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Posted on » by Dana & Nancy » Theme:

Baklava

Baklava
Allrecipes.com – by NEONWILLIE

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
  • 1 pound chopped nuts
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup honey

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9×13 inch pan.
  2. Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 – 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 – 8 sheets deep.
  3. Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
  4. Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
  5. Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.
Posted on » by Dana & Nancy » Theme:

Greek Easter Cookies from Smyrna

I halved the recipe since the original below yields 5 dozen!Greek Easter Cookies from Smyrna
Allrecipes.com – By Rosina

Ingredients

  • 2 cups butter
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 8 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 egg

Directions

  1. Sift together flour and baking powder and set aside. In large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add 4 egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each one. Add milk and flour.
  2. Work with the hands until dough is smooth. Add grated orange rind. Dough should be stiff so add additional flour if needed.
  3. Break off small portions of dough and roll out into pencil-size strips about 11 inches long. Fold each strip into thirds, sideways, and press lightly together at ends.
  4. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes.
Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Chicken Souvlaki

Chicken Souvlaki

I roughly measured everything. I thought this was okay, nothing special.
  • Contributed by Quick From Scratch Chicken
  • ACTIVE: 10 MIN
  • TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 4

Grilled chicken on pita with tomatoes, onions and tzatziki, a yogurt and cucumber sauce, makes a cool yet satisfying warm-weather supper. Souvlaki is often rolled to eat in your hand as a snack, but this more substantial version is served on a plate with a knife and fork. If you like, accompany the souvlaki with lemon wedges. When using wooden skewers, soak them first in water for at least ten minutes, or they’ll smoke during cooking.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain yogurt
  • 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, peeled, seeded, and grated
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Fresh-ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 pocketless pitas
  • 6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
  • 2 tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
  • 1/3 cup black olives, such as Kalamata, halved and pitted

Directions

  1. Put the yogurt in a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a paper towel and set it over a bowl. Let drain in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. In a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the cucumber with 1 teaspoon of the salt; let sit for about 15 minutes. Squeeze the cucumber to remove the liquid. Put the cucumber back in the bowl and stir in the drained yogurt, the garlic, 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and the dill.
  2. Light the grill or heat the broiler. In a small glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the oil, lemon juice, oregano, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Toss the chicken cubes in the oil mixture and thread them onto skewers. Grill the chicken over high heat or broil, turning once, until done, about 5 minutes in all. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
  3. Spread both sides of the pitas with the butter and grill or broil, turning once, until golden, about 4 minutes in all. Cut into quarters.
  4. To serve, put the pitas on plates and top with the onion, tomatoes, and chicken skewers with any accumulated juices. Serve with the tzatziki and olives.