007+03:00

Today, I have something very special for you... maybe you have tried it before and maybe you haven't; maybe you will like the combination and maybe you won't, but without further delay I present to you (Drum roll, please) Mini Banana Muffins filled with Nutella and a Greek Giveaway!

These mini muffins were such a hit with everyone who tasted them, even if they weren't a huge fan of nutella to begin with. I used my simple and healthier banana bread recipe from here, and simply injected some nutella straight into the middles once they were cool! This particular banana bread recipe is pretty light anyway, so with the addition of nutella and the banana flavor these went from being good to jumping off the charts! Seriously, if you are like me and you love to pair nutella with almost anything, including ~~for many years now~~ bananas, you might just not be able to stand every eating them plain again. If you do not have a kitchen tool that can be used to inject the nutella, swirl it straight into the batter. The results will be different, but the chocolate swirl of nutella and banana bread will hopefully still rock your world!

Banana Bread Mini-Muffins filled with Nutella Recipe:

Makes 1 loaf, 6 mini loaves, muffins or mini-muffins

Printable Recipe

1 cup bananas (~2 cups), mashed
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I use Greek yogurt)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 oil (canola or olive oil is healthiest)
1/2 - 3/4 cup sugars (I use 1/4 brown, 1/4 cup white)
1 lg. egg or 2 lg. egg whites, beaten
1-2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour (I use 1 c. whole wheat, 1/2 cup AP)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
*Oats to sprinkle on top, optional.
I like the oatmeal because I do not like banana bread the next day if the top is moist and soft, I think the oats help!

Preheat oven to 350° (180° C), and line or butter your loaf pan. In a small bowl, mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, and baking soda, then set aside. In a larger bowl, beat oil and sugars, slowly adding egg, then vanilla. I use a sifter, adding all of my dry ingredients and slowly adding 1/3 of the mix to the sugar mixture. Next, fold in 1/2 of the yogurt/banana mix, alternating with flour until everything is just moistened. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for about 35-45 minutes, watching carefully not to burn the top. If the top begins to burn, use a foil tent to cover and continue baking. Cool on wire rack in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan, continuing to cool completely.

Simple as that and you are ready to enjoy a wonderful new delight!

But enough already about bananas and nutella and mini muffins, I am also very incredibly excited to announce Seemingly Greek's FIRST GIVEAWAY!!!

Let me preface this with the fact that I am sponsoring this giveaway and all products were bought and will be shipped by me, I am not such a hot shot (yet) that anyone has contacted me to review or giveaway their any of their products, but my fingers are still crossed and I am waiting by my email :)

I leave for the USA in exactly 8 days, and if the winner is American I will be taking it with me and mailing it to you from there; if the winner lives in Europe, I will proceed to mail from Greece! Here is a picture and description of what will be included this time:

From left bottom to right: a soft sesame seed bar, a small bottle of olive oil, a bag of thick, seasoned salt, a lavender scented bar of olive soap, a vacuum sealed bag of black olives, a bag of souvlaki meat seasoning, and a bag of dried Greek oregano. ALL products are produced and packaged here in Lesvos, Greece and are of highest quality!

How does that sound? Are you excited and eager to win?

I was going to include more items but my budget quickly prevented me, so that just means we will have another giveaway in the future with various other Greek products! All you have to do to enter to win is follow the instructions in the widget below: the deadline is May 27th at midnight and the winner will be announced on the 28th.

One entry for each step of the widget you complete (total of 4+) or if you cannot see the widget or you do not have facebook or are not comfortable accepting an application with your facebook, please leave a comment below this post for a chance to win!

A Twist on Galaktobureko

2011-05-23T10:00:00.000+03:00

Well, summer weather here in Lesvos was in full force this weekend and instead of being home and writing the updated blog post that I needed to be, I was swimming in the sea and eating ice cream with my husband. The sea was cold, really cold, at first but after a few minutes my body adjusted and it was spectacular!!! Summer is really one of the best times to be in Greece, and I only have 10 more days of my Greek summer because I am heading to the USA in exactly 10 days! I will (unfortunately) be flying solo, my hubby will still have school and will not be able to join until (maybe) July - I am NOT too excited about that part though. Thank God for skype!!!

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that in a couple of weeks I might only be able to post once a week until all of the wedding hoopla is over! But to make up for that (hopefully), on my next post I will finally announce the official first giveaway for Seemingly Greek! It will include: a bottle of nice extra virgin olive oil, some Greek oregano, some souvlaki meat seasoning, a sesame seed nougat bar, and some ouzo - ALL natural products from my island here in Lesvos, and if the winner is a fan of sardines, I will throw some of those in too!!! Exciting, right? (Coming in the next post officially)

Now, for another wonderful recipe. . . A twist on galakotbureko. This is a very popular sweet here in Greece and even throughout other middle eastern countries. It is typically made in individual portions wrapped with traditional phyllo, but what I thought was phyllo in my freezer was actually puff pastry! To my surprise, it turned out really great with the change, different than the typical but still excellent in texture and flavor.

A Twist on Galaktobureko Recipe: Serves 8-10
Printable Recipe
3 1/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup fine semolina*
2 T. thick semolina*
2 T. cornstarch
1 cup sugar, separated into 1/2 cup portions
1/2 - 1 T. lemon peel, grated
3 eggs
dash salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup butter
10-12 phyllo sheets or 2 puff pastry sheets
(*Semolina can be replaced by cream of wheat)

Simple Syrup:
3/4 - 1 cup water
3/4 - 1 cup sugar

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350°/175°. Heat milk in heavy bottom pot. Mix semolina, cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt - add to simmering milk. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until it begins to thicken, then remove from heat. In a separate bowl, beat eggs at a high speed for 2 minutes and then slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Stir in vanilla while the milk/semolina mixture cools slightly. Prepare a 9x13" pan or a round spring form pan with light butter. Gently fold the egg mix into semolina until smooth. Layer either 7 phyllo sheets or 1 puff pastry into the bottom of the pan, evenly pour the mixture and top with 5 remaining phyllo sheets or final pastry puff. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and pulling away from the edges. While cooking prepare the simple syrup by boiling for 5 minutes and then letting cool. Remove pan from oven and spoon cooled syrup onto the hot dessert. Cool and serve. You can also prepare individual desserts by spooning the filling into buttered phyllo sheets and wrapping and folding into a rectangular present shapes, topping with syrup too.

All in all, I think that the puff pastry is easier to use than phyllo sheets but it also soaks in most of the syrup. If you prefer a typical galaktobureko than you will want to use phyllo sheets, but if you are in the mood for something easier with a slightly chewy crust, puff pastry is definitely the way to go! I think the lemon peel gives the perfect compliment of citrus and sweet to this custard-like filled pie. Perfect not that it is summer time...!!!

Kali Orexi!

Mushroom and Zucchini Bowtie Pasta

2011-05-18T11:18:00.001+03:00

Sometimes the easiest dinner to create is one that you throw together with the ingredients you have just laying around your kitchen; this was one of those delicious discoveries.

If you learn a few basics, like sautéing, you can make a variety of soups and sauces. The French word actually means, "to jump" and is a very useful method to learn if you want to take your cooking from good to great! This technique is carried out by cooking food quickly in a hot pan and using a small amount of fat. It is important though not to use too much fat or you will go from sautéing to frying your foods. When properly executed, sautéing does not dry out the food but actually leaves some pieces called "fond" into the pan. These "leftovers" have a wonderful caramelized flavor that you can use to create a wonderful yet simple reduction sauce.

First, lets discuss what foods are good to be sautéed. The best foods must be tender, thin, and portion or bite-sized. Many types of meat, poultry, fish and shellfish are appropriate for sautéing. To prepare thick or dense meats for sautéing, simply slice them thinly before cooking for bite-sized pieces or pound them thin (with a meat mallet or back side of a frying pan) for portion sized pieces. Vegetables, fruits, precooked grains, pasta, beans and other legumes are also candidates for sautéing. Thin, tender items like snow peas, apples and mushrooms may go right into the sauté pan. Thicker, denser items such as carrots and broccoli should be par-boiled before hand.

Now to begin the cooking. Have all of your ingredients prepared and ready to go, it is also important that everything be approximately the same size so it all cooks evenly. Always preheat your pan and then add the oil/butter, this way you avoid have hot spots. You'll know it is ready when you can splash a few drops of water into the pan and watch them dance across and evaporate. Let the fat melt just until it has a shimmer but before it begins smoking, remove it from the heat for a few moments if it smokes. Add your ingredients to the pan and let them sit so they turn golden brown. For meats, this is usually about 3 minutes, for fish this about 2 minutes. After this time, flip them over in the pan and repeat the process, using a spatula or tongs. DO NOT use a fork, as it pierces the meat and releases all the juices.

Next, you want to deglaze your pan for optimum flavor in making a sauce. Sounds extravagant, but it really isn't. There's an added benefit to doing this too, you'll have a pan so clean that with one wipe of the sponge you'll be done! Remove your meat or other protein (if using veggies, just leave in pan) and place somewhere to keep warm, like your oven. If there is a lot of fat in the pan remaining, remove all but a tablespoon or two. Add 1 teaspoon of seasoning (of choice) and turn the heat to high adding about ¼ cup of white wine (red wine or stocks work too and sometimes I even use beer or fruit juices). Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all the stuff up from the bottom of the pan and let it dissolve in the liquid. The liquids will reduce fairly quickly, so go ahead and lower the heat. From here you can simply pour the sauce over your meat and serve, add more veggies and/or aromatics (like garlic or shallots), add more stock for a soup, or add some butter, dairy, or cheese for a richer sauce.

For my pasta recipe, I simply sautéed some mushroom heads and zucchini slices. I added some white wine, a few drops of cream, and some parmesan cheese with a little salt, black pepper, red pepper, and dried basil. It was really fantastic!

Kali Orexi!

Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Strawberries

2011-05-16T09:30:00.002+03:00

I have been trying to cut back on sugar and refined carbs these last coupe of weeks because in 32 days I will be standing in a short little dress on the beach while by best friend gets married to a wonderful man!

I have a problem though. I don't like being told what to do or what I can and cannot have, even from myself :) Diets do not work for me, only exercise and nutrition do and we all know those take the longest to see results. I like desserts but don't crave them unless I am trying to avoid them... can anyone else relate or am I just a little crazy?!

Anyway, of course I made a cake but I wanted to make a healthier option, may I introduce you to this wonderful Vanilla Chiffon Cake with Strawberries (recipe taken from The Good Housekeeping Cookbook).

All this tall, handsome cake needs is a dusting of powdered sugar and/or some fresh fruit served on the side. The texture is perfect for summer and it will make a cake large enough to share!

Vanilla Chiffon Cake Recipe:
Printable Recipe
2 1/4 cups cake or AP flour
1 + 1/2 cups sugar, separated
1 T. baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup oil of your choice (canola or sunflower)
5 large eggs, separated + 2 extra egg whites
1 T. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar*
confectioners' sugar

Sliced strawberries mixed with a little sugar and Disaronno or other liqueur of choice adds a wonderful sweet and citrus flavor that compliments the cake very well.

Directions: Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in center; add cold water, oil, egg yolks, and vanilla to well. With a wire whisk, stir until smooth.

In a separate bowl, with a mixer at high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar (* or substitute for a squeeze of fresh lemon juice) until soft peaks form when beaters are lifted. Sprinkle in remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 2 T. at a time, while continuing to beat whites until the sugar has dissolved and whites stand in stiff, glossy peaks. With a rubber spatula, gently fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then repeat until all whites are incorporated.

