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.

Easy Spice Cake for Fall with hot chocolate

Walnut Spice Cake - Karithopita

Karithopita or Walnut Spice cake is great dessert comfort food as the weather gets a bit cooler. All the ingredients and complex flavors of more difficult to make Greek desserts, this light walnut cake baked with hints of cinnamon spice flavors is quick and easy to make. Great any time of the day, this simple cake is sure to please your family. A warm piece of Karithopita is a wonderful addition to a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Walnut Spice Cake - Karithopita

Serves: 24

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tablespoon whiskey
2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 ½ cups walnuts, finely chopped
24 baking cups

Syrup Topping Ingredients

½ cup honey
½ cup water
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Method

1. In an electric mixer, cream sugar and eggs one at a time until light and fluffy.
Slowly add oil, milk, and whiskey.
2. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda,
cinnamon, cloves and walnuts. Mix well. Fold into creamed mixture until blended
well.
3. Pour into a greased oven dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. Bake in an oven at 350° F for 20 to
25 minutes or until cooked when tested.
4. In a saucepan over medium heat, boil honey and water. Then pour warm syrup
over cooled cake. Use enough syrup to saturate the cake. There may be some
remaining syrup.
5. When cake is cold, cut into diamond shapes and sprinkle with finely chopped
walnuts. Place each decorated cake into a baking cup and place on serving tray.

Greek Chic It: Serve with whipped cream in the center and cinnamon as a garnish. For Christmas, use red and green candied cherries on top.

Recipe courtesy of Greek Chic Cuisine Cookbook by Stephanie M. Patsalis. http://www.greekchiccuisine.com/ Now available at iBookstore.

Baklava Phyllo Brie

It's fall and this appetizer recipe reminds me of the season. Enjoy Baklava Phyllo Brie recipe, which takes minutes to make. Easy to bring to football parties on the weekends or when entertaining guests.
This traditional favorite has a Greek Chic twist with it's sweet and savory flavor. The brie is topped with nuts, cinnamon and honey and wrapped in phyllo dough.
When teaching cooking classes, I usually hear that phyllo is something people are not sure about trying. Phyllo is easy. If you make a mistake, butter over it. Don't want to mess with phyllo, then replace it with Pillsbury Crescent rolls.
*See other brie recipes below with Fig Preserve.

Enjoy!

Baklava Phyllo Brie
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
1 – 8 ounce wheel of brie
4 sheets phyllo, thawed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2–3 tablespoons honey
¼ cup walnuts, finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
Method
1. Mix walnuts, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Take each phyllo sheet and brush with melted butter. Stack each one on top of the
other in a slightly crisscrossed manner. Keep the unused phyllo covered with a cloth.
3. Place brie cheese in the center of the filo. Spread honey over the cheese and then
sprinkle the walnut mixture on top. Drizzle more honey over walnuts.
4. Wrap the buttered phyllo around the brie by gathering it around the top of cheese.
Cinch it to make a purse.
5. The phyllo should be fanned out on top. Trim if necessary.
6. Bake brie on a cookie sheet at 350° F for 8 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Let
stand for 10 minutes.
7. Serve with grapes, sliced apples, gourmet crackers, or pita bread.

Greek Chic It: Brie with Fig Preserves
1. Replace honey with 1–2 tablespoons store-bought fig preserves. Follow above
recipe for filo.
2. Instead of honey, spread the fig preserves over the brie and sprinkle chopped
walnuts on top and complete according to above directions for wrapping with filo
and baking.

Brie with Raspberry Preserves
1. Follow above recipe for phyllo.
2. Simple spread 1–2 tablespoons store bought raspberry preserves over

@Whole Foods Greek Brunch Ideas from Greek Chic

Greek Chic Cusine
Whole Foods this Week -Cooking Greek Chic Brunch Ideas like...Athenian Frittatas, Baklava Waffles and Santorini Sunrise Greek Yogurt...
Thursday, September 22 at 6 PM
www.wholefoods.com

Whole Foods Market: Natural and Organic Grocery
www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Whole Foods Market is the world's largest retailer of natural and organic foods, with stores throughout North America and the United Kingdom

Cooking at Whole Foods -Greek Chic Brunch Ideas

Whole Foods this Week -Cooking Greek Chic Brunch Ideas like...Athenian Frittatas, Baklava Waffles and Santorini Sunrise Greek Yogurt...
Thursday, September 22 at 6 PM
www.wholefoods.com

Greek Yogurt Dips ~ Pesto Yogurt Dip and Kalamata Spread

After a few weeks of vacationing, I enjoyed my time off to explore various culinary scenes. Being a foodie, it's hard not to always think of food and new recipes. I found so much inspiration with new recipes to share in next upcoming blogs.

End of summer is coming, but keep entertaining with some cool refreshing appetizers. This is an easy appetizer that I eat as an appetizer before making our dinner. It's a great appetizer. Greek Yogurt Dips - Kalamata Spread and Pesto Dip.

With the ever popular, Greek Yogurt (FAGE being my favorite) advertised as the thickest and healthiest, I have found that it's not just for breakfast. Replace your sour cream with Greek FAGE yogurt with any recipe and start eating the Mediterranean Diet way.


Greek Yogurt Dips ~ Enjoy these easy to make in 10 minutes dips for your next party. They are light and refreshing for summer entertaining. Also, great sandwich spreads to add flavor.

KALAMATA Spread

Ingredients

1 cup FAGE yogurt
2 tablespoon Kalamata Olive Tapenade or finely chopped Kalamata Olives
Pita Chips

Method

1. In a bowl, mix FAGE Greek yogurt and Kalamata Olives or Tapenade. Mix well and place in a decorative bowl. Garnish with a whole Kalamata olive and serve with pita chips.

Pesto Yogurt Dip

Ingredients

1 cup FAGE yogurt
2 tablespoon pesto sauce
Pita Chips

Method

1. In a bowl, mix FAGE Greek yogurt and pesto sauce. Mix well and place in a decorative bowl. Garnish with a sprig of basil leaves and serve with pita chips.