Cherry and coconut brown butter tart

August 3, 2021August 3, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ Leave a comment

A cherry and coconut brown butter tart with a chocolate crust – pure decadence!

Are cherries expensive where you live? Here in our part of Canada the availability of delicious cherries is limited to a few months during the summer, and they tend to be costly. Of course, they also happen to be some of our favourite fruits, and for about a year it was the only fruit one of our daughters would eat. Like literally…the ONLY fruit.

So, when cherries are everywhere, or on sale, we like to stock up. They keep pretty well for simple snacking, but even when they are a few days past their prime we don’t let even one go to waste. Baking with cherries, making our cherry and chocolate chunk no churn ice cream, or canning the classic Greek spoon sweet with cherries , are all great ways to use up cherries that are still great, but perhaps not perfect.

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Easy baked zucchini and potato frittata

July 28, 2021July 28, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 6 Comments

An easy baked zucchini and potato frittata loaded with fresh herbs and cheese

This is really a winner of a recipe, and one we think you will make over and over again. Here are a few things that it has going for it:

It’s simple easy to make
It’s economical
It’s absolutely delicious
It’s pretty to look at

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No churn cherry ice cream with chocolate chunks

July 22, 2021July 22, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 6 Comments

No churn cherry ice cream with chocolate chunks is a great summertime treat, no ice cream maker needed!

For the longest time we thought that the fanciest ice cream flavour which existed was Neopolitan. This was the ice cream that our parents always brought home from the grocery store, and we loved it. We loved the many options which existed in that one container. Simply strawberry? No problem. A bit of vanilla and chocolate? You bet! Lots of vanilla and a small taste of the chocolate and strawberry? Totally doable. We also loved that the carton held many secrets. Taking the ice cream from the freezer and realizing that almost all the strawberry ice cream was gone meant that our dad had enjoyed quite a few scoops – strawberry is his favourite flavour.

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Zucchini and cheddar muffins

July 20, 2021July 20, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 4 Comments

Savoury zucchini and cheddar muffins made with summer squash, aged cheddar and fresh herbs

Most gardeners will tell you that growing zucchini is an essential part of a well-rounded garden. Actually, we don’t know if most gardeners will tell you that, but our dad would. When one of us decided to start a little vegetable patch in our own back yard we were excited to share our plans with our Baba. Xeno husband was proud to announce that we would be planting tomatoes and jalapeno peppers and kohlrabi. Our dad was impressed, to an extent. He wondered what kind of ψευτοκεφτέδες or fake keftedes you could make with kohlrabi, and whether or not jalapenos would lend themselves to being stuffed for yemista. He then asked which section of the garden we would reserve for the zucchini.

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Saragli or Baklava cigars

July 15, 2021July 16, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 3 Comments

Saragli or Baklava cigars are a traditional Greek syrup soaked dessert make with phyllo dough and nuts

Σαραγλί. Do you know what is arguably better than baklava, the king of Greek syrup-soaked desserts? Saragli ! Saragli (pronounced with the accent on the last syllable) are basically baklava rolled into cigar shapes, making them easy to eat with your fingers, which then requires you to lick your fingers clean of the sweet, sticky syrup the saragli are soaked in. Of course, you can always be civilized and use a fork, or a napkin. We won’t judge.

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Grilled peaches with feta and honey

July 9, 2021July 9, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ Leave a comment

Grilled peaches with feta and honey is a simple and delicious summer dessert or brunch idea

The idea of pairing fruit with feta cheese is certainly not a new one. Think of all the beautiful cheese platters you have seen; most have at least a small bundle of grapes nestled between the bries, goudas and aged cheddars. When it comes to Greek cheeses, many have discovered that the salty, sharp flavour of feta pairs deliciously with the sweetness of fruit.

A very popular fruit and feta combo is watermelon with feta, and there’s a good reason for that – it’s delicious! We have already shared two lovely watermelon and feta recipes; one which is served as small bites, perfect as passed appetizers, and the other which showcases the beauty of grilled watermelon.

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Dandelion greens and grilled bread

July 5, 2021July 5, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

An open-face sandwich of dandelion greens and grilled bread flavoured with lemon, olive oil, garlic, oregano and feta

Χόρτα με ψωμί στη σχάρα. This post for dandelions greens and grilled bread is really just a composite of two other recipes we have already posted, with some small modifications. Still, we could not not share this recipe, because this open-faced sandwich is one that we grew up on, and it is all sorts of delicious!

The concept here is simple; after dandelions greens are cooked, Greeks like to toss them with a healthy amount of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and a bit of salt and pepper. Often, that’s it! Sure you can add some dry oregano if you like, but that would usually be the extent of it.

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Spinach, arugula and strawberry salad

July 2, 2021July 2, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

A delightful summer salad made with baby spinach, fresh strawberries and tossed with a slightly sweet vinaigrette

Σαλάτα με σπανάκι, ρόκα και φράουλες. What a delightful salad this is! When we’re in full blown strawberry season, which in Quebec lands between June and October, we prepare this spinach, arugula and strawberry salad often, like every-few-days often.

We first had this salad, or something similar, at a friend’s home. In the center of the table, surrounded by all sorts of grilled meats, dips, potatoes and other salad sat a large bowl of green and red. It was the first thing to go, and almost everyone returned to get a second helping of the salad which was made with spinach and sliced strawberries. Since then we’ve seen variations at various gatherings, including those which we host.

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Grilled lamb chops

June 24, 2021June 24, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ Leave a comment

Perfect recipe for marinated and grilled lamb chops for any occasion.

Παϊδάκια αρνίσια στη σχάρα. Lamb is really a special occasion meal in our family. Perhaps this because it is so closely associated with our Pascha (Orthodox Easter) celebration (which you can read about here), and also because it tends to be a pricey meat protein option. In any case, when lamb is on the menu, you just know that both the meal and the gathering will be amazing.

Although there is a general assumption that Greeks eat a lot of lamb, in our experience this isn’t really the case. In Greece, pork tends to be a more popular meat choice because of its availability and affordability. Also, pork is delicious and makes some of the best souvlakia. Furthermore, many Greeks also follow Orthodox lent and fasting periods, during which the diet is primarily plant-based. All this means that lamb is enjoyed, but not as frequently as you might imagine.

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Traditional Greek recipes

June 22, 2021June 22, 2021 ~ miakouppa ~ 2 Comments

A compilation of 10 traditional Greek meals for anyone interested in cooking Greek food.

Παραδοσιακές ελληνικές συνταγές. Anyone interested in learning more about Greek cooking and traditional Greek recipes will welcome this post! We’ve compiled a selection of traditional Greek foods which go beyond the better known, and amazing moussaka and pastitsio (don’t worry, we’ve included those too!). We hope that this will help inspire you to make Greek main meals that you may not have heard of, but that we think you will certainly enjoy.

Traditional Greek recipes are very regional; depending upon what area of Greece you are living and eating in, recipes will vary. Our parents are from the Peloponnese, Messinia to be more exact. So, some of these recipes, and their specific preparation are specific to that area, and to our family. We hope that you will enjoy them as much as we do!

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