Scape batter into an ungreased 9-10" tube/bunt pan; spread evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when lightly touched, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Invert cake onto a a large metal funnel or bottle; cool completely. Run the knife around the cake to loosen from side and the center of the tube. Remove cake and place on serving platter. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with fruit of choice, but I highly recommend the strawberries!

This makes a perfect summer treat, and can be very light on the calories if you limit yourself to only one piece!

Kali Orexi!

Orthodox Iconography, Part 1

2011-05-13T21:52:00.002+03:00

I did not write the below article, but it really expresses what I have learned in my walk through Orthodoxy as well. I am excited to share this with you and I would love to hear your thoughts as well. Here is the LINK to the original article written by Cindy Elgy, I have simply copied and pasted it below for ease to the viewer.

"There are approximately five million Eastern Orthodox Christians in America (Nabil, 2000). A minority in a nation dominated by Protestants and Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox culture has maintained strong familial and cultural identities. Understanding something about them, being able to lay aside preconceptions and ethnocentricity to view life from the Orthodox Christian’s perspective will allow the onlooker an opportunity to increase in understanding not only of the Eastern Orthodox Christian but of human nature. It is this author’s intent to introduce the reader to an insider’s perspective of iconography in the life of an Orthodox Christian, in the hope that understanding will increase.
A legend passed down for nearly 2000 years describes the first icon. At the time when Christ was traveling to Jerusalem where He would experience the trial and crucifixion, King Abgar of Edessa sent for Jesus. Christ could not go to the King, so instead He sent a linen cloth on which He had dried His face. The story continues that the cloth carried to the King had an impression of Christ’s face on it. The King’s illness was healed when the cloth was taken to him. This first icon, “not made by human hands”, began a tradition of portraying Christ and the saints in pictorial fashion. (Benz, 1963). The entire town of Edessa treasured this first icon, that is the linen cloth with Christ’s face imprinted on it. It was widely acknowledged throughout out the East and still written about in the eighth century (Ouspensky, 1978).
So what is an icon? Webster defines an icon as an image (Webster, 1966). In the Orthodox Church an icon is a sacred image, a window into heaven. An image of another reality, of a person, time and place that is more real than here and now. More than art, icons have an important spiritual role. Michel Quenot says it well in his book, The Icon: Window on the Kingdom, an icon is “theology in imagery, the icon expresses through color what the Gospel proclaims in words”.
For this reason the rules regarding the creation of an icon are rigorous. The iconographer must prepare himself for the task of painting an icon by following a strict discipline of fasting and prayer. He must quiet his spirit and submit himself to God. The icon he creates will not be signed. He will not expect accolades or applause when the icon is completed. The icon will be created to inspire and lead others into worship. Painting the icon is not a use of imagination. Instead, the icon will be painted using the prescribed regimen and style that has been passed down through the centuries. Everything from the facial expressions to the colors used is predetermined. The following is a prayer recited by an iconographer prior to starting to work:
O Divine Master of all that exists, enlighten and direct the soul, the heart and the mind of your servant: guide my hands so that I might portray worthily and perfectly Your Image, that of Your Holy Mother and of all the Saints, for the glory, the joy, and the beautification of Your Holy Church. ( Quenot, p.13)
The primary purpose of the icon is to aid in worship. Its design follows that purpose. Through lines and color the iconographer conveys the awesomeness of the invisible, divine reality (Evdokimov, 1990). The creation of an icon is defined by tradition. That is a 21 st century iconographer would not decide to change the shape of Christ’s face. It is understood that a person who saw them in the flesh painted the first icon of an individual. St. Luke is accredited with painting the first icons of Christ and Mary the Blessed Virgin. Each subsequent iconographer will use the original icon as a guide. There is room for a small amount of stylistic change but tradition limits the options for that change ( Forest, 1997).

Icons are not created to force an emotional response. When portraying historical scenes the faces don’t show emotions but instead portray virtues such as purity, patience in suffering, forgiveness, compassion and love. An example of this would be the portrayal of Christ on the cross. Neither is the icon a sentimental picture. Christ is always shown as God. Even the icons of Christ seated on His mother’s lap show Him with an adult face, revealing that even though Christ lived as a child among us He was also God ( Forest,1997).
Icons depict silence. There are no actions displayed, no open mouths. The icon invites the Christian to enter into contemplation,prayer, and silence (Ware,1979). Space is not defined as three-dimensional and time is insignificant. The story told by the icon precludes time and space. An example would be the icon of the Nativity, which shows the cave where Christ was born in the background with those who came to adore in small vignettes. Lighting proceeds from the character portrayed in the icon. There are never shadows in icons. This shows us that the saint portrayed is “glorified” having completed the race and entered into heaven (Quenot,1991).
Symbolism is used in icons and details are used minimally. For example, when showing John the Baptist baptizing in the river the grown man he baptizes is shown as an infant because the baptism is a rebirth. Colors are also symbolic. Blue reveals heaven and mystery. Green is youth, fertility and the earth’s vegetation. Red, the color of blood, suggests life, vitality and beauty. White is purity, the divine world and innocence. Gold indicates sanctity, splendor, and the glory of God and life in the heavenly kingdom. Purple reveals wealth, power and authority.
First and foremost, icons are a constant reminder of the incarnation of Christ, that is to say, they remind us that God “sent His only begotten Son”(Bible, John 3:16) to rescue us from our sin and death. We cannot see God the Father or God the Holy Spirit, but, because Christ chose to take on human flesh, we can see Him. His face can be portrayed on wood with paint. We can also paint His Mother and other saints who have finished the race and gone on to heaven. The Orthodox believe that surrounding themselves with icons help them to acknowledge the constant presence of Christ and the saints in their lives.
According to Father Nabil, priest of St. George Orthodox Church in Indianapolis, IN, the icon is a representation of the person portrayed upon it. The term used to describe this link is typology. Typology means that an event or item is somehow related to another event or person. An example of this would be the icon buttons on the computer tool bar. When a person uses the tool bar and clicks on the “print” button the user knows that the print button represents something else. That is, the print button will not cause itself to be duplicated on paper with ink but instead the user knows that the print button at that moment is a typology for the item on the screen. By interacting with the “print” icon the user expects the item the button represents to be printed. When an Orthodox Christian gives honor to an icon by kneeling or bowing before it or by kissing the icon the Christian is not paying respect to wood and paint. Instead he acknowledges that the icon represents much more and that the link between the icon and the person in the heaven is real. He believes that in some mystical fashion the veneration given to the icon will be received by the person it portrays.

As a recent convert to the Orthodox Christian faith this author has some experience on which to base an analysis of the use of icons. As a convert ten years ago icons were one of the additions to worship unfamiliar to me. I came from a protestant background and the worship I had been involved in up until this point involved sitting in a pew and repeating prayers, creeds and hymns when appropriate. It didn’t take long for me to realize that the Orthodox utilize all of their senses and beings in their worship. Incense floats through the air representing the prayers ascending into heaven. A bell is rung during the call to worship and at other key times in the worship. Altar boys, deacons and the priest serve in the altar area, chanting prayers and hymns, bowing, performing prostration, acknowledging the heavenly hosts of saints and angels whose worship we are entering into. Parishioners do not sit primly in the pews but may walk throughout the church lighting candles, venerating icons. The hands of parishioners are not quiet and closed but may be raised heavenward to show the lifting of the worshiper’s heart toward God or they may be making the sign of the cross, reminding the one who makes it that Christ loved us enough to die for us. Later communion will be available so that one can even utilize the sense of taste during worship. In those first weeks the activity of worship seemed almost distracting to me but as I have entered into the worship it has became natural. The Orthodox believes worship is ongoing in the heavenly kingdom. They believe heaven is a place where worship doesn’t cease, that those who have gone before and have been faithful are worshiping the Holy Trinity continuously. When earthly Christians join together to worship we join the heavenly throng and begin participating in that worship. For that reason the walls and ceilings of the church are decorated with icons of Christ, Mary the Blessed Virgin, saints and angels. When parishioners stand in the pew during worship they only need to look around to see the saints surrounding them. In this way the icon is a reminder of a larger reality. It reminds us that we have stepped out of one world and into another. It reminds us that though we struggle on a daily basis to remain faithful to our beliefs and our God there are many who have finished this life successfully and now dwell in a place were there is no more sorrow. We are encouraged to persevere, to set our eyes on the finish line, to continue to live a life that is pleasing to God.
Living as we do in a society that demands that our lives be lived at a fast pace and with very little quiet time the icon beckons to us to slow down. The stillness of the icon draws us into the quiet so that we can lay aside the cares of this world and meditate on the splendor of the next. The benefit of the icons is not so much in analyzing the style of painting, the iconographers name or even in knowing the individual representations in the icon. The benefit is in meditation, in quietness and in guiding the heart to prayer.
There are other components of the Eastern Orthodox culture that contribute to the use of the icon. It has been this author’s personal observation that the Orthodox culture values family. Aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, grandparents, cousins and so on worship together, live together and often even work together. A large number of Orthodox are immigrants who have been able to assimilate into the American culture due to a strong work ethic and a respect for the freedoms afforded a democratic society. Many have lived under Communist governments, some have suffered under the authority of anarchists. Strong family ties, even family businesses have helped to sustain these immigrants. This respect for unity and extended family goes beyond the earthly family and makes the recognition of the saints more acceptable. For example, if Aunt Sally prayed for us while she was on earth and we know that she has eternal life now, why would we expect her to stop praying for us now?
Also, I have found that the Orthodox are a very expressive people. If I meet an Orthodox friend at the grocery store or at church I have learned to expect that friend to drop whatever he is doing and come toward me with both arms reaching out. First he will embrace me, then give me a kiss on each check. This is called the kiss of peace. Often a greeting such as “Christ is Risen!” or “Thanks be to God” will accompany the kiss. It should be noted that this kiss of peace is shared among men and women equally. The greeting can be between two men, two women or a man and a woman. I have often wanted to follow a single person throughout a Sunday worship to tally the number of such greetings a person offers on such a day. If such a greeting is given to people who are simply acquaintances then the kissing of the icon is in keeping with the cultural practices.
In conclusion, viewing the use of icons from within the Orthodox culture has given the author the opportunity to develop an appreciation for icons. I have found that hanging an icon in my home reminds me that God is present in my home. When I pass the icon I remember that I am to be praying continuously. When life is just speeding by too quickly I know where to go to find some quiet and to pray for the peace that surpasses understanding. It is no longer surprising to me that the God who created humans would realize that sometimes in our crowded lives it is beneficial to have a “window on the kingdom” (Quenot, 1991)."

In Part II, I will share more on my thoughts but until then I would love to hear yours!

Presvitera's Dolmades

2011-05-11T13:38:00.000+03:00

I must admit first that although I took the pictures, the dolmades below belong to my mother-in-law, "the expert dolmades maker", hence the name! Her name is not Presvitera, rather this is a respectful and endearing name to call a priest's wife. My father in law is a Greek Orthodox priest and I had the honor of him baptizing me (My Christian name is Styliani) and marrying us - actually we had a very blessed wedding with 6 priests, our marriage is bound to last until the end of time :)

The (one) time that I tried to make dolmades, the taste was good but the aesthetics were terrible, so you did not get to see my first attempt. Over Easter break, I got to learn first hand the secrets to making perfect dolmades, do not overstuff them! Apparently, I was a little too eager and generous with my rice stuffing. Lesson learned! So, now I share with you the simple, yet delicious, vegetarian stuffed grape vine leaves recipe that many Greek families consider as a staple on their tables.

