Savory Corn Crumble with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The stars must have been aligned. The butternut squash I'd purchased for the holiday was never used and still sitting in the vegetable bin of my refrigerator. Rather than repeat the same ol' same ol', I went searching for something new and found Ivy Liacopoulou's recipe, Savory Corn Crumble with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta, on her blog Kopiaste...to Greek Hospitality. Those of you who enjoy the food of Greece and Cyprus should visit her blogs and browse through her cookbooks. I have good reason to suspect you won't be disappointed. I never have been. This recipe combines savory fall ingredients and tops them with a crumble that you will love. The dish is gluten free and it makes a vegetarian meal that's perfect for Meatless Monday or toting to holiday gatherings. If you like the gutsy flavors of the Mediterranean I think you will really enjoy this casserole. Here's how Ivy makes this savory meal.

This sponsorship is brought to you by GLAM Media who we have partnered with for this promotion.

Savory Corn Crumble with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta, recipe by Ivy Liacopoulou of Kopiaste…to Greek Hospitality

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour
Serves: 1 baking dish (about 12 pieces)
Ingredients:
Filling:

• 2 lbs butternut Squash, grated
• 1 lbs spinach, squeezed
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 lbs feta, crumbled
• ½ cup parsley, finely chopped
• ½ cup fennel fronds, finely chopped
• Salt (with caution) and freshly grated black pepper
• A pinch of cumin

Crumble:

• 1.5 lbs corn meal
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 200 ml Greek yogurt 2%
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp salt

Additional ingredients:

• 3 tbsp margarine divided (to grease the baking tin and to add on top)

Directions:

1. Grate the pumpkin and mix all the filling ingredients.
2. In a large bowl add the crumble ingredients and mix using your hand until the ingredients are well blended to form the crumble. If you still see corn meal, add more olive oil, if necessary.
3. Grease a 35 x 25 cm baking tin with 2 tbsp margarine. Add half of the crumble on the baking tin.
4. Add the filling on top and sprinkle the remaining crumble on top of the filling.
5. Add the remaining margarine in small pieces scattered all over the baking tin.
6. Preheat oven to 180o C / 350o F and bake for about 1 hour or until the crumble is golden on top.

Serve as a main dish, a side dish or a snack.

Greek Lemon Yogurt Mousse

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I know it's anathema to speak of light desserts at this time of year, but I sometimes feel the need for something that will refresh, rather than weigh down the palate. This lovely mousse was developed by Chef Nick Malgieri and it's included in his book Perfect Light Desserts. The recipe is as simple as it is light, and it will end even heavy winter meals on a bright note. The mousse is easy to make, but I wanted to alert you to some anomalies in the recipe. While they are beaten forever, the eggs whites don't form a true meringue and will look more like marshmallow creme than an Italian meringue. It is also important to beat them only until the sides of the pan in which they simmered are cool to the touch. The gelatin can coagulate if the mixture is beaten for too long a time. I, by the way, think there is too much gelatin in the original recipe. While I've cut back to 2 teaspoons when I prepare this for my family, the recipe below is the one originally developed by Nick Malgieri. The mousse is delicious as is, but berries of any type are a lovely accompaniment. I serve it with candied cranberries during the holiday season. So, if you've had one too many cookies or can't look another piece of fruitcake in the eye, I hope you'll try this dessert. Here's the recipe.

Greek Lemon Yogurt Mousse...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nick Malgieri

Ingredients:
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
1 envelope (about 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup eggs whites (from 4 or 5 large eggs)
Pinch of salt
3/4 cup sugar
6 to 8 serving vessels (glasses, ramekins, etc.)

Directions:
1) Combine yogurt, zest, juice, and extract in a small bowl. Whisk together and set aside.
2) To a separate small bowl, add water. Sprinkle gelatin on top and set aside.
3) Fill a medium saucepan halfway with water. Boil over medium heat. Meanwhile, to the bowl of a stand mixer, add egg whites, salt, and sugar, stirring gently to combine. Once water is boiling, carefully lower stand mixer bowl into saucepan. Whisk gently until sugar is dissolved and eggs are near-scalding to the touch. Remove bowl from pan.
4) Scrape gelatin into egg mixture and whisk quickly and thoroughly to combine.
5) Secure bowl to your stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whip egg mixture at medium-high speed until the outside of the bowl is totally cool to the touch. (This took me about 8 minutes.) Once this occurs, add yogurt mixture. Continue whipping a few more seconds, until it's all combined.
6) Divide mixture among serving vessels and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Serve cold, with berries if they are available. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.








