From Naples, Florida: Savor the Authentic with Old World Market

I saw this recipe in Bon Appetit Magazine. The original recipe was with chard but I had some baby spinach on hand and I used it as a substitute.  I love greens and this soup is so creamy and hearty. The cheese and the yogurt make it even better. Ingredients for the soup: 2 tbsp. olive oil 1 onion, coarsely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 lb spinach, chopped 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth 1 cup parsley, chopped 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 1 tbsp. dried mint 1 tbsp.  fresh lemon juice salt and pepper to taste For the garnish: 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/2 cup mixed chopped parsley, cilantro and mint, divided 1/2 cup Feta cheese, crumbled salt and pepper to taste lemon juice (optional) Heat olive oil in the large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring often until translucent and soft (don't brown) about 7-8 min. Stir in spinach, broth, parsley, cilantro, fresh and dried...

Baklava is easy to make and is so delightful, crunchy and sweet. No doubt it's one of the most popular desserts in the Middle Eastern and Mediterranean regions. I t's simple but fabulous recipe - l ayers of phyllo dough filled with honey and walnuts. In our family my grandmother used to make this traditional baklava on special occasions as Christmas and Easter. Traditional Baklava (makes 24 pieces) Ingredients: 1 pack phyllo dough (9" x 14"), thawed 1 pound walnuts, chopped 1 cup butter, melted 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup honey 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves Zest of 1 lemon In a medium bowl, combine walnuts, sugar, honey, cinnamon, cloves and lemon zest. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan. Place sheets in the pan, butter thoroughly each sheet using a pastry brush . Repeat until you have 5-6 sheets layered. Spoon on a thin layer of the nut mixture. Cover with 2-3 more sheets of phyllo, brushi...

It's Cookie Season! These Mascarpone cheese cookies topped with your favorite jam are so soft and delicious. The cookie dough is easy to make and Mascarpone cheese adds richness and tenderness to the cookies. Ingredients (for about 3 dozen cookies): 1 stick unsalted butter, brought to room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 egg 1 tsp Vanilla extract 1/2 cup softened Mascarpone cheese 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt Jam of your choice Directions: Beat together the butter and sugar until light, then add the egg and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Add the Mascarpone cheese, and beat until smooth. Sift together the dry ingredients, and fold them into the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate 1 hour.   Preheat oven to 325 F. On a lightly floured counter or board, roll the dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Using the end of a wooden spoon, create an indentation in the ...

Saganaki refers to various dishes prepared in Greek cuisine and is named after the single-serving frying pan in which it is cooked.  Saganaki is very easy to make but you will need good Greek hard cheese as Kefalograviera or Kasseri. For 4 servings: 8 slices of Kefalograviera or Kasseri cheese. Cut the cheese into strips 2" wide and 1/2" thick olive oil for frying flour to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 lemons cut into wedges Place strips one by one under cold water, tap and coat lightly with flour, set aside until you have dredged all the strips. Pour enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of a large frying pan and heat until hot. Lay the slices of cheese side by side in the pan. Make sure the cheese slices don't touch each other. Fry the cheese, turn once until golden brown on both sides. The cheese will only need about 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove the fried cheese from the pan, place on a paper towel to drain th...