Presvitera's Dolmades Recipe:

Printable Recipe
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2-3 T. EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
1 medium white onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 tsp. salt
2 large lemons, juiced
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock, heated
30 grape leaves, rinsed and drained (from jar or use fresh but boil until tender)

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the onion in 2 T. EVOO for a few minutes, then add the rice and herbs and continue stirring until the onion has softened. Slowly, pour in half the heated stock and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until rice is almost cooked but still very al dente. You do not want to overcook your rice, but you do want it started! Stir in half the lemon juice and remove from heat, cool until easy enough to handle.

Line the bottom of your pot with a few extra vine leaves you have so the dolmades will not burn while cooking, I try to choose the broken or unusable ones from the jar. Take one leaf, place shiny side down, and spoon 1 teaspoon (only 1 tsp. or they will burst open and not be pretty at all) or more/less according to the size of the leaf itself, but you want to easily be able to tightly fold; remember that the rice will still expand more while cooking. Fold over both sides of the leaf towards the center, and begin to snuggly roll up from the bottom to top. You may have to slightly fold the top sides even more inwards (think slight triangle) to get a "prettier" roll. It is all in the practice, so just find what works best for you! Once you have finished rolling one, place it seam side down in the pot. Repeat placing the dolmades together so as to not leave any gaps and allowing the leaves to split open. Try to stack the first layer all facing the same direction and when you begin the 2nd layer, switch the direction for a kind of criss-cross pattern; repeat until finished. Sprinkle the top with remaining lemon juice and olive oil.

Gently, pour the remaining stock just enough to cover the top layer. Place a flat weight - like a small, upside down plate - on top of the vine leaves, cover the pot, and simmer for 45-60 minutes - making sure not to boil, because this will make the stuffing overflow from the leaves. When close to the time, check one to confirm that the rice is tender, take into account that they will also slightly cook a little more while cooling down. Remove from heat, remove cover, and let cool for another half hour. Transfer to a plate/dish and serve with lemon slices and greek yogurt if you choose! It is also very "Greek" to top them with a little white vinegar and some extra salt if needed. Try it all and decide for yourself!

There are many different versions of the stuffing for dolmades, the usual contains ground beef and sometimes even fish. There are also vegetable varieties, but the simplicity of fresh herbs and rice, in my opinion, is the perfect balance of flavor and lightness!

These are great as an appetizer or even as a healthy snack! Another similar and even more common vegetable to wrap the rice in is cabbage leaves. You should first boil the leaves until pliable and then stuff, but I will try to highlight that recipe some other time! Until then, enjoy these wonderful little treats and I will be sure to post a picture of my very own dolmades now that I have the official recipe and secrets!

Kali Orexi my friends, and I hope you have the beautiful sunshine that we were blessed with today. The birds are singing and the temperature couldn't be more perfect!

Another Egg Salad Recipe...

2011-05-08T16:45:00.000+03:00

Happy Mother's Day to everyone who not only is a mother (or has a bunt in the oven) but who has a mother or even hopes to become one! I am blessed to have 2 wonderful mothers, a mom and a step-mom and life couldn't be better!!!

I also wanted to share a simple, yet delicious egg salad recipe made with greek yogurt instead of only mayo.

One thing I have really enjoyed about Greece is that almost everyone has chickens, and they aren't the annoying roosters that wake you up at 4am either. They are just simple chickens that peck at the ground all day and lay you fresh eggs to enjoy! When we were back on the main land with the in-laws, I snapped a couple of pictures of the family chickens, and V's mom sent us back with a sack full of fresh hard boiled eggs. What else can you do with so many eggs, make egg salad right?!

Just knowing that the eggs come from clean, well taken care of free roaming chickens eating grass and grain is also very reassuring as well. Even here on the island you can find other fresh eggs for sale in bakeries, mini shops, and even the supermarket sometimes too. There is a big difference in how they look - the yolks are a darker, richer yellow, and the taste is somehow more delicious too!

Now, it probably isn't so healthy to eat egg salad sandwiches everyday, but if you find yourself with a dozen eggs and are worried about cholesterol, try using just the egg whites and maybe only one yolk! Feel free to change the recipe to fit your personal preferences, and maybe just try something new for a change - the greek yogurt is something I tried once and will continue to use forever, it gives the salad such a light and creamy texture!

Egg Salad Recipe: Serves 4-6

Printable Recipe
8 Large Fresh Eggs, boiled
1/3 cup greek yogurt (regular or low-fat)
1 T. mayo
1-2 tsp. mustard (or more)
1/8 - 1/4 cup chopped green/purple onion, optional (for the husband)
1 T. fresh dill or 1 tsp. dry dill
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
dash of cayenne, optional
Juice of half a small lemon

Chop or lightly process the boiled eggs and add to a medium bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and gently fold together until blended well. Let chill in the fridge for half an hour or serve immediately on bread, pita, croissant, or even inside a tomato or on a bed of lettuce!

Now that it is Spring and the weather is quite perfect, it would be ideal for a picnic lunch!

Wherever you are and whatever you are eating today, I hope that you are enjoying life to the fullest! There is always something to be thankful for, something I wish I could remember when down in the dumps!

Besides, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Right?

Hebrews 11:1

Beef Enchiladas...

2011-05-06T00:17:00.000+03:00

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, really because I look for any excuse to eat Mexican Food.... Let me introduce you to my Greek-Mex: Beef Enchiladas, Mexican Rice, Refried Black Eyed Peas, and Chips and Salsa!!!

First, I must give complete credit where credit is due too... there is a kindred blogger out there and she doesn't even know it (or me). Maybe it is because we both adore ~~Mexican Food~~ Tex-Mex and have moved away from our home, the great ~~country~~ state of Texas! Anyway, she has a wonderful blog called, Homesick Texan, and shares some wonderful recipes, pictures, and stories!

Unfortunately for me, I did not have quite a few of the ingredients called for, but with an ambitious heart and determined spirit I gave it my all. I followed each of her recipes as best as I was able and added a slight addition myself: Creamy Jalapeno Avocado Sauce. I simply blended some Greek yogurt, half and avocado, a couple of jared jalapenos, some lime juice, and salt and pepper! It. was. fantastically. wonderful!

Actually, considering that I was missing the most beloved ingredient, fresh cilantro, I think things turned out as good as can be expected living in a foreign land where no other ethnic cuisine (except pizza and pasta, but even they have a Greek spin) is offered outside of the most major cities.

As a Texan though, I must admit this was definitely more Greek-Mex than anything I have ever tasted. Practically just a tease of what I know to be the real, authentic Mexican food AND the also beloved Tex-Mex versions from each beloved city of: Dallas, Austin, or San Antonio!

Short and sweet, it was a fun experience to make homemade enchiladas in Greece, but I think I will stick to only fajitas, quesadillas, and salsa while living abroad!

I hope you ate/drank more than your share of Mexican food and margaritas for us today!

Kali Orexi until next time!

Walnut Syrup Cake with Vanilla Creme Filling

2011-05-04T10:45:00.000+03:00

Yesterday was my husband's birthday, and although Greeks don't really celebrate birthdays, THIS American girl surely does!!! V requested strawberry cake but there were no strawberries to be found yet on the island, maybe in a couple of weeks. Instead, I made a double layer walnut cake and filled it with his favorite vanilla creme (instant and hassle free)!

In Greek this cake is called Καρυδόπιτα, pronounced Karidopita, and is very popular here in Greece. You can find it in any sweet shop and it is commonly served for dessert after a meal in a taverna. Most recipes do not call for any flour, but I used a cup of flour in place of a cup of the bread crumbs. I preferred a slightly smoother texture and it turned out wonderful.

The addition of the vanilla creme was to fancy it up a bit and make it more special for the one I love. I also had been thinking of trying to create a new or slightly different recipe to highlight in another nice Greek blog, called Kopiaste, meaning "Come on in" or an invitation! There, she is hosting a "Creative Concoctions" for coming up with new or tweaked dessert recipes. I thought this cake would be just perfect!!!

Thankfully, the birthday boy just loved it too! The combination of walnut and vanilla creme were perfect together. Walnut cake is also amazingly delicious when served with ice cream!!! Now that it is almost summer, maybe you could even add a scoop or two of your favorite ice cream! I served a slice with a cup of strong coffee to counter balance the sweetness and they also went hand in hand, for dessert or breakfast :)

Walnut Cake Recipe:
Printable Recipe
1 cup + 2 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar

6 eggs, separated, room temperature

zest and juice of 1 orange

1-2 T. brandy

3/4 - 1 cup farina (AP Flour or semolina)
1 cup fine bread crumbs
2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. cinnamon
1/2-1 tsp. clove, optional
1 1/2 cups chopped, toasted walnuts
Instant package of vanilla filling and needed milk, optional

Directions:
Prepare the oven to 175°/350°. Prepare 2 small round cake pans: buttered and lined with parchment paper or one regular cake pan. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy and smooth. Continue mixing and add one yolk at a time, scraping the bowl and mixing after each addition until all 6 eggs are added. Stir in brandy, orange zest and juice, and mix until all combined. In a separate bowl combine flour, bread crumbs, b. powder, cinnamon, and walnuts. In another medium bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Slowly alternate combining the dry mix with the egg whites, mixing well after each addition. Evenly pour batter into the cake pan(s) and bake about 20-40 minutes depending on size of pan or until a knife comes out clean in the center of the cake. Cool on wire racks. Prepare the syrup mixture (below) and let boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat and cool slightly. Gently place the first cake layer on your platter and spoon a third of the syrup on until absorbed, add the vanilla creme and gently place on second layer, finally spoon another third of the remaining syrup onto the top cake. Reserve the remaining syrup to add just before serving or if you have a cake platter or dish with a lip to hold the syrup, continue to add all of it. If you are making one cake, simply add all the syrup at once. It works best if either your cake or syrup are hot/warm and the other has slightly cooled.

Simple Syrup Recipe:
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove or nutmeg berry
1 lemon slice

Returning Home and a Cheesecake Recipe!

2011-04-30T22:00:00.001+03:00

We arrived back home at four o'clock this morning after a very long and somewhat perilous trip all around Greece! We took the ship last week (anywhere from 10-13 hours long) from Lesvos to Kavala, drove to Halkidiki (stayed a week), drove all the way to Athens, and took the ship back to Mytilene, I think we covered some serious ground.

Everything went smoothly until Athens, the BIG city. It is about a 5-6 hour drive from north to south Greece, unless there is a detour like ours, then it is around 7 hours. Needless to say we ended up arriving around midnight and were trying to find our hotel. Including a little culture shock, this "village" girl was a bit overwhelmed when a dozen or more cops suddenly appeared out of nowhere to arrest a guy on a motorbike, directly in front of us. It was a surprise attack ~~and I might have peed my pants a little.~~ The other interesting addition to our trip was the over an hour delay on our ship home when someone called in a bomb threat. I seemed to be the only one who felt nervous and anxious when they made the announcement, it didn't even phase anyone else around me, they just continued ~~being Greek~~ smoking and chatting! Really people.?! Everything ended up fine (Praise the Lord), I guess someone was just going to be late for the boat and found an excuse to delay until they could make it.

