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voula_slat

Active member
I am putting together a menu for a New Year's Eve gathering I am hosting for my family. Thought it would be fun to do it in a dinner party style. Any suggestions? It looks like a lot of food but I predict about 50-60 people. Here's what I am thinking:

Appetizers

Spanakaopita
Vegetable platter with Hummus
Keftedes

Dinner

Pastitsio
Lamb and Potatoes
Fasolakia
Salad

Dessert

Baklava
Vasilopita (cake-style


Should I add or subtract anything? Do I need more dessert? I'll probably set some fruit out for the dessert.
 
I know that NYE is over! But figured I'd chime in now anyway. I didn't see this in time. Let us know how your party went!

I think your menu looks like a lot of work. Lots of time consuming things on the list. For example, do you need both keftedes and spanakopita? Can you maybe buy the spanakopita? As a host, the menu looks like a lot of work unless you're outsourcing or having family members bring some of the dishes.

Let me know your thoughts...
 

Do you ever mix traditional Greek recipes with modern twists?

I grew up cooking traditional Greek food. All the recipes in my kitchen are ones that have been passed down through my family.

I still make them exactly as they were written most of the time, but every now and then, I can’t help experimenting a little. I’ll swap ingredients, lighten things up, or try a more modern cooking method just to see how it turns out.

The funny thing is, even when the newer versions taste amazing, there’s still something about the old recipes that feels different. Maybe it’s the memories attached to them, such as the smells, the sounds, the people around the table.

I’m curious how others feel about this. Do you ever mix traditional Greek recipes with modern twists? Do you think it changes the soul of the dish, or do you see it as keeping our food culture alive and evolving?

Avgolemono Soup - Rice or Orzo?

I’ve been making avgolemono for years, but I recently noticed how divided people are on one simple choice: rice or orzo.

I grew up eating it with rice, and I love how it thickens the broth slightly and makes the soup feel like comfort in a bowl. But I’ve also tried versions with orzo that feel a bit lighter and silkier — almost like a cross between soup and pasta.

Some recipes swear by short-grain rice for that creamy texture, while others argue orzo gives better control so the eggs don’t curdle. I’ve even seen a few cooks skip both and make a pure broth version!

So I’m curious, which do you use, and why? Is it a regional thing, a family tradition, or just personal taste?

My Spanakopita Got Soggy - Help!

I’ve been making spanakopita for years, and it usually turns out perfectly crisp and golden, but the last two times, it came out soggy, especially on the bottom. The only thing I changed was the spinach brand. I started using a different baby spinach that looked really fresh, but I’m starting to wonder if that’s the culprit.

I sautéed and drained it like always, but it still seemed to release more liquid than usual once the pie baked. Could this be because baby spinach has a higher water content? Or maybe the new brand is prewashed and holding too much moisture? If this is really it, what do I do?

What Are You Baking This Holiday Season?

Every holiday season, my kitchen fills with the smell of butter, honey, and toasted nuts, it’s not Christmas without a tray (or three!) of melomakarona and kourabiedes cooling on the counter. I still remember rolling them by hand with my yiayia and dusting everything in sugar until the whole room sparkled.

Now that I bake on my own, I’ve started adding little twists, a drizzle of dark chocolate on the melomakarona, or orange zest in the dough. Some years I even make tsoureki for the holidays instead of waiting for Easter.

I’m curious — what are your Greek holiday baking traditions? Do you stay loyal to the classic recipes, or try modern variations? Any family stories behind your favorite sweets? I’d love to hear what’s in your oven this season and which recipes you can’t celebrate without.

How do you cook okra without it turning slimy?

I grew up eating bamies all summer long in Greece, and it’s still one of my favorite dishes, especially when cooked with onions, tomatoes, and a touch of olive oil. But even after years of making it here in the U.S., I can’t seem to find a consistent way to keep the okra from turning slimy. Sometimes it comes out perfect, tender and flavorful with no stickiness, and other times it gets that slippery texture no matter what I do.

I’ve heard different tricks over the years: soaking in vinegar, roasting before stewing, not stirring too much, or using smaller pods. But none of them seem to work every time.

For those of you who also love traditional Greek bamies, what’s your secret? Is it all about the freshness of the okra, or is there a step in the cooking process that really makes the difference?
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