One Year ago Today: Quick and Crusty Hard Rolls
















Two Years Ago Today: Sauteed Christmas Peppers

Yiaourtopita - Greek Lemon and Yogurt Pound Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We've been sharing Turkish meze (appetizers) with friends who also enjoy large meals made from a variety of small plate dishes. I'm by nature a grazer and love the variety that's possible when meals are built this way, but I always have a problem deciding how to end them. The classic dessert choices would be fresh fruit or pudding, but local fruit is in short supply at this time of year and not all our guests would appreciate pudding at the end of a meal. While trying to puzzle what I'd serve, I came across a recipe for a Greek pound cake that was developed by Lynn Livanos Athan. It sounded delicious and I thought it would be a perfect finale to our meze plate supper. The cake is kissed with lemon and made with yogurt, so I thought it would be moist and tender as well as tasty. Fortunately, it did not disappoint. The cake comes together quickly and the only caution I have to share with you involves the yogurt used to prepare it. Use full fat Greek yogurt and drain it for at least 30 minutes before adding it to the batter. That precaution will help prevent the cake from becoming gummy. While the cake can be served with fresh fruit, it also works well as a stand-alone. If you are looking for a new recipe for pound cake you might want to give this version a try. It's very nice and I think you will enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Yiaourtopita - Greek Lemon and Yogurt Pound Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Lynn Livanos Athan

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, plus 2 whites
2 cups plain yogurt (preferably Greek-style strained yogurt)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Grated zest of 1 large lemon
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions:
1) Measure 2 cups yogurt into a fine mesh strainer. Allow to drain for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.
2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter a 12 cup bundt or tube pan.
3) Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.
4) Using a mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and continue to mix for about 5 minutes longer. Add whole eggs and egg whites and continue beating at medium speed until the mixture is creamy and smooth.
5) With mixer on low speed , add flour and yogurt to batter, alternating between each. As soon as the flour and yogurt are completely mixed in, turn off the mixer. Over mixing will cause cake to be tough. Stir in vanilla and lemon zest. Spoon batter into prepared pan.
6) Lower oven heat to 350 degrees F. Bake cake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting on to a plate. When cool, dust with confectioners' sugar. Yield: 12 to 16 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Pumpkin Pancakes with Orange Caramel Sauce













Two Years Ago Today: Budapest Coffee Cake

Crock-Pot Greek-Style Beef Stew

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...As you know, stifado is a Greek stew. It can be made with rabbit, hare or beef and it's slowly simmered with a quantity of onions until the cubed meat is meltingly tender. The stew is both sweet and sour and is fairly unique in the spices that are used to flavor it. The dish I'm featuring tonight is Greek-like. I would never claim it to be authentic and I don't want to become embroiled in arguments waged by those who believe theirs to be the definitive stew. I've combined stew meat, pearl onions and tomatoes in a slow cooker and seasoned them with cinnamon, allspice and cloves to produce a stew that becomes Greek-like when topped with feta cheese and walnuts. This is a no fuss dinner and once the meat and onions have been browned, it is a meal that takes care of itself. The recipe I used was was developed by Lynn Alley, and the only change I've made to it, is to use a bit more garlic and add a small amount of vinegar at the end of cooking. Those of you who love to use the crock-pot or slow cooker will love this recipe. Those of you who do not can achieve the same results by braising the stew in a 250 degree F. oven for 6 to 7 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Either way, you'll have a wonderful family meal that is delicious when served with rice and a salad. The recipe calls for a bouquet garni. Remember you can use a coffee filter rather than cheesecloth to hold the herbs and spices in place. Here's the recipe.

Crock-Pot Greek-Style Beef Stew...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Lynn Alley

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
2 pounds boneless beef stew meat or top round steak, trimmed or fat and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks across the grain
24 white pearl onions, trimmed
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup hearty red wine
3 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks (4-inch)
4 cloves garlic, smashed flat
8 whole cloves
4 allspice berries
Kitchen twine (for bouquet garni)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 pound feta cheese, crumbled, for serving
3/4 cup coarsely broken walnut pieces, for serving
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley, for serving

Directions:
1) In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1-1/2 tablespoons oil until very hot. While it is heating, combine flour, salt and pepper in a large zipper-top plastic bag. Add beef chunks to bag and shake until well coated. Add half of beef to hot oil and brown on all sides, for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium or large slow cooker. Repeat browning with remaining 1-1/2 tablespoons oil and remaining beef. Transfer to slow cooker.
2) Add onions to skillet and brown slightly, stirring, over medium-high heat. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate, bringing them to room temperature after 2 1/2 hours.
3) Using same pan, add tomatoes, their juice and wine and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits stuck to pan. Pour into cooker.
4) Make a bouquet garni of bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, garlic, cloves and allspice berries by wrapping them in cheesecloth or a coffee filter and tying bundle with kitchen twine; submerge into the stew. Cover and cook on low for 3-3 1/2 hours.
5) At three hour mark, add room-temperature onions, cover and continue to cook on low until the meat is tender, another 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Remove bouquet garni, stir in vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently so as not to break up onions. Serve topped with feta cheese, walnuts and parsley. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mushroom Bourguignon - Elle's New England Kitchen
Coffee and Chili Braised Pot Roast - Cara's Cravings
Crock-Pot Vegetarian Chili - Spice Opolis
Sunday Suppers: Cassoulet - Stacey Snacks
Beer Stew - Food and Whine
Crock-Pot Southwestern Sausage and Hominy Stew - One Perfect Bite

