Category: Food and Family

This is what this blog is all about!

Merry Christmas! Blessings and Cookies

Merry Christmas from my family to yours! Here is Yianni with Stella, me with Stanley and our son Rahbi in our annual Christmas photo.

You know I always make Christmas koulouria with these two adorable boys, Benjamin and Maxwell Hammond. They’re always a big help!

That’s my Christmas koulouria recipe ICYMI.

koulouria

I have to make another batch for these handsome men, Rahbi and Jason Hammond.

And there might just be a little box of koulouria under our tree for Malvina Mirowski!

I am also so happy for the blessing of welcoming my cousin Stathi back home to our wonderful state of Michigan! Welcome home Stathi! Be sure to visit his organization named for his daughter, that helps families of children with cancer and blood disorders, Lainie’s Angels. If you can, I ask that you give to this philanthropic cause in her name.

Here is my Nouna with all my Grand Rapids cousins. What a beautiful family: Chris, Becky, Nouna Tina, Georgia and Stathi.

Merry Christmas!  Jesus the Christ is born! Glorify Him!

And so the kings have come, and they have seen the heavenly King that has come upon the earth, not bringing with Him Angels, nor Archangels, nor Thrones, nor Dominations, nor Powers, nor Principalities, but, treading a new and solitary path…

So, the Father of all ages, as an infant at the breast, nestles in the virginal arms, that the Magi may more easily see Him.  Since this day the Magi too have come, and made a beginning of withstanding tyranny; and the heavens give glory, as the Lord is revealed by a star.

To Him, then, Who out of confusion has wrought a clear path, to Christ, to the Father, and to the Holy Spirit, we offer all praise, now and for ever.  Amen.

St. John Chrysostom’s Christmas Homily

KouZína | Greek Street Food’s 1st Anniversary Party

One year ago, Bobby Laskaris opened KouZina, Greek Street Food, in Royal Oak. Ever since, crowds of people have flocked to see just what Greek street food was and a trend began. This is the real deal.

KouZina | Greek Street Food on Main Street in Royal Oak threw an anniversary party honoring their first year in business. The party was attended by many local Greek food lovers, including the Original Olga (Loizon). Of course, owner Bobby Laskaris and his staff served delicious Greek food and pastries.

Featured artist “Slaw” showed his paintings at the event and the restaurant became an art gallery. You’ll see in the video that one very special painting was created just for Bobby. Slaw described his artistic style as a cross between Hanna-Barbera cartoons and the modern look of the 1950s and ’60s.

I blogged about KouZina in January if you’d like to read my review and recommendation of one of my favorite Greek eateries. Bravo Bobby!

KouZina | Greek Street Food
121 N Main St  Royal Oak, MI 48067

Peach and Berry Crumble with Walnuts

Peach Crumble with ice cream

I bought some peaches that turned out to be not as sweet as I expected. Isn’t that disappointing? What to do with all that fruit? Here is a wonderful solution. Bake a fruit and nut crumble dessert. It’s easy and now all the fruit you purchased won’t go to waste. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream.

Peach and Berry Crumble

You can substitute the peaches and walnuts for plums and almonds if you’d like. Any fruit and nut combination will work.

Peach and Berry Crumble 2

Here’s the printable recipe for you. Enjoy!

Peach and Berry Crumble with Walnuts
 
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Kitoula's recipe for Peach and Berry Crumble with Walnuts adapted from Ina Garten's, Barefoot Contessa.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds peaches, cut in ½, pitted, and cut in 1-inch wedges
  • ⅔ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • ½ pint frozen mixed berries
  • ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
  • ½ cup quick-cooking oats
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for sprinkling
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. For the fruit filling: In a large bowl, combine the sliced peaches, ⅓ cup of the granulated sugar, ¼ cup of the flour, and the orange juice.
  3. Toss well.
  4. Add the berries and toss lightly.
  5. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish.
  6. For the crumble topping: Place the remaining 1 cup of flour, the remaining ⅓ cup of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, and the salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.
  7. Pulse a few times to combine.
  8. Add the butter and pulse until the butter is the size of peas.
  9. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
  10. Add the oats.
  11. Work it with your hands until it's in large crumbles.
  12. Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts.
  13. Mix well.
  14. Spread the topping evenly over the fruit, making sure the fruit is covered.
  15. Sprinkle with some extra walnuts and sugar.
  16. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
  17. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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Savory Kolokythopita – Pumpkin Pita