All in all, we had a wonderful trip but are glad to be back in our own bed! After lots of laundry and getting things in order, we should be back in the swing of things by Monday. I wanted to share a recipe with you since it has been a while though. This is something I made a while ago and came across the pictures again. . . Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Cupcakes!

I had a bag of chocolate chip cookies left over from an experimental batch. They were delicious, but didn't have enough flour and were a bit flat. Instead of throwing them out, I thought all of about 2 seconds before I decided to mix them into a scrumptious cheesecake. Philadelphia cream cheese can be kind of expensive here on the island if it is not on sale, so to mix things up a bit . . . I made individual cupcakes. The only thing missing were cupcake liners, they are also unaffordable for this island girl. Other than that, they were perfect!

See for yourself that the results were delectable!!!!!

It was the same cheesecake recipe here, but only halved. I used the cookies with a little butter to make the crust and added a few in the middle with a handful of chocolate chips too. The melted chocolate was used to add a bit of decor to the tops.

This cheesecake recipe is a lush, thick, and super creamy one! Now that strawberries are in season I am dreaming of a strawberry cheesecake!!!!

Kali Orexi!

Homemade Οrange Spoon Sweets

2011-04-27T11:35:00.000+03:00

There is a (mostly) wonderful custom here in Greece that anytime you visit someone's house, you should "arrive with your hands full and leave with your hands empty"! Basically, you should always bring something when visiting anyone, even if they are family. The exception to this is rule is only if you have already been to visit before in the previous days and took something with you then. Typical gifts are a box of delicious sweets, a bottle of wine, some flowers, or maybe even something you have prepared yourself.

On the other side of this custom, you too will always be served something when visiting a house as well. Even if you do not want something to drink or eat, you will be served graciously. An American friend of mine said it perfectly, "When you visit someone and they offer you something, it is never actually a question!" This is so true. I think these are mostly wonderful customs because sharing gifts and food/drinks does help to bond your friendship, alternatively though, it can get very expensive if YOU are the one always visiting and bring gifts to numerous family and friends! This is not usually a problem, except when you are a young married couple on Easter holiday and are expected to visit everyone and their donkey, then it takes its toll on you a bit. Thankfully, everyone we have visited so far are exceptional people and worth every penny and minute we've gotten to share with them!

Usually, when you arrive in someone's house for a short visit you will be served a combination from the following list:

To Drink-

Greek Coffee

Hot Tea

Fresh Juice

Homemade Liqueur

Ouzo

To Eat-

Spoon Sweets

Syrup Sweets

Biscuits

Homemade Cake

Or something according to the holiday and time if year, for example, during Easter you are sure to be served Tsoureki

Spoon Sweets (γλυκό του κουταλιού) are very common to serve to a guest. They are always served with a glass of water and maybe another beverage too. They are perfect for offering someone for three reasons: 1) they are sweet yet also nice and fruity 2) they look lovely and a little fancy 3) they are something very unique and can easily be homemade and kept for months at a time. It is called a "spoon sweet" because it is literally served with a small spoon and on a glass or crystal plate (unlike mine because I didn't have any glass or crystal)!

They can be made from almost any kind of fruit, although sour and bitter fruits are particularly used. Sometimes they use just the rind of the fruit and other times the whole fruit may be used. Some popular spoon sweets are made from oranges, watermelon, cherries, kumquats, quinces, figs, lemons, pomegranates, or various berries. It is also common to use unripe nuts, flower petals, or even olives! A well-made spoon sweet retains the original color, aroma, and taste of the fruit only sweeter, softer, and slightly chewy.

To be completely honest, the only spoon sweet I actually enjoy has been made of orange rind. I have tasted a few others and am not crazy about them, although when the sweet, soured cherries are served over yogurt or simple ice cream, it combines for a wonderful combination! Maybe that recipe will follow someday too, I actually forgot that I liked it :)

The recipe is simple but takes a few days to complete. I recommend starting with oranges and moving on to other fruits of your choice.

Orange Spoon Sweets Recipe:

Printable recipe

For every pound of oranges, you will use:

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp. lemon juice

I used 3 small-medium oranges and it filled one medium jar with about 12-16 pieces.

First, wash and zest each orange, keeping intact. Slice the orange into half and then each half into half again, totaling 4 pieces per orange. Carefully remove the insides, leaving only the rind itself (using the zest and actual orange flesh for another purpose). Either thread a needle and thick string or use tooth picks to spiral and secure each slice. Soak in a large bowl of fresh, cool water for 24 hours, changing the water 3-4 times.

Drain oranges and place in a deep pot and fill with cool water until just covered, bring to a slight boil. Drain and repeat the same process this time letting boil for about 6-8 minutes or until the oranges are soft/tender but not falling apart. In a separate pot, make your simple syrup recipe using a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water. Let boil for a couple of minutes and remove from heat. Remove the string or toothpicks and add the oranges to the syrup letting sit again overnight. In the morning, return to a simmer and leave for 5-10 minutes until you have a thick syrup. Turn off heat and let the pot slight cool while you prepare your jars. If you are making multiple jars, you will need to boil them in order to create a good seal; if you are preparing only 1 jar, then you only need to add the sweets and keep refrigerated (will keep 4-6 months). Stir in a little fresh lemon juice and add to your jars.

Serve on a small spoon and plate with a little of the syrup and always with a glass of water.

There are many different recipes for many various spoon sweets, this one is mine and I think for oranges at least it worked very well!!! Any fruit or nut that you choose to make into a sweet will require slightly different sugar and cooking amounts.

Kali Orexi and I hope you enjoy this classic spoonful of hospitality!

Easter continued...

2011-04-25T19:05:00.002+03:00

Unlike, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" the movie, my husband's family is quite small and intimate. A brother and sister were missing, but even when the whole family is all together it is a very tame function; I cannot however say the same for my side of the family. My family in Texas must have ~~some~~ a lot of Greek spirit in them, because THEY are MY big fat Greek family. All of my aunts and cousins come over and are shouting all at the same time to be heard, everyone is in everyone else's private business, and it is not a family get together if someone doesn't cry or leave abruptly. You probably think I am exaggerating, I am not :) But enough about my family holidays, I don't want to scare my Greek husband too much, he has only been around his in-laws for a while and still adores them all! What's not to love about full blown honesty and letting someone know when they have gained a few pounds, right?

Easter in Greece is very different for me. Besides the wonderful church celebrations and emphasis on Christ, there is also a huge stress on family and spending time celebrating all together, I just love that! We have eaten so much since Saturday night that I think it might be time for another brief fast. Here are our lunch tables: 1) Prepared my my wonderful mother-in-law, anything she makes turns into gold, seriously, she makes the most authentic and homemade Greek food I could ever imagine; 2) prepared by our only living yiayia (grandmother), she too has a great talent in the kitchen. I try to get them to teach me how to cook, but they insist that I will learn better then them, I only hope to become as great of a cook as either one of these wonderful ladies.

Just some Greek coffee and fresh juice on a typical visit to yiayia's house.

Our Easter lunch at home in my husband's parent's house. Stuffed beefteki, lamb meat skewers, traditional Easter soups, salad, lots of wonderful cheeses and sauces, wine, and of course red eggs to hit together!

A wonderful spread of homemade Easter lunch with my most favorite yiayia around! We ate a wonderful baked chicken with potatoes in a delicious red sauce (I must learn this sauce!), baked goat with greens, the best homemade tyropita, salad, sauces and cheeses, white wine and ouzo, and again some red eggs to crack all together before eating.

Even Meli has enjoyed the benefits of the sacrificed lamb and RISEN KING. I am sure she loves being here more now with a garden to run in, chickens to chase, and bones to hide and eat!

We have had our fill of amazing desserts too: chocolate and strawberry cake, syrup sweets, ice creams, rizogalo, chocolate biscuit pudding, ect. . .

Let's just say that we are not going without here! Typically, all the families join together outside and roast either a whole lamb or goat and play loud music, lots of drinking, and eat until there is no more room - because Greeks always prepare more than enough food, they will never run out of food! It is even common to join your neighbors or friends throughout Easter Sunday or even Monday for a drink and some meat!

An incredible way to celebrate with lavish food, drinks, sweets, and surrounded by great company!!!

Hope you are still enjoying this wonderful holiday season!

Χριστός Ανέστη!
Christ is Risen!

Good Friday to Easter Sunday

2011-04-22T12:56:00.002+03:00

On Holy Friday evening, the theme is Christ's descent into Hades during which the Gospel of repentance and reconciliation with God is shared for all. The service begins by singing lamentations as we stand before the tomb of Christ remembering His unjust punishment and the shedding of His innocent blood. But the service will end with a joy and hope from the reading of Prophet Ezekiel in which he describes his vision of the resurrection yet to come. In the midst of despair, we are told there is hope, for not even death can separate us from the unfailing love and power of God. Death will be conquered and faithfulness rewarded.

The unique traditions of the Greek church are not only a sincere and humble focus on the true meaning of Easter, but a deep concentration on what the actual story of Easter and what this means today for us as believers. Today and tomorrow are a deep mourning time and this is represented through each act of the service. A highlight and something special that I enjoy is carrying the bier (tomb) and επιτάφιος (pronounced epi-TA-fi-os) around the village. This symbolizes the funeral of Christ and the epitaphios is above his tomb, decorated with many, many beautiful flowers.

A band/choir playing and singing solemn music precedes the procession; they are followed by all the church and its surrounding neighbors. All along its route, people scatter flowers and perfume on the epitaphios, holding lighted candles in their hands. Upon returning to the church, the bier is held up high by some strong men of the church and all the parishioners walk underneath, either touching or kissing as they pass. SPRING is in the air, and Greeks worldwide are preparing to celebrate their pascha or Greek Orthodox Easter.

Another one of my favorite moments is tomorrow (Saturday night), the service begins at around 10pm and around midnight the lights will all be off and the church will be quiet. At this point, the priest will bring out a single lit candle (the HOLY light) and announce, CHRIST IS RISEN!!! He will then share the Holy light to everyone around and the church slowly becomes bright and glowing from everyone holding candles! This light will be carried to their houses and kept for as long as possible. It is a truly magical feeling and everyone is smiling and greeting one another saying, Χριστός Ανέστη "Christos Anesti" (Christ is Risen) and they will reply, Αληθώς ανέστη "Alithos Anesti" (Truly He is Risen)!!!

As you leave the church and even when you arrive home, sometimes around 1am, you celebrate and crack an egg with your family and friends. This not only represents Christ breaking out the grave and rising to life after three days, but it represents the NEW LIFE you walk in Christ as a believer! The spirit will be joyful and festive for at least the next 40 days as Greeks continue to celebrate with food, family, wine, dancing, music, and all around merriment!

The food traditions of celebrating Easter are rich and full. Besides the sweet tsoureki breads that are made, there is a popular Easter soup called, Magiritsa. It is made from various parts (not typically eaten like the intestines and liver, blech) and an egg/lemon sauce; it is supposed to be a gentle way to reintroduce meat back into the diet after fasting for about 50 days. Personally, I have never tried this soup and I may or may not this year... only time will tell.

The following Sunday morning, everyone returns to church for one last service and communion before going back home and having massive outdoor feasts with their family and friends, usually with each family roasting a whole lamb. The celebrations will not stop until Monday which is also a national holiday in Greece. There will be literally a smorgasbord of meats, cheeses, sauces, and sweets galore. I will be sure to take some pictures if we attend any barbecues this year.