Dolmas - Stuffed Grape Leaves - Daring Cooks Challenge

Photo Courtesy of Budget Bytes - Creative Commons Attribution

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Isn't that a gorgeous picture? I must tell you up front that it's not my photo and I'm Dolma green with envy.

I found it while doing research for the current Daring Cook's Challenge and I must explain my envy. Lori, of Lori's Lipsmaking Goodness, hosted this month's challenge and she selected Dolmas, or stuffed grape leaves, as the dish she wanted us to make. Though she gave us two wonderful recipes, which can be found here, she also gave the nod for us to do our own thing if we wished. Her only real requirement was that we roll a leaf around a filling, and that was fine by me. As a matter of fact, that's my kind of challenge. I made the meat-filled version of the rolls for my entry and thought the sauce was spectacular. I'm a big fan of tamarind and it really appealed to me. I love Dolmas, but mine are a visual disaster, more appalling than appealing, and decidedly unappetizing. As luck would have it, the batch I made for the challenge looked especially bad and my photo, as you can see, would do nothing to improve my reputation as a photographer, much less entice guests to my table.

While searching for ways to visually save and plate my Dolmas I came across this feature at Budget Bytes. Beth's recipe was great, but her photos are what really caught my eye. They were stunning and her Dolmas really looked appealing. It was too late to salvage the ones I'd made, but I finally found a way to make the next batch look pretty. I suspect our guests will be seeing Dolmas in their futures. I really learned something from this challenge. Thank you, Lori. Thank you, Beth.




You might also enjoy these recipes:
Moussaka - Surfing the World Cuisine
Avgolemono - The Mommy Porch
Greek Style Chicken - Living the Gourmet
Fasolada (Greek Navy Bean Soup) - Elly Says Opa
Cheese Saganaki - Five Star Foodie
Pastitsio - Teenie Cakes

Zucchini Fritters

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Zucchini and fruit cake have one thing in common. They both are passed around a lot. Though we don't grow zucchini, generous friends and neighbors keep our cupboards full and we never want for it. While I've lots of recipes for zucchini, I still keep my eyes open for new or different ways in which to prepare it. That's how I happened upon this fritter recipe developed by Michael Symon. Recipes for fritters abound, but his has a Greek flair that makes it especially interesting. The addition of mint and dill and a healthy portion of feta cheese set his fritters apart from others I have tried. You will love these, but if you decide to make them there is a potential problem you should be aware of.

Watery zucchini will spoil the fritters.To avoid that, I use a potato ricer to squeeze as much liquid from them as I possibly can. If the fritter mixture is too damp, the fritters will separate while being fried and leave you with a greasy mess. While these can be made ahead of time and reheated, I don't recommend doing that. My preference is to serve them freshly fried and hot. They can be served with Greek yogurt, or tzatziki if you prefer. They are a bit of work to assemble, but the fritters are delicious and worth the effort. Here's the recipe.

Zucchini Fritters...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Michael Symon

Ingredients:
2 pounds zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1-1/2 tablespoon chopped dill
1 large scallion, white and green parts sliced thinly on the bias
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup (4-oz.) feta cheese, roughly chopped
1 egg
3 tablespoons flour
Canola oil for frying
Optional:
Tzatziki
Greek yogurt
Fresh dill, to garnish
Additional lemon zest, to garnish

Directions:
1) Grate zucchini onto a clean kitchen towel using the large holes of a box grater. Sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. Wring as much liquid out of the zucchini as possible, discarding liquid. I use a potato ricer for this task.
2) In a medium bowl, combine zucchini, mint, dill, scallion, garlic, lemon zest, pepper and feta. Stir in egg and flour and mix until well combined.
3) Heat enough canola oil in a pan over medium high heat to come halfway up sides of fritters. Form fritters, using 1/4 cup measure, and place gently into hot oil. Fry, turning once, until fritters are golden brown on each side, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels for a minute. Plate and garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt or tzatziki, fresh dill and lemon zest. Yield: 8 fritters.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Zucchini Gratin - One Perfect Bite
Stuffed Zucchini Slices - Sugar Crafter
Zucchini Carrot Muffins - Real Mom Kitchen
Zucchini and Carrot Soup - Tobias Cooks
Zucchini-Pineapple Muffins - Kahakai Kitchen
Zucchini Pancakes - Delicious Dishings
Zucchini Bread - Fresh4Five

