OREO-CHOCOLATE-STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM CAKE

Totally awesome ice cream cake!

      I made this cake for my daughter's birthday party and it was a hit! So pretty and easy and makes an excellent summer birthday cake!

       You have to try it! So delicious!  I found the recipe at:

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/easy-celebration-ice-cream-75140.aspx









What You Need:

• 24 OREO Cookies, divided
• 2 cups strawberry ice cream, softened
• 2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
• 2 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
• 2 Tbsp. hot fudge ice cream topping

How to make it:

LINE 9-inch round pan with plastic wrap, with ends extending over side of pan. Stand 14 cookies around edge of pan. Crush remaining cookies. Reserve 1/2 cup crumbs for later use; sprinkle remaining crumbs onto bottom of pan. Spread strawberry ice cream over crumbs; top with 1 cup COOL WHIP and reserved crumbs. Cover with chocolate ice cream.

FREEZE 4 hours.

REMOVE dessert from freezer 10 min. before serving. Use plastic wrap handles to lift dessert from pan. Carefully peel off plastic wrap; place dessert on serving plate. Let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Top with remaining COOL WHIP; drizzle with fudge topping.    

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FRAPPE COFFEE - THE GREEK COFFEE

In Greek: ΦΡΑΠΕ, pronounced frah-PEH

      Frappé coffee is considered the national summer coffee of Greece, and is available at all cafés. It is Greek and was first introduced in 1957. It is the basis for the North American "Iced Cappucino" as well as the Anglo-European "Float" and the European "Frappuccino".
      Even though it's considered a summer drink, Greeks drink it year round.

      Frappé is a cool refresher on a hot day for all coffee lovers. It's a foam-covered iced coffee made from instant coffee, and while it can be whipped, the traditional version is shaken. Its main characteristic
is the thick frothy layer at the top of the coffee.

      It combines the cafeine boost with the enjoyment of a cool refreshing drink. It accompanies the often difficult waking up morning procedure, the studying time, working time, relaxation time and the time with friends.

All coffee lovers must try it!


What You Need

• Shaker or jar with a tight-fitting lid or drink mixer (hand mixer)
• 1 cup cold water
• Instant coffee (Nescafe is your best choice, believe me)
• Sugar (optional)
• Milk (optional)
• Ice cubes
• Straw

Here's How:

1. In a shaker or jar (with a tight-fitting lid), add 2-3 cm of cold water, 1 teaspoon of instant coffee, and sugar to taste (1 teaspoon of sugar for medium-sweet).
2. Close tightly and shake for 30 seconds or more (with the shaker), until the mixture appears to be all foam, a nice, thick foam. (15-20 seconds with an electric hand mixer)
3. Put 3-4 ice cubes in a big water glass and pour the foam into it, add cold water until the foam reaches the rim of the glass
4. Add milk if you like, stir and...
5. Serve with a straw. Enjoy!!!

Tips:

1. The purpose of shaking or mixing is to create a large amount of thick foam.. the more the better. The secret lies in the amount of water you use during shaking - little water = no thick and "rich foam" -/- too much water = foam will look like soap bubbles.
2. If you have a soda fountain-type drink mixer or a small electric drink mixer, put the ingredients in step 1 into a glass to start, create the foamy base, and then add the water, ice cubes, milk, and straw to serve.

      The recipe is very easy and can be adjusted according to one's preferences. Frappe can be sweet (1 teaspoon of coffee and 2 teaspoons of sugar) or medium sweet (1 teaspoon of coffee and 1 teaspoon of sugar) or plain (black: 1 teaspoon of coffee and no sugar). You could also use decaf instant coffee. These dosages are for a relatively light coffee, if you are a strong coffee drinker then make the coffee teaspoons 2 instead of one and adjust the sugar accordingly.

                Go ahead and shake it, baby!!!

 Watch this video on how to make your frappe coffee!




Frappe Variations

• Kahlúa, Baileys (my personal favorite), Irish Cream or other liqueurs are sometimes used for additional variation.
• Many cafes add a ball of vanilla ice-cream into their frappe instead of milk.

CHEESECAKE...my way!

MY CHEESECAKE RECIPE

LIGHT AND COOL FOR SUMMER

NO BAKING NEEDED

EASY AND QUICK

Ingredients

• 12 graham crackers, crushed (appr.)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts (or pecans if you prefer)
• 100 gr. butter melted
• 500 gr. of cream cheese - 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk  (start with 1/3 cup)               
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest  
• strawberry (blackcurrant goes excellently) jam or canned strawberry preserves
• 1 or 2 tablespoons of corn starch 
• 1 envelope of strawberry, or raspberry or any berry flavored jello            
       

Directions

1. Dissolve the jello in 1/3 (or less) of  the instructed hot   water and let it cool.
2. In a bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and finely chopped  hazelnuts with melted butter until evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of pan. Put it in the fridge while we prepare the filling. 
3. In another bowl, mix/beat the cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in the buttermilk, the vanilla extract, the lemon zest and then slowly pour in the jello while still mixing to incorporate and until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust and refrigerate again for a few hours or until the filling is firm.
4. Meanwhile simmer in a small pan the jam (or even better the canned fruit) adding a tbs of corn starch diluted in cold water. Stir continuously until sauce thickens. Let it cool.
5. Pour the sauce over the filling only when the filling is firm and cold and the sauce has cooled as well. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

