Procedure
In a large heavy pot, heat the ground almonds, sugar,
water, and orange flower water.
Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture no longer
sticks to the bottom and sides of the pan, 5 to 8 minutes.
Let cool slightly, then wetting your fingers with
orange flower water, take tablespoonfuls and shape the biscuits to form small
pears about 11/2 inches high. Keep the mixture covered while you work because
it dries out quickly.
Sprinkle the biscuits with confectioners' sugar until
they are completely covered.
(Chef's note: There are many varieties of amygdalota.
In some, the ground almonds are mixed with flour, butter, or eggs and baked. In
others, the cookies are not baked at all; the almonds are mixed with rosewater,
then shaped and left to dry a little before being dredged in confectioners'
sugar. Almond cookies that use no butter or eggs are one of our many Lenten
sweets, which Greeks prepare especially on Clean Monday, the first day of Lent.
Best Salad Dressing
1 ripe
avocado
1 rib celery
1 small tomato
1 small cucumber
1 tsp. distilled water
Blend all ingredients in blender, adding
just enough water to make a puree.
Vegetable soup
3 large potatoes
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 small onion, sliced thin
pepper
2 tbsps. Rice
2 tbsps. Tomato paste
3 carrots
1 tsp. salt
2 cups tomatoes (I use diced)
2 cups water
chopped parsley
Prepare vegetables and cut in cubes of
uniform size. Cook celery and onions slowly in 2 tbsps. Water for ten
minutes. Add remaining ingredients and boil until vegetables are soft
(about 1 hour). Add more water if needed. This should be a thick soup.
I will also do this one in the crock pot
(just throw everything in). But you have to watch it carefully because it
is a very thick soup. Freezes well, too!!!
Pistou
1 zucchini diced
1 small potato peeled and diced
1 shallot diced
1 carrot diced
8 oz can chopped tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup thin green beans cut into 1/2 in. pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup small pasta shapes
4-6 tbsps. Pesto
1 tbsp. sundried tomato paste
salt and pepper
Place the first five ingredients in a
large stockpot. Add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a
boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the green beans, peas, and
pasta. Cook for 10 minutes longer, until the pasta is tender. Taste the
soup and adjust seasoning if necessary. Mix together sundried tomato paste
and pesto. Stir into each serving.
Vegetarian Chili (this is not
a thick chili)
3 cloves garlic minced
2 14 1/2 oz cans stewed tomatoes
1 12 oz. can beer or non-alcoholic beer
1 cup water
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3-4 tsps. Chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsps. Dijon style mustard
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
1 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini or yellow summer squash
I do this one in the crock pot, too.
Just toss everything in and cook! This is good with the corn bread
Spanakorizo (Spinach
Rice)
10 cups fresh, cleaned packed
spinach (3 bunches)
6-8 green onions
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup rice plus 1 tablespoon
Thoroughly wash spinach, drain,
and set aside. In a large pot, heat water and sauté onions in water. Add
spinach and simmer for 5 minutes with a spoon until the spinach is wilted.
Add dill, parsley, tomatoes, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Add
rice... cover and reduce heat. Cook for 20 minutes or until rice is done.
Asian Style Spaghetti
8 ounces spaghetti
4 teaspoons sesame oil
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz Tiger Shrimp
Cayenne Pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Cook pasta as directed. Oil
large skillet or wok, fry shrimp, pepper, green onion, and garlic for 5
minutes. Add drained pasta. Mix soy sauce & sugar together, poor over
pasta & fry for 2 additional minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before
serving. Serve with Sesame Bread Sticks.
* Good as a Chilled Pasta Salad
too!
Juddra
(Lentils with Rice)
1 cup uncooked lentils
4 cups water
1 large onion chopped
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 tbs. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 tbs. lemon juice
Rinse lentils and put into a
heavy saucepan with water. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat 15
minutes. Add the chopped onion and rice. Cover and cook 20-25 minutes
until rice and lentils are cooked, stirring occasionally. Add salt and
pepper and lemon. Serve on a platter. Optional: on a wine and oil day,
sauté the onions in oil before adding it to the lentils.
Barbecue Baked
Lentils (from Cooking Light 2001)
3 cups water
2 cups (1 lb.)
dried brown lentils
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1 cup diced onion
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup maple syrup (the real stuff)
1/4 cup prepared mustard
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 350. Combine water,
lentils and 1/4 tsp. salt in large saucepan. Bring to boil; cover, reduce
heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes. Drain lentils in colander over a
bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Combine lentils and diced onion in
baking dish. Combine 1/4 tsp. salt, reserved cooking liquid (plus additional
water to total 1 cup), ketchup and remaining six ingredients. Pour ketchup
mixture over lentil mixture, stirring to combine. Bake at 350 for one hour.
(Yield, 8 servings, 3/4 cup each)
Low-Fat Shrimp Scampi
2 pounds large unpeeled shrimp
(about 48 total)
3 tablespoons Smart Balance margarine
3 chopped roma tomatoes (or 1 cup chopped red bell pepper)
8 (or more) crushed garlic cloves
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 tsp. dried parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper
1 lb. pkg. of angel hair pasta, cooked and hot
Line large baking dish with foil. Peel
shrimp. Cut each down the back but not through the underside, leaving the
tail portion intact. Place shrimp on foil, closely together. Melt Smart
Balance in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic (and bell pepper, if using);
sauté 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and remove from heat after 1 minute. Stir
in wine, parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Spoon mixture over shrimp.
Broil for about 6 minutes, until shrimp is done. Serve over angel hair
pasta. (Yield, about 6 generous servings)
Hummus (our favorite)
1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans (reserve juice)
1 1/4 tablespoons Tahini (can be bought in most grocery stores... looks
like peanut butter)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 large garlic clove
1/2 tsp. salt
Heat beans over medium heat until they come to a
boil. Reserve juice. Put beans and next 4 ingredients in a food processor
or blender. Slowly add juice from beans (not all the juice). Blend until
creamy and very smooth. Place in a bowl... serve with pita bread, French
bread, or any bread!!!
If you have a
favorite lenten recipe that you would like to share with others please send
the recipe in an e-mail to:
Father John:
or,
WebMaster
Instructions
