How to Keep Tea Hot for Hours

I have found the best way to keep tea hot for an extended time is to use a teapot warmer. These useful and decorative items are made by a variety of companies. I use the Royal Patrician Warmers that are available in both gold and silver. Simply add a tea light and set your teapot on the warmer. It is best to start with hot tea in the teapot. I set out 4 or 6 warmers with my favorite teapots on top, each with a different flavor of tea. Your tea will stay hot for several hours, a perfect amount of time to serve guests at a Tea Party.

Cheddar Cheese Ring Appetizer

This is a nice cheesy appetizer with a slightly hot flavor.

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound sharp Cheddar Cheese (grated)
1 Cup pecans (chopped)
¾ Cup Mayonaise
1 Medium onion (grated)
1-2 cloves garlic (pressed)
2 Tablespoons Tobasco
1 Cup Strawberry Preserves or Raspberry

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients except preserves and mix well. Mold into a ring. Chill.
Fill with Strawberry or Rasberry Preserves. Serve with Rita or Water crackers.

Quick and Easy Sweet Potatoes

Delicious Sweet Potatoes topped with cinnamon and hot from the oven will please the whole family.

Ingredients:
5-6 large sweet potatoes - boiled till almost soft about 30 minutes
½ stick unsalted butter
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon
Dark brown sugar
Maple or pancake syrup - 12 ounces ( I use Roddenberry's)

Directions:
Boil sweet potatoes in large pot for about 30 minutes till soft. Let cool and peel off skin.
Cut into quarters and lay flat in glass baking dish. (one layer only)
Add salt and pepper.
Add a slice of butter on every other potato
Cover with cinnamon.
Sprinkle with dark brown sugar.
Add about ½ bottle of pancake syrup over top.

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.

Delicious!

Christmas Lime Jello Salad

You will enjoy this jello salad any time of year, but at Thanksgiving and Christmas, the color and flavor of this side dish makes any meal a little more special.

Ingredients:
2 3 ounce boxes Lime Gelatin
2 Cups boiling water
2 Cups Sour Cream
2 Cups Cottage Cheese
2 Cups Crushed Pineapple

Directions:
Dissolve both boxes of lime gelatin in boiling water. Chill until slightly thickened. Beat in sour cream with mixer until smooth. Fold in cottage cheese and pineapple. Spray molds with Pam and pour into 1 quart mold or 8 small molds. Chill until firm. Unmold, set on a bed of lettuce and garnish with orange or lemon slices or more crushed pineapple and fresh mint.

Serves 8-10

Christmas Lime Jello Salad

Look for this side dish to complement your Christmas dinner....delicious and decorative! We will be posting after Thanksgiving.

Authentic Greek Salad

A greek salad compliments a wide variety of main dishes. Or, add a few grilled chicken strips on top for a complete meal.

Dressing Ingredients
1/2 Cup extra Virgin Olive Oil (Bertolli preferred)
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Tablespoons Dried Oregano, Crushed
¾ Teapoon Salt
1 Tablespoon grainy Dijon Mustard
1 pinch of Thyme

Salad Ingredients:
2 bunches of Romaine or other dark green lettuce.
1-2 Tomatoes if in season, quartered
2-3 chopped green onions
1 Cucumber sliced in rounds
1 Cup Crumbled Feta Cheese

Preparation:
In a bowl, wisk together dressing ingredients except olive oil until smooth. Gradually wisk in Olive Oil in a steady stream till thickened. Cover till ready to use. I like to prepare at least an hour ahead to let the ingredients reach maximum flavor.

Combine Salad Ingredients and pour Salad Dressing over top and mix . Add Crumbled Feta Cheese to complete

Serve with Garlic Toast to soak up the delicious dressing!

Greek Salad

Look for an authentic Greek Salad Recipe that will be posted soon.

My Favorite Trifle

This luscious dessert is always a guaranteed favorite at family gatherings.

Ingredients:
2-10 Ounce Boxes of Frozen Strawberries in their own syrup….Thaw at Room Temp and keep syrup.
Large Tub of Cool Whip Lite
2 Cans (20 ounce) of Crushed Pineapple (Drain Well thru a Strainer)
2 Large packages of Instant Vanilla Pudding. (Not the small ones)
2 Entenmann’s ( or comparable) Sour Cream Pound Cakes

Directions:
Note: For best presentation, use a clear Trifle bowl on a pedestal.
Defrost Strawberries and Drain Pineapple
Prepare Pudding according to Directions and keep in refrigerator for a few minutes to set

Start Layering:
Layer bottom of Trifle Dish with Thin Slices (1/2”) of Pound Cake
Follow with layers of:
½ of Pudding
½ of Strawberries
Slices of Pound Cake
½ of Pineapple
Pound Cake
Remainder of Pudding
Remainder of Strawberries
Remaining Pound Cake - Reserve a few slices for finishing the top.
Remaining Pineapple
Cool Whip

Add Peaks to Cool Whip with a Spoon and Sprinkle Pound Cake Crumbs on top for color.

Add a few toothpicks halfway into top and cover with Saran Wrap. The toothpicks will hold the Saran Wrap up like a tent. Just don’t forget to remove them before serving.

Refrigerate till ready to serve.

All Occasion Appetizer

Here is an appetizer I prepare for every party and family gathering.
Watch everyone gather around this one!

Cheesy Artichoke Dip
(Great Appetizer)

Ingredients
2 Cans Artichoke hearts – Drain and Mash
2 Cups Hellman’s Mayonaise
2 Cups Parmesan cheese
1 Teaspoon lemon juice (fresh)


Preparation:
Drain and mash Artichoke hearts. Add Mayonaise, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice.
Pour into baking dish.
Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes till starting to brown on top.

Serve as an appetizer with Ritz party crackers.

Greek Style Chicken and Potatoes

This is one of my personal favorites!

Greek Style Chicken and Potatoes
The fragrance of this dish will bring everyone to the kitchen with anticipation.

Ingredients:
1 package of Chicken cut up and without skin
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4-5 whole garlic cloves, lightly crushed
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
4-5 potatoes cut into quarters
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oreganoFresh Rosemary - Sprigs or in the jar
½ Stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh lemon juiceSaltPepper
2-3 potatoes, quartered

Directions:
Set oven to 350.
Prepare the chicken by rinsing and adding to Roasting Pan.
Add quartered potatoes around chicken
Add ¼ cup water to pan.
Add ¼ Cup Olive Oil over chicken and around pan.
Drizzle lemon juice over chicken and potatoes.
Place chopped garlic cloves into pan.
Sprinkle chicken and potatoes with salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, and garlic powder.
Cut butter into pats and set on each piece of chicken.
Add ¼ cup water to pan
Bake in oven for one hour or until done, basting occasionally. Add water if necessary.

Serve with a traditional Greek Salad and side of Feta Cheese for a nourishing, flavorful and satisfying meal.

Collecting "Old Family Recipes"

This blog topic has been on my mind for a while. I am anxious now to get started. We all seem to be searching for that next meal plan. What will we cook for our family that will be new, yet flavorful and healthful? We will be adding recipes frequently on this blog, both traditional American recipes and traditional Greek recipes. Feel free to add your comments and favorite traditional recipes along with us. Some of the recipes will be those that have been handed down, unchanged thru the years, using the ingredients that make Greek dishes one of the most flavorful styles of cooking.