This is a traditional Greek recipe for a phyllo pie with pumpkin filling instead of spinach. If you like spanakotiropita, try this savory and delicious variation, kolokythopita. I made one today to celebrate the first day of autumn.
Pumpkin pita

A printable recipe is at the bottom of this post. I’ll walk you through it with these photos. First, preheat your oven to 375°F.

You’ll need the entire box of phyllo (fillo). The night before you make your pita take it out of the freezer and thaw it in the fridge.2 Fillo

To start, wash and chop the leeks.1 chop leeks

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the leeks. Saute gently. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.3 saute leeks

You can use crumbled feta or cube a 1/2 lb of a solid block. 4 feta & pumpkin

Mince or rough chop the fresh parsley, it’s a personal preference. I like a rustic rough chop. Combine the pumpkin, feta cheese, parsley, breadcrumbs, milk, dried herbs, pepper and eggs. Mix well.5 chopped parsley

Brush a 13 x 9 inch pan with melted butter. Layer the phyllo pastry in the pan, brushing each layer with butter before adding the next. Use 8 – 10 phyllo sheets for the bottom. Spoon the pumpkin filling into the pan on the layered and buttered phyllo sheets. Distribute the mixture evenly with a spatula.7 spread evenly

Layer the remaining phyllo sheets neatly on top, buttering each. Turn any overhanging phyllo inwards and over the top. Butter the last sheet generously. Don’t worry about the phyllo layers being perfect. Work quickly and don’t let the phyllo dry out.

8 cover

Using a tip of a small, sharp knife, score the pie by cutting gently through the top layers of pastry. Just pierce the top few layers.  Score the pastry by the width too, creating a guide for what will be the pieces when the pie is served.9 remove from oven

Bake for approximately an hour, when it is golden brown, remove the pita from the oven. Cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting all the way through the scored pieces. Pita may be served hot or room temperature. This is a savory pumpkin pita recipe, but there is also a traditional Greek sweet pumpkin kolokythopita. Either can be made with pumpkin, squash or zucchini.

Here’s the printable version of the recipe.

Savory Kolokythopita - Pumpkin Pita
 
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This is a pita recipe using pumpkin as a filling in place of spinach.
Author:
Recipe type: Main dish
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 15
Ingredients
  • 1 large can of pumpkin
  • 3 large leeks
  • ½ cup dry breadcrumbs
  • ½ lb feta cheese, crumbled
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 lb phyllo pastry
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 4 ounces butter, melted (approximately)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the leeks
  3. Saute gently
  4. Remove from heat
  5. Let cool 5 minutes
  6. Combine the pumpkin, feta cheese, parsley, breadcrumbs, milk, dried herbs, pepper and eggs
  7. Mix well
  8. In a 13 X 9 inch pan brush with melted butter.
  9. Layer the phyllo pastry in the pan, brushing each layer with butter before adding the next.
  10. Use 8 - 10 phyllo sheets for the bottom
  11. Spoon the pumpkin filling into the prepared pan
  12. Layer the remaining phyllo sheets neatly on top, buttering each
  13. Turn any overhanging phyllo inwards and over the top
  14. Butter the last sheet generously
  15. Using a tip of a small, sharp knife, score the pie by cutting gently through the top layers of pastry, just pierce the top few layers
  16. Score the pastry by the width too, creating what will be the pieces when the pie is served
  17. Bake pie for approximately 1 hour, until a lovely golden-brown color
  18. Remove from the oven
  19. Cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting all the way through the scored pieces
  20. Pita may be served hot or room temperature
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Kali orexi!