Swedish Meatball Pasta Bake

This is the kind of comfort food dish that you make on the weekend. Think Swedish meatballs meets a casserole and that’s what we’ve got going on here today. Nifty, right? I tend to prefer casseroles in the winter time. Maybe it’s because they tend to be heavier and ideal for cold nights. Which means if you’re counting calories then save this recipe for a day when calories don’t count (like the weekend or on vacation 😉 ). As a heads up, this recipe takes a bit of time to make, which is the real reason why I suggest making …

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Moroccan Style Chickpea Soup

I’ve been eyeing the The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook for a while and my husband surprised me with it the other day.  I was so excited to try a recipe that I made something the very next day. Since it’s January in CT, it’s only fitting that I try a soup recipe first.  Ironically, it was in the 60’s this past weekend, which is an actual heat wave for this time of the year.  Nonetheless, we still enjoyed eating this soup. It’s not the prettiest bowl of food, but then again, I find that most soups don’t necessarily look as good …

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Vasilopita – Greek New Year’s Cake

Happy new year! I’m sharing a very special family recipe with you today.  Vasilopita is a traditional Greek cake served on New Year’s Day (or thereabouts).  A coin is hidden in the cake and it’s said that whoever gets the coin in their slice has good luck for the year.  It’s a fun family tradition that I’ve done for as long as I can remember. This cake is part of a story of greedy kings and excessive taxes. It was used by St. Basil as a way to give taxes back to the people after the king was convinced to …

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Sorbet and Sparkling Wine

Who is up for some bubbly with a sweet surprise? I saw this “recipe” last year and I have been looking for a good excuse to try it. I just love that you can take 2 simple ingredients and make 1 impressive cocktail. Since we’re about to ring in the new year, I thought this was as good a time as any to whip it up. I use the term “recipe” loosely because you don’t need to follow specific proportions of sparkling wine to sorbet since it doesn’t really matter.  If you want more wine then add more to your …

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Kourabiedes – Greek Christmas Cookies

I have one more cookie recipe you, just in time for Christmas. These cookies are a traditional Greek cookie served at Christmas time. They are like a shortbread cookie with almonds and covered in a lot of confectioners sugar. A lot. And I’m not just saying that because I’m obsessed with the stuff. It’s a Greek fact. These Christmas cookies do not have a lot ingredients in them, but like many recipes every family makes them slightly different. Depending on the recipe, some cookies don’t contain nuts. Some cookies have whiskey or ouzo (which I skipped). My mom makes these …

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