Greek New Years Cake (Vasilopita).

This post is a little late but hopefully you guys can try this out next New Year's!

Holiday traditions are very important to me. I love the traditions my family has created over the years, it excites to me add my creations on top of those. This tradition is the perfect end to the holiday season and a perfect way to start the new year.

The meaning of Vasilopita is to bless the home and bring good luck for the new year.  A coin is hidden within the cake before baking, then on New Year's a slice is cut for the house, all members of the family (youngest to eldest), groups and present visitors. The person who receives the slice with the coin is rewarded with good luck for the year!

Vasilopita  

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 6 eggs
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped almonds
• 1/4 powder sugar

Preheat oven to 350

Grease a 10" round cake pan

In a medium bowl with a mixer cream the butter and sugar together until light. 

Stir in the flour and mix until the mixture is well combined.

 Add in the eggs one at a time and keep well blended.  Blend in the baking powder and milk then lastly combine the lemon juice and baking soda.

Pour into the greased cake pan. 

You can either add in the coin before baking or cut a slit in the cake after baking and then hide the slit with power sugar. I am a fan of adding in the coin pre-baking. Make sure you wash/sanitize the coin, I like to wrap it foil as well.

Bake for 20 minutes

Remove and sprinkle the remaining power sugar and almonds. Bake for an additional 20 - 30 min.

Cut a piece for the home, then each member of the family starting with the youngest. If you have guests over make sure you cut a slice for them as well!

I'm sure you're curious who got the coin this year? Nick and I did!

 I cut one for each of us and "us", each member of our families and my roommate.

Here's to an amazing 2011!!

Greek Stuffed Bell Peppers.

So it's been awhile..

I have been SO busy I've been neglecting my blog! Between being swamped at work, Christmas shopping, decorating and baby shower planning I haven't posted in over a month. I guess my New Years resolution should be to post a few times a week with NO exceptions.

I've been wanting to blog more about Greek food. So after a long hiatus it only seemed appropriate I start back up with the food that holds a special place in my heart.. Greek.  I grew up eating stuffed bell peppers, naturally my Yiayia makes it best but I'm sure this will her proud

Greek Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

• 6 large bell peppers
• Between 1 - 1.5 lbs ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 can stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• salt, pepper cinnamon, seasoned breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350

Cut off stem and clean out peppers

Arrange peppers in the pan, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar in the bottom of the peppers

In a large saute' pan with a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and ground pepper lightly brown chopped onions

Add ground beef to onions and brown

After meat is browned add stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and rice, let simmer for about 10 min. If the mixture seems alittle dry add 1/2 cup of wate. Then add parsley and salt&pepper to taste. Stir mixture well

Stuff peppers with the mixture then lightly sprinkle the top with sugar and breadcrumbs

Replace caps on peppers and sprinkle with breadcrumbs

Add a 1/2 of water to the bottom the pan (so the peppers don't dry out). Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1.5 hours, then remove the foil and bake for 30-45 minutes until tops are brown and rice is soft.

opa!