Holiday Appetizer -Greek Meatballs ~ Keftethes

Keftethes

These Greek style meatballs are made with lightly seasoned ground beef and a hint of mint. They are full of flavor and irresistible. Greek Chic It: For Greek-style spaghetti and meatballs, this is my mom’s favorite version. Toss keftethes into your favorite marinara sauce.

Serves: 8

Ingredients
1 pound lean, finely ground beef or veal
1 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
⅓ cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
3 ½ tablespoons fresh or dried mint
1 tablespoon dried parsley
¼ cup light Greek olive oil
¼ cup flour
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a bowl, mix ground beef with onion, garlic, bread crumbs, mint, and parsley.
2. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. Mix ingredients well with hands. Add the beaten egg to bind the mixture together.
4. With damp hands, roll the meat mixture into small balls. In a separate dish, roll
meatballs into flour. Reroll to keep the form if necessary.
5. Add olive oil to a sauté pan. When oil is ready, place a few meatballs at a time into
the pan. Lightly brown on all sides until fully cooked on the inside.
6. Optional: partially cook meatballs by browning them in the pan, then place them
in the broiler and cook under medium heat for 10 to 15 more minutes, turning
frequently.
7. For dipping sauce, serve with tzatziki topping.

Let the baking begin...butter cookie recipe - Kourambiethes

Baking for Christmas starts with cookies. Just saw on the Today Show, Martha Stewart making some unique cookies to add to your holiday baking. My favorite unique Greek cookie is Kourambiethes. The are buttery and easy to make for Christmas. Athena & Eleni, my daughters, love these snow capped with powdered sugar round cookies every holiday. Santa gets this cookie on his plate and leaves a trail of powdered sugar..since we know Santa likes Greek cooking.

Merry Christmas and happy baking for the holidays!!!
www.greekchiccuisine.com
www.grecianoil.com

RECIPE
KourambiethesThis is the ultimate wedding cookie that melts in your mouth. It’s an easy-to-make, buttery
cookie beautifully decorated with powdered sugar and is great for special occasions.
Yield: 50–60
Ingredients
1 pound unsalted butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
2 egg yokes
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ounce whiskey
2 teaspoons almond extract
4 cups of flour (may not need all)
6 cups of powder sugar, sifted
60 baking cups
Method
1. In a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy Add egg yolks, almond
extract, and whiskey to the butter mixture.
2. Mix flour and baking powder, then add flour little-by-little to make soft dough
- a little greasier than dry consistency. It feels like play dough. Form a small,
smooth ball and lightly pinch with three fingers on top. Place on a cookie sheet.
Optional: shape dough into crescents or S-shaped cookies.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° F for 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown in
color. Let cool.
4. Line table with wax paper and lightly sift powdered sugar over it. Place cookies on
top of the powdered sugar. Continue to sift powdered sugar over cookies until
they are completely covered with a mountain of sugar. Place in baking cups.
Greek Chic It: Cut kourambiethes cookie dough into hearts or stars with a cookie
cutter instead of balls for holidays or special occasions.