               

Extra tips

• You can add fresh thinly sliced fruit on top (f.e. strawberries)
• Don't forget to stir the jello often so that it doesn't become firm before you pour it in the mixture.
• Try not to put too much butter in the crumb mixture or it will become very hard to cut.
• Don't forget corn starch dissolves in cold water!
• You could also try lemon flavored jello! Along with the blackcurrants you get this awesome sweet and sour taste! Try it!
• You could also bake the crumb mixture for 10-15 minutes for extra baked taste.
• I'm not very fond of gelatin but you could use it if you're having "firmness" problems. Just don't forget the trick is to add it to cold liquid, leave it to soak until spongy and then stand the bowl in a frying pan of simmering water until the gelatin becomes clear.

However you do it, I hope it turns out tasty and WOW!
It sure is our family's favorite summer dessert!

                                          BON APPETIT,
                                                       KALE OREXE!!!!

FAKES - LENTIL SOUP

LENTIL SOUP (FAKES)

     Here's a (long-time promised) recipe of a favorite Greek soup called Fakes which basically is a lentil soup. It is a very easy recipe!

     It is traditionally made with small green-brown lentils and is usually made with tomatoes (tomato sauce) but can be cooked without them if you don't like them.

 

Cook Time: 1 hour or so (it's only about 10-15 min in the pressure cooker)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of small lentils, rinsed
• 1 pound of ripe tomatoes, pureed or a can of tomato sauce
• 4 1/4 cups of water (more or less depending on your preference- thick soup or not)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1-2 chopped carrots
• salt
• ground pepper
• red wine vinegar

 

Preparation:
 

In a heavy bottomed pot (or the pressure cooker), add the oil and  saute the onions and garlic (for 1 minute) . Then add the water, tomatoes, bay leaves and carrots. Bring to a boil over medium heat and add the lentils, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 1 hour or so, or until lentils are done. I remind you that the pressure cooker doesn't usually require more than 10-15 min. Remove from the heat and take out the bay leaves.

Serve in a deep dish and add, if you like, a tablespoon of vinegar to your serving. It adds to the taste. Of course, accompany it with fresh (bakery) bread and feta cheese!

To prepare without tomatoes: Leave out tomatoes, and increase the water to 5 1/2 cups.


                         ΚΑΛΗ ΟΡΕΞΗ!

                                                         KALI OREXI!
                                                                                    BON APPETIT!

BEAN SOUP - FASSOLATHA

     In Greek: φασολάδα, say: fah-soh-LAH-thah

     Fassolatha has been around since ancient Greek times. and it is the national dish of Greece. It is usually cooked with tomato even though it tastes good without it, too. It is served with bread, feta cheese (except during Lent and periods of fasting), and black olives.
Some people accompany it with a few slices of raw onion!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of dried beans (Great Northern work well)
• water
• 1 cup of olive oil
• ground black pepper
• 2/3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2-3 stalks of celery chopped
• 1-2 small hot red peppers to taste (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/3 cup tomato sauce
• 1 medium onion diced

CHICKEN &POTATOES WITH LEMON AND OREGANO

                  

CHICKEN AND POTATOES WITH LEMON AND OREGANO

     Well, today being a Sunday the day calls for a meal with meat. This is a common and easy dish and I thought I'd share the recipe with you!


Ingredients:


a whole chicken or pieces (f.e. thighs and breasts) depends
on how many will eat
some potatoes (again it depends on the number of
people)
a couple or more of garlic cloves (we love our garlic in
Greece!)
oregano
salt/pepper
lemon juice (from two or three lemons)
olive oil about a cup
(Try not to use the extra virgin olive oil, it misses
richness of taste. We use good quality olive oil,
rarely the virgin kind, never the extra virgin!)


Execution


Start by cleaning the meat from excess fat (as you see I have removed the skin, too, even though it's sooooo tasty. Occasionally I leave it on).


Peel and cut the potatoes into small wedges. Throw them in the oven dish and season them with salt, pepper and oregano. Add the olive oil. Mix them using your hands, yes, cooking means getting your hands dirty, feeling the food.


Then add one by one the pieces of meat getting oil on both their sides and seasoning them with salt, pepper and oregano (on both sides).


Finally, add the garlic cloves thinly sliced and scattered in the oven dish and pour over it the lemon juice. I tend to add 1/2 cup of water, as well. It's ready for the oven!

      I baked it (or roasted?) for about 45 minutes to an hour at 180 degrees Celsius (that's 356 degrees Fahrenheit).


    Also, I cooked some rice as well. I used the yellow parboiled kind and for one cup of rice you need to use two cups of water and so on (and some oil). I usually use vegetable or chicken broth that I have saved in the freezer, it makes rice so much tastier. You could also use chicken,beef or vegetable bouillon cubes as well. Bring to a boil and then put the lid on and simmer for about 20 minutes. You shouldn't need to strain the rice.