I hope wherever you are for this Easter that it may open your eyes even wider to the love of Christ and that you would understand how much He loves you and draw closer to Him.

Καλό Πάσχα & δόξα στον Θεό,
(Happy Easter & Glory to God),

Jacquline

Homemade Tsoureki "Easter Bread"

2011-04-21T10:30:00.002+03:00

Easter is right around the corner, and today in the Orthodox church we remember the crucifixion of Christ. The church always holds services the previous night for the actual day that the events will occur. Today, this morning actually, is the remembering of the last supper. We ascend to Mt. Zion with Christ and the chosen twelve to enter into the upper room for a special gathering. Once there, we witness the example of Christ abolishing the practice of the Old Covenant and establishing the ritual of the New Covenant, prophesied by Jeremiah, through the Mystery of Holy Communion. The faithful who have prepared also partake in communion during tonight's evening service. This also will include the memorial of the underserved suffering of Jesus Christ, endured for our sake, so that we might be reconciled anew to God the Father. The Gospel readings go through each account of his arrest, his trial, his conviction, and finally his torture, crucifixion and death at the hands of sinful humanity. Tonight ends with a very heavy heart and understanding of the crucified Christ. Below are the icons of the Last Supper and the Crucifixion of Christ. I hope to make a blog dedicated to the explanation of Byzantine icons and what they represent; I have come a long way from being confused and irritated by the veneration of icons to finally understanding their meaning and place in the church. More on that later though.

Thankfully though, we know what is coming on Saturday evening/Sunday morning. . . Christ WILL and HAS ALREADY risen!!! With this is mind, we continue to prepare for the great feast of Easter. We dye eggs, we make tsoureki, and we continue to prepare our spirits and minds for a new awakening and celebration of the truly Risen King.

I made tsoureki before we left the island and will share with you the recipe I used. Although it was my first time and I combined a few different recipes, the bread turned out quite beautiful and tasty, if I do say so myself ... and I do!

Before the recipe, let me tell you what I have learned about the history and meaning of this wonderful Easter Bread. Τσουρέκι (pronounced tsou-RE-ki) is also called Λαμπρόψωμο (proniunced lam-BRO-pso-mo) meaning the "Bright or Shining Bread" named after "Bright Easter Sunday" when Christ Rises!!! It is made to symbolize the light given to Christians by Christ's resurrection and the passing from what we are to what the Risen Lord wants us to be: "partakers of the divine nature". It is braided with three strands to represent the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Typically, it is decorated with brightly dyed eggs and sliced blanched almonds, but sometimes you can even find chocolate covered! The dyed eggs represent the blood that Christ has shed for us and the new life we begin at the resurrection, and well, the almonds and chocolate, they just look and taste great :)

Tsoureki is a rich, sweet, brioche-like bread that is traditionally flavored with an essence drawn from the seeds of Mediterranean wild cherries, called μαχλέπι (Maxlepi, pronounced mahk-LE-pi). The combination of maxlepi, Chios mastic, cardamom, and either vanilla or orange zest makes for an incomparable sweet bread. Greece also celebrates Christmas with a similar type of bread called, Christopsomos, meaning literally Christ bread. Sometimes the New Year's coin is also hidden inside of a sweet bread instead of a cake too.

I used a combination of 2-3 different recipes, and the end result was beautiful and tasted good. The only fault I made was not adding enough sugar. I ended up covering it in chocolate and it was PERFECT!!! Lesson learned = add more sugar if you will be serving plain or use less sugar if you plan to cover in chocolate!

Okay, Okay... finally to the recipe :)

Greek Easter "Tsoureki" Bread Recipe: Makes 1 loaf

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup more milk (about 100-110°)

1 T. sugar + 1/2 - 3/4 cup if you want sweet bread

1 1/2 T. active dry yeast

1/2 - 1 cup bread flour + 3-4 cups more to make dough

2 eggs + 1 to brush on dough

1/4 cup butter, room temperature

1-2 tsp. maxlepi*, optional

1 tsp. mastic, optional

1-2 tsp. cardamom*

1-2 T. brandy*

1 T. orange zest*

dash of salt

1 tsp. vanilla* (or more if not using zest or spices)

*The spices I used

Mix 1/2 - 1 cup flour, yeast, 1 T. sugar, and warm milk together until a thick, wet batter is formed, rest 30-60 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and enough flour to form a dough. Knead for 5-8 minutes and cover to rise for 1-2 hours, until doubled or almost tripled in size. Punch down dough and divide into 3 equal parts. Using as little flour as necessary, roll the dough into about 12-14" long ropes. Gently braid the ropes together forming a loaf and tuck under the ends making sure to seal them well. Preheat your oven to 400°, let braid rise for 20-30 minutes, then brush with your beaten egg: use the egg white for a light colored bread, use the whole egg (I did) for a medium colored bread, or use only the yolk for a deep brown colored bread. Place sliced almonds all over your bread and strategically position your eggs! Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350° and bake for another 25-35 minutes or until golden brown and hallow when tapped on the bottom.

PS. A trick used to make and keep the bright red eggs shiny is to rub them with olive oil!!!

We are now in Halkidiki with the in-laws and the sun is shining and Meli is barking :) This is the first time our inside pup will experience the joy of being an outside dog! She has already made the garden chickens her friends, and I use the term friends very loosely.... she observes them more from afar and barks when they come too close!

Kali Anastasi (Good Resurrection) is a common greeting over the next few days!

The Holy Week

2011-04-19T12:41:00.001+03:00

Holy week serves as the ultimate preparation to face and worship the risen Lord!!! The joy of Easter cannot be complete without reliving the events that lead up to it. During Holy Week all the passions and pathos of the last week of Christ's life are retold and reenacted. From Palm Sunday to Good Friday, the services recount everything Jesus endured to fulfill the will of the Father. On Good Friday, God's will is completed on the cross and then with the Resurrection. By reliving Christ's experiences of Holy Week, the faithful can be resurrected and come closer to becoming like God (theosis).

For me, these next two weeks are really wonderful to actually get to experience in Greece. This first week, called Big Week, is really somber and quiet throughout the villages, but beginning Saturday after midnight the celebrations and parties begin and last for another whole week!

During Holy Week, people are expected to be spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically preparing for Easter. Almost all cafes are empty and social events are reserved for the next week. This is the same behavior as if one is preparing for a funeral of a deceased loved one. Most people at least fast during Holy Week, abstaining from meats and the more strict abstaining from all dairy and oils.

Some wonderful preparations begin on Big Thursday, also known as Κόκκινο Πέμπτη (Red Thursday). This is the day when you dye your hard boiled eggs a bright red, and most families make their own homemade Easter breads known as, Τσοθρέκι (pronounced Tsoureki).

Red symbolizes the blood of Christ shed on the cross, and it is very common to see bright red eggs everywhere. Some people even save the first dyed egg for a sort of protection for the following year. Eggs can also be dyed on Big Saturday but not on Good Friday. This day is considered the most intense day of mourning and there should be no preparation for Easter, only preparation of your heart and spirit. You take with you some of your dyed eggs in your pockets to the Easter service Saturday night and after Christ has Risen and the church lets out, you hit your egg with a friend to see who's egg will crack. Church begins around 10:30pm and lasts until after midnight, it is even common for the older woman of the church to stay all night long, either Friday night praying or Saturday to Sunday morning singing celebration hymns.

Some other preparations or traditions are buy a new outfit to wear to the Easter service, representing the NEW you that has risen with Christ. Most families also prepare their lambs to be roasted on a spit and many other meats along with freshly made cheeses and sauces! This is the greatest time for feasting all year!!! I definitely mean FEAST too, last year I was shocked how plentiful peoples tables were and how much they ate. We went to a couple of different Easter barbecues and it was if they were prepared for a King, they also ate and drank all afternoon! Let's just say that Greeks KNOW how to celebrate THE RISEN KING!!!!!

I will continue to share more about Easter celebration and even my own Τσοθρέκι recipe in the following days. We are planning on leaving for north Greece late, late tonight and will be enjoying this time of preparation!

Vegetarian Pastitsio

2011-04-18T20:07:00.000+03:00

Don't exit just quite yet if you don't like the word, "Vegetarian". This wonderful alternative to the classic dish, Traditional Pastitsio, is made with mushrooms and zucchini instead of ground meat, but trust me that it is still full of flavor and maybe even more addictive. If you don't believe me, believe my Greek husband, he approved it and has already requested it again soon!

With a slightly healthier spin, this dish is still very Greek. The sauce still has a hit of cinnamon and the béchamel still has a hint of nutmeg. In this recipe, the amounts are more slight so if you prefer a bolder taste then use a little extra spice!

Vegetarian Pastitsio "Greek Lasagna" Recipe: Serves 6-8

Printable Recipe

1/2 kilo (~1 lbs.) variety of brown and white mushrooms*

1-2 medium zucchini, chopped*

1-2 medium white onions, chopped

1/8 cup EVOO

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 large bay leaf

1 tsp. Greek oregano

salt and pepper

1/2 T. tomato paste

1/2 - 1 can crushed tomatoes

a little less than a 1/4 cup dry white wine

1 all-spice berry

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 - 1 pkg. pastitsio or bucantini noodles (substitute just penne would work too)

1/2 - 3/4 cup Kefalotyri (Ramano or another hard cheese)

Saute onions and zucchini in the olive oil on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, add the garlic and bay leaves and cook another 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the chopped mushrooms and clove(s) and raise the heat to medium high, add the wine and tomato paste. Cook until almost all the wine has cooked off, then add the can of tomatoes, salt and pepper, cinnamon, and oregano, lower to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest.

*You can easily replace your veggies with anything of your choice: mixed spinach greens, eggplant, or anything you'd like, don't hesitate to make it your own!

Cook your noodles in a large pot of salted water until al dente, with a slight bite or firmness remaining (about 10-12 minutes).

Béchamel Sauce Recipe:

1/2 stick butter (~50-75g.)

1/2 cup AP flour

5 cups warm whole milk

4 eggs, room temperature

1/2 - 1 cup grated hard cheese (vlahotyri, romano, parmesan, ect)

salt and pepper

1/2 - 3/4 tsp. nutmeg

More hard cheese to grate on top

Add butter to a medium large saucepan and melt on medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly until turns a warm golden brown, about 5-7 minutes depending on your heat. Continue whisking briskly while you steadily stream in your warm milk making a nice roux. Make sure you do not have any lumps, if you start to see them forming, simply whisk faster (you can use a mixer if you have a whisking beater). Now, bring to a slight boil while stirring with a wooden spoon. You want your roux to thicken but not turn into a batter. Remove from heat and cool slightly for 5 minutes. Whisk all of your eggs together and slowly stream them into your roux, mixing quickly to avoid scrambling. Now, add your cheese and seasonings.

Once everything is ready, you can preheat your oven to 190°/375° and assemble your dish. Lightly oil your small - medium baking dish and mix 1 ladle of your béchamel sauce into your veggie mix and 2 ladles into your drained pasta. Lightly oil and add enough veggie/tomato sauce (not béchamel) to coat the bottom of your dish. Then, add 1/2 of your noodles. Follow with your veggie sauce and then repeat with remaining noodles. Top with the remaining béchamel sauce and grated cheese. Bake in a hot oven for 30-45 minutes. You want your edges to be bubbly and the cheese to be golden brown. Rest at least 30 minutes before serving to help set-up and make easier to dish out and hold form!

