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

   

     

    

             

        

MEATLESS PASTITSIO (BAKED MACARONI)

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ziti pasta

2- 2 1/2 qts. milk

½ -1 c. semolina (from health store)

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

4-6 c. grated Pecorino Romano or any tasty pasta cheese

          (Parmesan is not for this recipe.)

1 lb. crumbled feta (optional) Is an excellent addition

6 eggs

Nutmeg

Method:

Boil pasta in lightly salted water until done, drain and return to pot

Cut 2 sticks butter into chunks and add to hot pasta

Sprinkle just about 4 good sprinkles of nutmeg onto pasta. **You don’t want this to be too strong a flavor.**

Sprinkle crumbled feta into pasta…mix

Beat eggs well with whisk, mix in some cold milk (about ¼ c.) and add to pasta and mix well

Pour some semolina mixture (see below) to this and mix well

Put half of pasta in a approx. 10 x 15 baking pan (varies) and cover layer with half of grated cheese.  Put some semolina mixture on that

Add remaining pasta, sprinkle rest of cheese on top and put the rest of the semolina mixture on top.

Pour the milk slowly over the pasta, (reserving 2 cups) getting it in corners, sides, etc.

The milk should barely cover the pasta.

Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown crust forms

Remove from oven, score lightly after about 15 minutes.

This cannot be completely cut into pieces until almost cooled.

Mixture has to settle and gel.

SEMOLINA MIXTURE:

Light semolina sauce:

2 c. milk
2-3 tablespoons semolina
½ stick of butter
Dash of nutmeg

Slowly heat milk with semolina, stirring with whisk

Add butter and nutmeg and continue stirring until a slightly

thickened consistency.  Follow recipe

RICE PUDDING

Ingredients:

I quart whole or 2% milk (do not use skimmed milk)

5 tablespoons Uncle Ben’s converted rice, long grain

5 tablespoons sugar (more or less, depending on taste)

2 egg yolks (whites give pudding a different consistency)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla (no imitation)

¼ c. raisins (optional)

Cinnamon

 

Method:

Add the rice slowly to simmering milk.  Stir.  Lower temperature to a medium/low heat and let rice simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking

When rice is softened and tender add the sugar and stir well. 

If adding raisins, allow rice to cook until almost done, before adding raisins.

Beat egg yolks well in small bowl and ad vanilla and beat some more.

Add a small amount of cold milk (3-4 tablespoons) to eggs and mix well

Using the spoon used to stir rice, slowly add hot milk to egg yolks, while stirring constantly.  Raise the temperature higher so you can see slight bubbling, while stirring. 

When the pudding has thickened to a nice consistency, remove from heat, stir a while longer and add to serving bowl.  Rice pudding also thickens while it’s cooling.)  When it has cooled, sprinkle top with cinnamon.

When completely cooled, cover and put into refrigerator.

GREEK STYLE GREEN BEANS

Haricots Verts, Greek Style

1 lb. haricots verts, Trader Joe's

1 large onion, minced

1 regular can tomato puree, ground tomatoes or crushed

2-3 c. water  (judge what is enough to cook beans well) without

    being watery

4 tbsps. finely minced parsley

1 tbsps. ground mint

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (according to preference)

(1 c. shredded carrots, optional)

Saute onion in pot until soft and transparent

Add some tomato and saute with onions

Add  beans and ground tomatoes and cook until tender

Add salt and oil at this point

Add parsley and mint

Continue cooking until juice is of a nice consistency, not watery

GREEK BEAN SOUP - FASOULADA

GREEK FASOULADA.....A HEARTY BEAN SOUP


2 c. great northern beans
6 c. water or homemade clear stock
1 c. cut carrots
1 c. coarsely diced celery
1 regular can diced tomatoes or 1 fresh tomato, cut into med.
     pieces
1 regular can ground or crushed tomatoes


2 tsps. salt                                
1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil
These two ingredients are added only after beans are cooked to
a soft consistency

Cook first 5 ingredients until beans are soft
Add last two ingredients and cook until broth is opaque and
thickened.

YEMISTA (GREEK STUFFED PEPPERS)

YEMISTA

Greek Stuffed Peppers

Yields:  12 Servings

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lbs. lean ground meat

2 1/2 C. Uncle Ben's Converted Rice only

1/4 C. olive oil  (more if needed)

1 large onion, chopped finely

6-7 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsps. salt

1 tsp. pepper

4 Tbsps. finely chopped parsley

1 Tbsps. finely chopped mint

I large can crushed tomatoes  or tomato puree

Method:

Saute  onions and garlic in olive oil

Add ground meat and brown a little

Add rice and stir well

Add salt and pepper.  Mix well

Add 1 C. tomato mixed with about 1/4 C. water or so to meat mixture.  Stir

Cook on very low heat until rice begins to become tender.  Do not cook completely, but rice should be somewhat soft.  Cook for about 5 minutes or so and remove from heat.

Add parsley and mint.  Mix well

Add mixture to prepared peppers, which have had tops removed and inside seeds removed.  Cap with tops and brush pepper with oil.

Bake at 375 degrees until peppers test soft and ready to eat.

TIPS:

Mixture can be made and frozen until ready to use.

Pepper can be cleaned and frozen.  Cut when still partially frozen, stuff and bake.  This takes less time to cook.

If you do much cooking, Grind parsley in small mixer, put into jars and freeze.  Ready to use and smell is great.

Cut scallions into size you usually use and freeze.  Use as you need some.

Chop onions and mince garlic.  Put in airtight container and either keep in refrigerator or freeze if too long a time.  Sautee beautifully like that too.

Wrap a bunch of fresh dill very well in aluminum foil and freeze.  Dill does not last long in refrigerator. When you use it, just roll back the top of foil and snip what you need with a scissors, into your food.  It smells as fresh as the day you bought it.

If you have all these prepared, it cuts you prep time 75% when you want to do something like stuffed peppers, etc.

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