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blopez34

Active member
I bumped into a recipe called "Cretan Spice Cookies" but I think others also call them "Greek Spice Cookies"...

Anyway, I ate them recently somewhere and I found a recipe. I am questioning the ingredients. Why milk? Also, there's no eggs?

1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup warm milk
2 t baking soida
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground cloves
6 cups flour
 
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I bumped into a recipe called "Cretan Spice Cookies" but I think others also call them "Greek Spice Cookies"...

Anyway, I ate them recently somewhere and I found a recipe. I am questioning the ingredients. Why milk? Also, there's no eggs?

1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup warm milk
2 t baking soida
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground cloves
6 cups flour
I am questioning the milk in the recipe. I think of these also as "olive oil cookies". I would consider omitting the milk and using freshly squeezed orange juice instead. if you do that, I would reduce the sugar to maybe 1/3 of a cup or 1/2 of a cup.
 
I bumped into a recipe called "Cretan Spice Cookies" but I think others also call them "Greek Spice Cookies"...

Anyway, I ate them recently somewhere and I found a recipe. I am questioning the ingredients. Why milk? Also, there's no eggs?

1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup warm milk
2 t baking soida
1 t ground cinnamon
1 t ground cloves
6 cups flour
Hi! I'm not sure about the milk, either, but I have a recipe from my Yiayia called Ladokouloura, which are cinnamon cookies. She would make them during Lent, so they're vegan and don't have any eggs or milk. Here's a link to my recipe, if you'd like to give them a try!
 

My Family’s Keftedes Recipe

Keftedes are one of those foods that always remind me of family gatherings. Everyone seems to make them a little differently, but this is the basic version my family has always used.

For about a pound of ground beef, we add one small grated onion, a handful of chopped fresh parsley, a little fresh mint, one egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, oregano, and a small splash of red wine vinegar. Sometimes we add a little grated garlic as well.

The important part is mixing everything well and then letting the mixture sit in the refrigerator for a little while before shaping the keftedes. We make them fairly small, roll them lightly in flour, and fry them in olive oil until browned on the outside and cooked through.

We usually serve them with lemon, potatoes, salad, or tzatziki.

How does your family make keftedes? I’m especially curious about which herbs and seasonings everyone uses. Thought I'd share!

What herbs do you use when making Greek stuffed zucchini?

I've been thinking about making Greek stuffed zucchini (kolokithakia gemista), and I'm curious about which herbs everyone uses in the filling. I've seen quite a few variations, and it seems like the combination of herbs can really influence the overall flavor of the dish.

Some recipes use plenty of fresh dill and parsley, while others include mint or even a little oregano. I've also noticed that some people add green onions for extra flavor. I'm wondering whether certain herbs are considered more traditional, especially when making stuffed zucchini with rice and ground meat.

Do you use a combination of herbs, or do you prefer to keep the seasoning fairly simple? Does your family have a particular recipe that has been passed down through generations?

I'm especially interested in how the herbs complement the avgolemono sauce. What combination do you think gives Greek stuffed zucchini the best flavor?

How does your family season dolmades?

I’ve been thinking about how much dolmades can vary from one family to another, especially when it comes to seasoning. Even when the basic ingredients are similar, the flavor can be completely different depending on which herbs and spices are used.

How does your family season dolmades? Do you use mostly dill and parsley, or do you add mint as well? I’ve also seen recipes that include green onions, oregano, or even a little cinnamon, especially when meat is part of the filling.

I’m curious whether you season the rice mixture pretty heavily before rolling the grape leaves or keep it simple and let the lemon and olive oil provide most of the flavor. Does your family add lemon juice directly to the filling, or only during cooking and serving?

I’d especially love to hear about any regional or family traditions. What gives your dolmades their distinctive flavor?

Greek cooking without a recipe?

I've been thinking about how much traditional Greek cooking relies on instinct rather than following exact recipes. Some of the Greek dishes I learned to make were taught to me by feel, with someone showing me what to do rather than measuring everything out.

I actually enjoy cooking this way, but I've noticed that it can make certain dishes difficult to recreate consistently! Sometimes everything comes together perfectly, and other times I wonder what I did differently.

I'm curious how others approach this. Did you learn Greek cooking by watching your yiayia, mother, or other relatives? Do you measure ingredients, or do you just know when something looks, smells, or tastes right?

Do You Make Avgolemono Thick or Brothy?

I usually prefer avgolemono somewhere in the middle. I don’t like it so thick that it feels almost like a cream soup, but I also don’t want it completely thin and brothy. For me, the best version has enough egg and lemon to give the broth some body while still keeping it light.

A lot probably depends on what kind of avgolemono you’re making, too. In chicken soup, I like it a little more brothy because I want the rice or orzo and chicken to still stand out. With something like lahanodolmades, I don’t mind the avgolemono sauce being thicker because it is coating the food rather than serving as the soup itself.

The lemon level matters just as much as the thickness. I like enough lemon to make it bright and noticeable, but not so much that it overwhelms everything else. I think balance is really the key.
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