This time, I only had less than half a package of pastitsio noodles, but I didn't realize it until I had already started cooking. I substituted the bottom noodles for regular, flat lasagna noodles, it worked perfect; minus the bountiful pasta difference in the pictures.

Although this dish takes a little effort and a lot of cleaning pots and pans, it is totally worth it. Make it once or twice and you will get the hang of it in no time!

It is officially Holy Week here and this is the beginning of the biggest 2 weeks of the year. Stay tuned for more info on how Greeks celebrate Easter! This is one holiday that is definitely more special in Greece.

Kali Orexi.

Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-04-15T10:00:00.041+03:00

First of all, I would like to WELCOME the many newcomers to my blog! Thanks to the wonderful Pioneer Woman, I have quite a ~~few~~ lot more visitors and followers (Hooray)! I appreciate and look forward to hearing from each one of you, I always enjoy reading your comments and feedback about who you are, where you are from, and what you liked and didn't like . . . really though, anything you want to share! I am encouraged to take my blog to a new, better level and I hope you will all join me! Thanks again so very much for stopping by :)

Doesn't everyone love biscuits? This is a very simple, quick recipe to make biscuits any day of the week. The flour/butter mixture can be measured out and put together the night before so all you have to do in the morning is add the milk and bake!

This may be slightly confusing for my Greek (or other European) friends, including my sweet husband, because biscuits here are actually what we Americans call cookies! Confusing? Yes, all the time. For example, the morning that I made these, went something like this:

"Hey my love, I made some biscuits for breakfast"

"All right! I love biscuits for breakfast" (eagerly expecting my more popular chocolate chip cookies)

"I added some strawberry marmalade on them for you"

"Huh, biscuits and marmelade?" (Really confused at this point)

"We didn't have the stuff to make gravy, sorry" (Totally thinking like a typical Texan)

"What? What is gravy and this sure doesn't look like any biscuit I am used to" (said with a cute, still confused look)

"Oh, I guess I should explain these are American biscuits... a totally different thing, and, uh, gravy, well, that is something for another day to explain!"

Upon tasting his first American biscuit, he loved it. Probably we should think of another name, as to not evoke anymore confusion, but overall a huge success! Welcome to cross-culture misunderstandings of marriage that are our life together!

A couple of quick tips when making biscuits is to (1) use fresh and chilled ingredients (baking powder lasts about 6 months if stored properly)* (2) freeze your butter or shortening and then grate it for a shortcut to "cutting" in the fat (3) do not over stir, biscuits need only to be lightly stirred and then gently kneaded a few times (4) make sure to press the biscuit cutter straight down so they rise evenly and not lopsided (5) bake in the middle so not to burn the tops or bottoms (6) bake as soon as you have mixed and cut the biscuits for best results (7) brush with a little butter once hot out of the oven!

*To test your baking powder, add 1/2 tsp. powder to 1/4 cup warm water; if it bubbles, it is ready for action! Fresh baking powder really makes a big difference in rising your biscuits!

Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits Recipe: Makes 18 tall or 36 regular biscuits

Printable Recipe

2 cups AP flour*

1 heaping spoon baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup cold butter or shortening

3/4 cup buttermilk**

Preheat oven to 230°C/450°F. In large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Either grate your frozen fat or chop into pieces and use a pastry cutter to incorporate until mixes with the flour and forms a "pea sized" crumb consistency. At this point, you can cover and keep in the fridge for the morning. Slowly add milk and stir until dough begins to form and pulls away from the sides. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently 6-8 times, just until smooth. With a rolling pin, roll dough into 1/2" - for tall, fluffy biscuits or 1/4" - for regular, crusty biscuits. Arrange 1" apart for crunchier or slightly touching for softer biscuits. Repeat process until you have no more dough.

Bake until golden, 12-15 minutes. Serve warm with your favorite jelly or homemade gravy!

* I always use part whole wheat flour. Substitute 1/2-3/4 cup if you'd like a more whole grain biscuit.

**Buttermilk can be substituted by using 1/2 plain yogurt + 1/2 whole milk; adding 1 T. of either lemon juice or white vinegar to a glass measuring cup and then adding the remaining in milk, stir and let rest 5 minutes to "spoil".

Biscuits are not only great for a quick breakfast, but also make wonderful little sandwiches for on-the-go too! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and thanks again for joining me on this adventure that is called, life :)

Kali Orexi (Greek for "Bon Appetite")

Jacquline

TEXAS Sheet Cake

2011-04-12T02:18:00.001+03:00

I am from Texas and I love chocolate cake! That sounds like a Chocoholics confession.

Well, what better of a recipe to share with you other than Texas Sheet Cake. This is a huge, moist, rich chocolate cake with a touch of cinnamon (my favorite) and most of all from the great ~~country~~ state of TEXAS!!!

Now, I like sheet cake but if you ask my mom, aunts, or Nana... they would tell you how much they adore it. It is a very requested and well used recipe in my family, maybe only second to homemade Belgian Waffles! Let's just say my mom has been known to sneak into people's houses to steal a couple pieces of cake when no one was looking!

Here in Greece though, it is taken with hesitant looks because when anyone here says "sheet" or "sheets" it sounds a lot like you are saying something that should never be in a brown cake!

All that aside, this really is a classic recipe to have for a big party or family gathering, and it gets really easy to make after a time or two of practicing.

TEXAS Sheet Cake Recipe:
printable recipe

1 cup (real) butter

1 cup boiling water

4 + T. good quality cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350°. Melt the butter in a large saucepan, whisk in the cocoa and steadily stream in the water to make a smooth mixture. Bring to a slight boil for 30 seconds. Set aside.

2 cups AP flour

2 cups sugar

1 - 2 T. cinnamon

dash of salt

Sift all together and whisk into the chocolate in your saucepan.

1/2 cup buttermilk* (I use milk with a little yogurt)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 - 2 T. vanilla (depending on quality and strength)

1 tsp. baking soda

Gently mix all together in saucepan, making sure there are not clumps and it is silky smooth, do not over beat though. Pour into a lightly buttered sheet pan, large baking dish and spread evenly. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes depending on the size and thickness of your cake. You want a clean toothpick or knife when inserted in the middle.

3/4 cup butter

4 + T. good cocoa

1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped, optional

Melt your butter in a saucepan and whisk in the cocoa until smooth, add the nuts and bubble for a good 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.

1 lb. + powdered sugar, sifted to remove clumps

6 T. whole milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Whisk together the sugar, vanilla, and milk until you have a thick icing. Add the chocolate nut butter to your frosting and mix until very smooth. Once your cake has baked and slightly cooled, pour the icing over a warm cake and continue to let set.

(*Buttermilk can also be made by adding a little vinegar, lemon, or cream of tarter to your milk too)

This is a wonderful treat served with vanilla ice cream and/or a mug of ice cold milk! Any chocolate lovers will not be disappointed! This cake is a great hit for parties because it makes so much and is easy to serve!

I hope that you will make this for your family and friends and let me know what you thought.

Kali Orexi.

Homemade Stovetop Popcorn . . .

2011-04-09T17:47:00.002+03:00

. . . made with coconut oil!!!

Have you ever had homemade popcorn? And I do not mean from your microwave, rather, freshly popped from your own stove top with 3 very simple ingredients!

Have you ever had homemade popcorn with coconut oil?

If you answered no to either one of these questions, I promise you that you will not regret making your own popcorn. And if at all possible, use organic coconut oil, the nutritious benefits are not the only reason to try it, I love the added flavor!

It is not very often that we do much here on the island, but now that summer is around the corner and the weather is getting better daily there are more events happening. There is a village here called, Molyvos, it is full of foreigners from Germany, Netherlands, England, and many others. It is one of the most beautiful villages on the island and I always enjoy making the 25 minute trip on the extremely curvy-windy road! Last night they opened the old theatre for a FREE showing of the wonderful classic movie, Casablanca. And what is a great old movie without some wonderfully homemade popcorn, it was truly perfect!

Now, there was no coconut oil here on the island, so I begged for a small shipment of some because THAT is how much I was craving it. In my opinion. it is way better than cinema-style popcorn and definitely without all of the extra cholesterol that comes by the bucket at the movies. Coconut oil is high in fat, but it is the better fat, yes, I said better fat! If you are eager for more nutrition info, check out this or this website.

Homemade Stovetop Popcorn with coconut oil Recipe:
Printable Recipe
3 Qt. pot with lid
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
~ 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1 tsp. salt (if you'd like, try butter flavored salt)
1 Lg. bowl

Add the coconut oil to your pot and put on Medium/High heat with 1 kernel of popcorn, then place the lid on top and wait for this kernel to pop (about 4 minutes). While you are waiting, measure out your 1/2 cup of popcorn and your 1/2 tsp. (buttered) salt to add once the oil is ready.

Once the 1st kernel pops, add the other kernels just enough to cover the bottom of your pot and then sprinkle the salt. Replace lid and give the pot a quick swirl to distribute and coat the kernels with oil and salt. At this point, STAY BY YOUR STOVE with your bowl ready. The popping should begin shortly and take only a couple of minutes total. Once you hear the first few pops, you want to slightly lift the lid of your pot to release the steam. Be careful not to let the oil burn you, point the lid away from your body and hold it close enough to let moisture out but not let the popcorn shoot all over your kitchen (learned the hard way)! Once your pot is full of popcorn, pour into your bowl and enjoy! Be careful not to burn the last few kernels at the bottom of the pan, once you have a pot full, add to your bowl!

Enjoy while watching a movie at home or even sneak your own popcorn into the theatre!!!

Kali Orexi and let me know what you think when you try it!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

2011-04-07T10:00:00.002+03:00

I love the added taste of whole wheat flour. I add it to just about anything I am able to, including cinnamon rolls. Although, there is probably only the minimal fiber benefit by adding whole wheat flour, I think it gives a more dense and almost nutty flavor! This is the same wonderful Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Roll recipe from a long time ago, but I substituted wheat flour and a simple powdered sugar glaze instead!

Whole Wheat Cinnamon Rolls

Printable Recipe Here

Dough-

1 cup warm milk (110° F/45° C)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup butter or oil, softened

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups bread flour (*use All Purpose if that is all you have on hand)
1 T. sugar or honey, optional

1 tsp. salt

1 packet or 2 tsp. instant dry yeast

First, add all of the dry ingredients (minus 3/4 - 1 cup of your flour, keeping aside for kneading) to your bowl and stir. Warm the milk to 110-115° or to where it is very warm to the touch, but not burning. Slowly add the oil and eggs and give a couple of turns with a wooden spoon. Slowly add the milk and stir into a dough until it becomes too difficult to keep using a spoon.

Flour your hands and begin to shape the dough, adding the remaining flour by the tablespoon to keep the dough from sticking when needed. You can knead the dough inside your bowl or onto a floured counter; I usually knead inside the bowl for a few minutes, and when it stops being sticky I turn it out onto the counter. To form or shape the dough, you want to push the heel of your dominant hand (just above your wrist, not your foot) into the dough while turning the dough over with your other hand, repeat for 8-10 minutes until the dough is not sticky and it feels very pliable!

Spray the (now) cleaned big bowl with oil and turn to coat your dough ball, cover tightly with kitchen plastic and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour! I turn on my oven to low for a few minutes and then leave on the light while the dough rises, this works like a charm for rising anytime of the year!

