KOURAMBIEDES

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                                         KOURAMBIEDES  (Butter/Shortbread-style cookie)

  ** Use UNBLEACHED flour in all Greek baking**

Ingredients:

1 lb. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 egg

3 tsp. (1 tbsp.) baking powder

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

4-5 C. flour. This is an approximation

Cream butter well. Add sugar, vanilla and egg and beat well

Add baking powder to flour as you sift into mixture, until proper consistency is reached. Creaming can be done in food processor, transferred to large pan where you can add the flour. You can then return some amounts to processor and spin.  You will then need more flour for proper consistency.  Continue until all of mix has been returned to processor a little at a time.  This makes them much lighter. Form shapes and bake at 375 degrees. 

In the meantime, line counter with waxed paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar.  When kourambiedes are done, put hot cookies on powdered sugar to soak up through bottom of cookies.  When completely cooled, dust cookies with a thick layer of powdered sugar.

Koulourakia

KOULOURAKIA

Preheat oven to 375

1     pound unsalted butter

10  eggs

1    cup milk

3    cups sugar

4    teaspoons vanilla

1    cup ouzo

1    bottle anise extract

Flour (about 4 ½ lbs.)

3    heaping teaspoons baking powder

1.  Cream butter well.  

2.  Beat eggs well and add sugar and beat until

very creamy. 

3.  Add to butter.  

4.  Add milk, ouzo and extract to mixture.

Mix well and add flour that has been sifted with baking  powder.

Knead well until dough is very soft and pliable (not stiff), shape into forms and bake.  (Brush tops with milk [beaten egg is optional] before baking)

Recipe can be cut in half.

Recipe for Delicious Soup Stock

Basic Chicken Stock


Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. chicken thighs
4 qts. water
1 onion, cut in half
1 T. cider vinegar (leeches calcium from bones into stock)
1 T. salt (to taste)
Any amount of wilted field greens, romaine salad mix, lettuce (no
    broccoli or cauliflower)  the more the better


Procedure:

Put chicken thighs in pot with water
Add salt and vinegar
Put a portable steaming gadget in the pot, over the chicken
Add veggies and onion into steamer.  Whole tomato may be added
and any wilted carrots.**
Bring to boil, lower temperature and simmer for a couple of hours
When done, lift steamer out and discard veggies
Remove chicken
When stock is cooled, it's ready for storage in glass jars and frozen  
   until needed.
Chicken can be used for soup or chicken salad or as is

**When your veggies begin to wilt, put in baggie and freeze.  Use
     for soup stock.  Whole  tomatoes can be frozen and used for
     cooking, either in stock or any other cooked meal.  Hold frozen
     tomato under hot water to pop the skin, if  you want it removed.

Greek Lentil Soup

Greek Lentil Soup


Ingredients:

1/2 C. lentils
1 large bay leaf
1 tablespoon minced onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 C. chopped carrots
1 can diced tomatoes
1 T. apple cider vinegar
Few sprigs celery leaves
5 C. water

2 T. extra-virgen olive oil
1 tsp. salt to taste

Procedure:

Rinse lentils well and put in pot
Add water and all ingredients except last two
Bring to boil and lower to an even simmer, stirring once or twice 
Let cook until lentils are soft 
Add last two ingredients.  
Soup should thicken somewhat with swelling lentils 
When it reaches and good soup consistency, it's ready.
About 2+ hours

Lentil soup has the value of a steak.  High in protein and iron      
    

Rinse lentils and

Greek Meatballs

GREEK MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS:

1# lean ground meat
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 large tablespoon minced onion
1 rounded teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon mint (ground) (fresh dried preferred)
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
2 heaping tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 slice bread, moistened well
I can tomato puree, ground or crushed
Cinammon
PROCESS:

Mix all ingredients well.  Bread should be moistened and worked in your hand until it can be mixed well into mixture.

Form meatballs into average size.  Should yield about 18 or so.
Put in baking pan. 
Pour sauce into measuring cup, salt to taste add 2-3 dashes
        cinammon
Add one can of water and mix well in measuring cup
Add to meatballs and bake.  As meatballs brown, turn once.
Baking time:  1 hour or less depending on overn

ROBUST CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP

ROBUST CHICKEN VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients:

9 C. clear chicken stock, homemade preferred
4 T. chopped onion and/or scallions
1 C. small peeled organic carrots, cut in half
3-4 sprigs of celery leaves
1 1/2 C. orzo (Greek orzo preferable)
Salt and pepper to taste.  The pepper should be somewhat
                                          detectable
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 can tomato sauce (puree, ground or crushed)

1/2 bag large, frozen peas

Method:

Put all ingredients in soup pot, except for peas
Let pot cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to
      keep pasta from sticking
Let it cook slowly for at least 1/2 hour
Pasta should be extremely done.  Stir
Add peas, let simmer another 1/2 hour and soup is ready

**Delicious with chunks of boiled chicken included in soup

Serve with cheese and peasant bread

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Meatball Casserole

FAMILY-SIZED MEATBALL CASSEROLE

(Also excellent with ground meat)

Preheated oven 375 degrees

Ingredients:

   

     2# ziti pasta

     2# meatballs, prepared with seasonings

     1-32oz. jar prepared pasta sauce of your choosing

         (GERMANO'S SAUCE highly recommended)

        8 oz. alfredo sauce

     3 sticks butter (hold one for browning)

     Nutmeg

     6 C. grated cheese (not Parmesan)  Pecorino Romano,

             Locateli Romano etc. are preferable

      Milk (not skimmed) or half and half as needed

Process:

     Put meatballs in with half the sauce and cook until

            meat is done

     Add alfredo sauce and stir in well

     Boil Pasta while meatballs are cooking

     Add some salt to boiling water

     When both meatballs and pasta are done, drain pasta

     Put pasta back into pot, add the butter and about 4-5

             dashes nutmeg

     When thoroughly mixed, add pasta mixture to a
             large baking pan

     Put last stick of butter in small  frying pan and heat until browned

     Pour over pasta      
 Sprinkle 2 cups of cheese and

     remaining sauce on pasta

 Add the meatballs

     Sprinkle with 2 cups cheese

     With two large wooden spoons, mix entire mixture well

     Sprinkle remaining 2 cups of cheese

     Add as much milk and/or half and half as it will take

              to moisten entire mixture.  Mix well from top to

              bottom 

     Milk should not float on top of mixture

     Mix well and bake until golden brown on top

     Top layer of pasta will be crispy, crunchy and

     delicious.  Rest of casserole, creamy and luscious