Filling-

1 - 1 1/2 cups sugar (white and/or light brown)

2-3 T. cinnamon

1/3 - 2/3 cup butter, melted slightly

Optional Additional Fillings -

1-2 T. crushed, toasted walnuts (optional)

1 T. coconut shredded (optional)

1/2 - 1 T. lemon zest (optional)

Any other ingredients you want to try, I have even spread on peanut butter once and nutella another time. Get creative with your favorite ingredients!

Remove your dough out onto a floured surface and roll out into as uniform of a rectangle as you can :) Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl, spread the butter all over your dough and then top generously with the sugar mix and any other ingredients you want. The key here is to not be stingy. I actually don't even measure this part of the recipe, I usually wing it and am quite liberal. Let's face it, can a cinnamon roll really ever be healthy? I think that if you do get it "healthy" it will always be sub-par to every other cinnamon roll out there, and that is at the sacrifice of a few calories that you will probably just eat somewhere else anyway! My philosophy when making these, GO BIG OR GO HOME!!!

Roll up length-wise and cut into about 1" rolls with either kitchen scissors or dental floss (works well if you make a loop and pull both ends in the opposite direction). Arrange in a lightly buttered pan of your choice, I used a spring form round and it works great. Bake in a preheated oven of 400 F./200 C. for around 12-15 minutes, checking for them to be golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool slightly and add a simple glaze of powdered sugar and a few drops of milk and vanilla.

Serve with a good ole cup of joe or an ice cold mug of milk!

I love saving the middle for the last indulgent bite....

Kali Orexi my friends!

Melitzanosalata

2011-04-06T13:54:00.003+03:00

(Pronounced meh-leed-zah-no-sal-LAH-tah in case you were curious)

This is the Greek version of a popular roasted eggplant dip, but it is also very common in Turkey and other middle eastern countries, sometimes called Baba Ganoush. Regardless of the name, the basic recipes are very similar; the only difference being that ganoush also contains some tahini, more similar to hummus! Both recipes are very nutritious and a great way to add some extra vegetables to your diet!

Melitzanosalata Recipe:

2 large eggplants
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 medium-sized cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup quality olive oil
1/2 cup Italian parsley, chopped
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 400° F or if you have a grill available, preheat your grill. Wash your eggplants and then use a fork to prick the eggplants evenly all over. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, turning about every 15 minutes or so; if you are grilling, they will naturally cook faster. You want your eggplants very soft to the touch and somewhat wilted, the longer you roast them, the smokier the taste will become. Remove and drain on a paper towel if needed. Let cool until they can be handled. Cut them in half and scoop all the insides out or remove the skin with a sharp knife, then add the soft, roasted inside into a food processor or roughly chop if you prefer chunky dip. Add minced garlic and lemon juice. Pulse a few times to combine. Continue to pulse while adding a steady stream of olive oil. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. This is a simple recipe that should be altered to your taste, simple add more lemon or salt as desired.

Serve with fresh homemade wheat pitas or lightly fry them for a crunchy chip like pita. Can also serve on fresh or toasted bread!

The alternative that you see on the right is melizanosalata with added fresh tomoato and onion, this is also very delicious and gives more of a salsa flavor! If you are interested in a Baba Ganoush recipe instead, try this or this or this recipe from some other bloggers that I like!

Whether you choose the Greek version, melizanosalata or the Eastern version, Baba Ganoush I hope that you will enjoy the smoky benefits of extra fiber, potassium, and vitamin Bs. And just between me and you, eggplants are actually considered a fruit, like tomatoes - who knew?!

Kali Orexi!

Something special for the one you love...

2011-04-04T22:37:00.001+03:00

So, this is a completely random post . . . I made my husband these sugar cookies around Valentine's Day and just never got around to posting them! They are simple sugar cookies and iced with love and sugar. The best part is my husband adores flying and airplanes. He just loved these cookies, I caught him once even flying one around in the air and into his mouth like a precious little boy, I guess it is true that men are really just boys inside!

Sometimes it is the simple things you make for someone that counts the most!

Cookies + Brownies

2011-04-01T13:54:00.002+03:00

= The perfect bite!

Maybe they should even be called "Cow Cookies"! This is perfect for a party or just a friendly gathering.

For me, this truly is the best of two of the dessert worlds coming together! Chocolate chip cookie meets rich, chewy brownie . . . their union is a harmonious one! The only thing that could possibly make these better would be ICE CREAM!!! My personal favorite is coffee ice cream scooped on top just as it comes hot out of the oven!!!!! I imagine that Blue Bell's homestyle vanilla would be pretty spectacular too though. Too bad for me there was no ice cream sold on the island in winter a few weeks back when I made these. I would have loved taking pictures with different ice cream flavors on each slice! Which flavor floats your boat?

You can make this completely homemade or if you prefer the ease of preparation but still the satisfaction, then you could always use prepackaged mixes. Cookie dough from the tube and brownie mix from the box, easy as 1-2-3. Here is a simple homemade version though if you prefer or just don't have the availability of the box.

Cookie AND Brownie Cake Recipe: Makes one large cookie cake
Basic Ghirardelli Cookie Recipe

Yield: 4 dozen cookies

You will have some left over cookie dough if you use the whole recipe, either make plan for extra cookies or just cut the recipe in half.

1 package Ghiradelli chocolate chips

1 cup butter, room temperature

3/4 cup soft brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup nuts, totally optional

Heat oven to 375oF. Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar and brown sugar at meduim speed until creamy and lightened in color. Add eggs and vanilla, one at a time. Mix on low speed until incorporated. Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Shape into rope like logs about 1/2" thick and place in a large round pie, pizza, or cookie sheet. Create a maze in any design you prefer.

Basic Brownie Recipe

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped nuts (optional, again I do not use myself)

Microwave or melt the butter in a pan or microwave safe bowl until just melted. Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cocoa; beat well until well blended. Add the flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Stir in the nuts if desired. Pour or spoon the batter into the open spaces left in the cookie cake sheet. You want to fill the batter to as high as the cookie dough, or slightly below. Place in preheated oven and cookie 45-60 minutes, watching carefully to check for doneness. When your knife or toothpick removes clean from both, you have your cake and can eat it too! I gently drop the pan onto the oven to release the air pockets from the cookies, this makes them slightly chewier!!!

I used to make this much more frequently when the packaged products were so easily available, unlike here in Greece currently. It wasn't too much trouble this time since I enjoy baking so much, but I would probably rather skip all the dish washing if I had the chance. Whether you decide to make them from scratch, take the shortcut, or even change it up to meet certain dietary restrictions, I hope that at some point you will indulge in this sweet treat for kids and adults!

It would be really easy to even decorate it yourself with colored icing... maybe for someone special, a birthday, a surprise, a good report card, or really any excuse you can find to bake is great in my opinion! And if available, always add ice cream!

Kali Orexi.

Cream Bougatsa

2011-03-29T09:12:00.004+03:00

Another popular breakfast on-the-go or make at home here in Greece is called Bougatsa. Now, bougatsa comes in both cream filled and cheese filled. I think both are mouth watering delicious, but when I buy them from the bakery or bougatsa shop I tend to feel a little greasy and heavy afterwards. I said they were delicious, I didn't say they were healthy! It is true that they are not fried but they are layered with ~~kilos~~ lots of butter or oil. My version is definitely healthier, and that is solely due to the fact that I could not consciously keep drenching the butter on each phyllo sheet like I imagine you are supposed to do for the ultimate bougatsa experience! I made the cream filled and cinnamon and sugar topped version, it. was. scrumptious.

Bougatsa comes from Northern Greece, probably debated between Serres and Thessaloniki. I did learn though that Serres holds the Guinness World Record for the biggest bougatsa... ha! Most shops today order frozen bougatsa from the factories and simply cook it and serve it. It is also good to know that if you live in Greece, it is available in your supermaket's freezer section, but the best bougatsa is undoubtably from a homemade store or with a little experience, yourself. I have not even come close to mastering making homemade phyllo, but here is a log of some videos that are definitely worth some of your time if you find bougatsa interesting!

Videos of making bougatsa from scratch, HERE!

Whether you are more of a cheesy person or you have more of a sweet tooth, at some point in your lifetime you should try both kinds of bougatsa! I like being married because one of the perks is that we buy one cheese, one cream and just share . . . that is the best of both worlds!

Yiayia's Homemade Cream Bougatsa Recipe:

Serves four to six

Ingredients
2 c. milk
1 lemon peel
¾ c. butter
¼ c. fine semolina
½ c. sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
½ tsp. vanilla
10 sheets phyllo pastry
½ tsp. kanela (cinnamon)
Powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Warm milk and lemon peel in a saucepan. Melt butter in a separate pan (save ¼ c. for later). Add hot milk to butter, continuously stirring. Stir in semolina with a wooden spoon, then remove from stove, stirring continuously until thickened (make sure the top does not crust). In a mixing bowl, beat sugar, eggs, yolks, and vanilla. Slowly add mixture to semolina, stirring until it resembles custard. Remove lemon peel; cover the pan and set aside to cool. If you want to make it in a pan, brush a baking pan with leftover butter. Line the pan with six phyllo sheets, brushing each with butter. Spread custard over phyllo. Fold over excess phyllo, then top with four leftover sheets, making sure to butter each sheet. If you prefer folded, individual bougatsa, then simply butter the phyllo, fill with 1-2 spoonfuls and fold up. Bake the pan for 30-35 minutes and the individual ones for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cut into bite size pieces. Sprinkle generously with kanela (cinnamon in Greek) and powdered sugar. Serve warm with coffee, milk, or chocolate, it also goes great if served with fresh berries!

Kali Orexi.

A trip to the west . . .

2011-03-27T14:44:00.000+03:00

West Lesvos, that is. Here are some photos from a trip to Agra and Eressos in the late winter. Agra is one of the villages that I teach English in every Thursday. It is a rich, mountain village that easily lives off the land surrounding it. The people are unique and simple, my kiddos there are pure and lively! It is very common here on the island to encounter a heard of sheep in the road, a man on a donkey, a dozen stray cats or dogs, and/or especially the warm sun shining down on you as you drive on an abandoned road.

There are a few other photos from this trip, if you want to see them, click on my Flikr slideshow and it will take you to my account. There are two sets of pictures, this one from West Lesvos, and the other from our trip to Chios Island! Hope you enjoy, although the island life can be boring, we are truly surrounded by the beautiful and simple life!!!

Happy Independence Day, Greece!

2011-03-25T18:40:00.002+02:00

Chronia Polla . . . Happy Independence Day to all of my fellow Greeks!

A little history for those who are interested!

Greek culture and language, Orthodox Christianity, Roman political institutions, and a dominant Greek population held the eastern empire strong for the previous thousand years beofre May 29, 1453, when the Ottoman Turks captured Constantinople and all of Greece. For 368 years of Ottoman occupation, the Hellenic (Greek) people were second-class citizens at best, constantly subjected to heavy tax burdens, brutal slavery, and many many oppressions.

On March 25, 1821,Bishop Germanos of Patras courageously raised the Greek flag at the monastery of Agia Lavras in the Peloponnese, and declared "Eleftheria i Thanatos" (Freedom or Death). This was the first day of the struggle for the next 9 years, until 1830. March 25th was already a significant date: it is also the feast of the Annunciation of angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, where she freely chose to bear Christ, who would ultimately free humanity of their sins.

During the first year of the war, the Greeks captured back Monemvassia, Navarino (Pylos), Nafplion, Tripolitsa, Messolongi, Athens, and Thebes. Mavromichaelis, governor of Mani, sieged strategic Turkish garrisons and homes. But even worse, Turks retaliated in other areas of Greece, especially on the island of Chios (directly below Lesvos), where 25,000 civilians were massacred just to try and prove a point.

Greece continued to endure many more struggles until 1947, when her current borders were finally achieved. In my opinion, the 400 years of slavery has greatly effected even the modern Greeks. I think the occupation and almost utter devastation of this country is a huge reason they are somewhat still living decades behind western Europe and the US, among some other holdbacks as well.

I am proud to help celebrate Greek freedom, and I couldn't imagine my life without a certain amazingly handsome and charming Greek of my own! As a matter of fact, everyone should get their own Greek to love :)

PS. The adorable pictures are from today's parade, the children all dress in the traditional outfits and proudly walk through their village waving the Greek flag!!!

Eggplant, Mushroom, and Tomato . . .

2011-03-25T09:31:00.003+02:00

. . . Calzone or Pizza or Spaghetti

So, it might be a little teasing that I am sharing these next few pictures because when I am not baking, I rarely follow a recipe. Sometimes this turns out to be a masterpiece that I try to quickly write down what exactly I did, and other times I am confident that I can recreate it whenever I want. But I have fiddled so many times with sauces and soups that I have the basic recipe down. . . and I can and will share that with you!

The combination of mushrooms, eggplants, tomatoes, and onion is really REALLY wonderful in a calzone, on a pizza, or even over some pasta. It all begins by sauteing some onions in EVOO, slowly on medium - medium high heat. Clean, slice, and salt your eggplant to remove the bitter juices letting rest for 20 minutes, then rise in cold water and pat dry. Wipe and slice your mushrooms, add to the onions and stir for 2-3 minutes before adding some wine (white or red). Finally, add your eggplant slices, fresh and canned tomatoes, Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)* and salt/pepper, cooking down until tender and wine has cooked off. Now, the choice is yours. . . do you want pizza, pasta, or calzone? Maybe even all three?

My new favorite recipe for calzones and pizza is THIS DOUGH, it can be instant (no rise) or it can rise twice if you have the time. It has a multigrain taste and is light, chewy and oh so wonderful. I have used it several times and have been very happy with the result each and every time!

I am sorry that I don't have a better detailed recipe of the amounts, but honestly I just kind of toss and stir as I go... don't be scared to use herbs, especially in a tomato sauce! I also think that shredded mozzarella and fresh mozzarella cheese with some finely grated parmesan cheese is the perfect compliment to this sauce! Fill your calzone, top your pizza, or mix in with your pasta and serve!!!

Kali Orexi.

Spanakorizo

2011-03-23T09:35:00.002+02:00

Spinach with rice and fresh lemon squeezed on top . . . mmmmm! Heart healthy and oh so delicious.

I would definitely rank this towards the top of Greek meals that are common in any family home. This is a quick, no hassle, filling, and wonderful meal to have any day of the week. Especially during Lent, this is a perfect dinner, just leave off the feta!

If you like spinach, you are sure to love this go to recipe. Boost up the fiber by using brown rice and if available always use fresh spinach!

Spinach Rice aka Spanakorizo Recipe: Serves 2-4

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. fresh spinach or 1-2 cups frozen spinach

7 Tbs. EVOO

1 large white onion, chopped

juice of 2 lemons

2/3 cup of hot water

1/2 cup long grain rice*
2-3 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper

* I use brown rice and I increase the water and cook time.

Thoroughly wash the spinach until completely clean and free from grit. Drain and remove as much water as possible. Slowly saute the onion in the oil until translucent and soft. Add the rice and mix to coat with the oil, cooking for a few minutes. Add the hot water and cover for another 5 or so minutes (8-10 minutes if using brown rice), add the spinach and toss mixing in all of the rice. Add more water now if needed to cook rice longer, but be careful to not add so much it turns into a soup. Cook another 10 minutes until the rice and spinach are cooked and tender. Remove from heat, add salt, pepper, and fresh dill. Pour some fresh lemon and serve warm. If you are not fasting, this dish is wonderfully complimented by feta and a wholegrain crusty bread!

Kali Orexi.

Banana Cake . . . TWO WAYS!!!

2011-03-19T17:09:00.002+02:00

Do you like bananas? Do you love banana bread but sometimes get tired of the same old recipe? Well, I have two wonderful recipes to share with you! Whether you are a simple banana crumb cake lover or if you crave for something a little darker and richer, a chocolate banana cake! Both are incredibly delightful :)

Simple Banana Crumb Cake Recipe:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oat flour (simple ground oats)

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar (1/3 brown; 1/3 white)

2 eggs

1 cup bananas, mashed

1/2 cup yogurt

1-2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts, optional

1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips, optional

Crumb Topping:
3/4 cup oats
1/3 cup sugar (light brown)
1/2 -1 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup nuts, chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all of the dry ingredients together, I prefer to use a fine hand colander. Cream butter and sugars until fluffy, then slowly add eggs one at a time. Scrape the bowl well and sift 1/2 of the dry mix and fold until moistened. Slowly keep folding in the bananas, yogurt, and vanilla. Add the remaining dry mix and gently fold until just well mixed, finally add the nuts and/or chips if you choose to do so. Pour into a cake round/square pan that has been either buttered well or parchment added.

Mix the topping in a separate bowl and lightly spread over cake. Take a knife and slowly draw random designs into the cake, helping the crumb to slightly mix into the batter. Bake for 35-45 minutes depending on your pan, you will know when a toothpick or knife removes clean. Cool for a good 25 minutes and serve warm.

This is even excellent without the crumb topping if that isn't your thing!

And wait . . . there is another recipe for those who adore chocolate! The recipe is the same as above with an addition of the bolded/underlined ingredients and exemption of the crumb topping.

Chocolate Banana Cake Recipe:

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour (simple ground oatmeal)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. regular or dark cocoa powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar (1/3 brown; 1/3 white)
2 eggs
1 cup bananas, mashed
1/2 cup yogurt
1-2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts, optional
1/2 - 1 cup chocolate chips, optional

Follow the same directions for making the previous cake!

For the chocolate cake, I added a creamy caramel topping that I ~~was desperately trying to find a way eat~~ had left over. The combination of banana, chocolate, and warm caramel topping was grandeur! Maybe ice cream would have pushed this dessert over the top, but I was also not so secretly imagining it!

So, whether you go for the simple or the incredibly indulgent, I hope you will let me know what you think. I found this recipe from my wonderful King Arthur Whole Grain Baking cookbook - it is full of delicacies that I will try to share more often. But I guess if you are going to add caramel and ice cream there really isn't a need for whole grains, or is there?

Also, if you have never used oat flour, you should try it very soon. It is simple enough to even make yourself. All you have to do is blend or process 1+ cup oats until they are a powder/flour-like consistency and you've made it!!!

Kali Orexi.

Semolina Halvas

2011-03-16T05:17:00.000+02:00

So, I must confess this morning that as I am updating my blog, I am enjoying a latte with regular milk . I made it only one week being completely vegan :( I think if I had more resources I could last a lot longer, but my main excuse is that I just missed coffee too much! I will continue to restrict my dairy and am committed to not eating meat until after Easter. I hope this training leads to stronger self control . . . even when it isn't convenient!

Enough about me, I want to share a very popular sweet that IS Lent appropriate. Semolina halvas is usually made in the shape of a cake and sliced, but I made mini halvas bites. This recipe is so simple and easy, yet so tasty and delicious it is the ideal Lenten snack.

There are two types of halvas. One is made with ground sesame seeds and usually mixed with cocoa or vanilla forming a kind of sweet yet chalky snack. And this one, which is made with semolina or a kind of cream of wheat textured grain. You gently heat in a pan, mixing everything together and then let it set up in whatever shape you desire. The bite sized pieces turned out perfect in my opinion! Topped with cinnamon or almond slivers and you have an ideal sweet.

Semolina Halvas Recipe: Makes 2 mini muffin pans, or a medium - large cake mold

1 cup light oil (EVOO, sunflower, or canola, or a mixture)

2 cups coarse semolina
1/2 - 1 cup nuts: walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, ect, chopped finely or processed quickly
Cinnamon and a few nuts for topping

Syrup Recipe:
1 cup sugar (raw, brown, or white)*
1 cup honey
3 cups hot water
1 cinnamon stick
2 cardamom pods
1 lemon or orange peel chunk

Heat the water in a small saucepan, and then add everything for the syrup recipe. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat, remove the spices and peel and cool slightly. Heat oil in another saucepan, add semolina. Continue to stir the semolina until the color turns golden, add the nuts and continue to stir until the nuts become slightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan momentarily from the heat, slowly pour the syrup into the semolina pot, being very CAREFUL not to burn yourself as it may jump out of the pan. Stir vigorously to ensure that the mixture doesn't clump together. Return to heat for a few minutes and cook until thickens a little, it should look like a thick, runny dough. Pour into chosen pan and cool until set in place. Flip or remove the halvas and sprinkle with nuts and cinnamon. I used almonds and the result was really delicious!
*Sugar can be reduced by half

Kali orexi.

Breakfast . . .

2011-03-14T05:20:00.002+02:00

Greeks generally don't eat breakfast, but substitute it for about 2-3 cups of strong coffee, most of the time instant. Now that the weather has gotten warm, the famous "frappe" is making its way back in the hands of every passing Greek you see on the street or sitting in a cafe. The most common breakfast foods after coffee are to grab something on the way to the office. In the bigger cities, they have koulouri stands offering a large, light similar-to-a-bagel type of bread. There are also several bakeries and quick food stands that sell either spinach or cheese pies.

I , on the other hand, have always been a breakfast lover. I love breakfast foods and just getting to start eating in the morning. My mom used to tell me that I would turn into a box of cereal in high school because that was ALL that I ate for dinner. Recently I have become more obsessed with my homemade latte, I finally perfected the recipe and it was so enjoyable! One of my favorite breakfasts before Lent was a breakfast taco with a cup of creamy joe. Zucchini, peppers, a little onion, eggs, feta, and some hot sauce really makes an AMAZING combination. But that was before...

This last week, I have actually managed to stay away from all animal products, quite an accomplishment for a girl like me. I still can't promise that I will make it the whole 40 days but I am taking it one day at a time. Which brings us to my new favorite breakfast, tahini and honey toast, with cinnamon of course, and a soy latte.

My confession is that the toast is amazing, I had no idea that I even liked tahini (ground sesame seeds). Tahini for Greeks is what peanut butter is for Americans, and this nutty spread even taste pretty similar too. In my opinion, the combination with honey and cinnamon are unbeatable!!!! However, the soy latte was unbearable to drink. Maybe it was the ridiculously expensive soy milk that I found, because in the past I've eaten cereal with soy milk. This particular milk was way too strong for me. Consequently, I have become a tea lady. I have always loved tea, even the idea of afternoon tea time, but for a week straight I have chosen tea over coffee. Although I still crave for my latte (apparently I was totally addicted) I am enjoying this time of change and even feeling a bit more British.

Have you ever tried tahini? If not, you should very soon. Tahini is a great source of calcium, protein, vitamin E and B vitamins. It also contains many nutritious fatty acids which help maintain healthy skin. These are just a few reasons to try tahini, and once you love it you will see many more reasons to keep eating it.

Kali Orexi.