Pastitsio - Lamb and Eggplant Casserole

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Casseroles are a bit like life. They're not always pretty, they can be messy and full of surprises, but when all is said and done, they are enormously satisfying. Casseroles have been with us since women began tending pots suspended over fire, but the idea of the casserole as a one-dish meal was initiated in America during the Great Depression. They became really popular in the 1950's when new materials for cooking appeared on the market and advertisers began touting the virtues of one-dish meals that freed women from kitchen drudgery. They remained popular through the 1970's but fell into disfavor as diner's became more sophisticated and diet conscious. I still have several casseroles in my permanent recipe rotation, but today's recipe was a test run. My family will be visiting in August and our two oldest grandsons are beginning to display symptoms of, what we call, "hollow leg syndrome" - they are always hungry. I like to have a casserole or two available to supplement regular meals while they're here. I'd seen this recipe in Gourmet magazine years ago. I clipped it because it was so much lighter than my version of this Greek classic. Pastitsio is a Greek casserole that contains layers of macaroni and chopped meat that are topped with a cream sauce. I made it this evening and must say I found it to be a nice, but not great, casserole. I expected more from this multi-step recipe than it could deliver. None of the steps are hard, but this is not a dish that you can throw together in minutes. I expect recipes this involved to be great and it missed the mark. I am, however, going to keep and recommend the recipe because it is a nice alternative to lasagna when you have a crowd to feed. Here's the recipe. You be the judge.

Pastitsio - Lamb and Eggplant Casserole...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
Lamb Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground lamb
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (28- to 32-oz) can crushed tomatoes
Cheese Sauce
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 garlic clove
1 whole clove
1/2 lb feta, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large eggs
Pasta
10 ounces penne (3 cups)

Directions:
1) To make lamb sauce: Cook onion in oil in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add lamb and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, salt, oregano, cinnamon, sugar, and pepper and sauté, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in eggplant and tomatoes and gently simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is just tender, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2) To make cheese sauce: While lamb is simmering, melt butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in milk and add garlic clove and whole clove, then bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Add feta, salt, and pepper and cook, whisking vigorously, until cheese is well incorporated. Remove from heat. Discard garlic clove and whole clove. Beat eggs in a large bowl and gradually add sauce to eggs, whisking.
3) To make pasta: Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, then drain in a colander. Toss half of pasta with lamb sauce and half with cheese sauce.
4) To assemble pastitsio: Pour pasta with lamb sauce into a wide shallow 3-quart baking dish, spreading evenly. Spoon pasta with cheese sauce on top, spreading evenly. Bake pastitsio, uncovered, in middle of oven until bubbling and top is golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Moroccan Shepherd's Pie - One Perfect Bite
Arroz con Pollo - One Perfect Bite
Microwave: Smoked Sausage Casserole - One Perfect Bite
Cheesy Squash and Tomato Casserole - Sugar and Spice by Celeste
Spinach Macaroni Casserole - Served with Love
Pierogi Casserole - Neo-Homesteading

Lamb and Feta Patties with Red Pepper Relish

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I so wish you could have joined us at the table tonight. It was a simple burger supper, but one so packed with flavor that I know you'd have enjoyed it. With an assist from a recipe that appeared in an old issue of Gourmet magazine, I was able to fashion Greek-inspired lamb patties with a pepper relish so delicious that I guarantee one bite would have your socks going up and down. Really. These burgers are that good. While I rarely add anything other than salt and pepper to beef burgers, I have no problem using cheese and herbs and spices to take other meat patties to new levels. Fortunately, I still had ground lamb that had been sent to me by the folks at Lava Lake Ranch and this gave me the opportunity to use their ground lamb in a worthy application. While there is some chopping involved, these burgers are very easy to do and can be assembled hours before serving. The relish can actually be made several days before you plan to use it. While I served our burgers on warm pita bread, good buns would also work here. I know you'll like these. Here's the recipe.

Lamb and Feta Patties with Red Pepper Relish...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Gourmet magazine

Ingredients:
For relish
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup water
2 orange or red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/3 cup golden raisins
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
For patties
1 slice firm white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1 scallion, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
1-1/4 pound ground lamb
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 pound feta, crumbled (3/4 cup)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
1) To make relish: Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a 2-quart nonreactive heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil, uncovered, 1 minute. Add remaining relish ingredients and simmer briskly, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until peppers and apple are tender, about 25 minutes.
2) To make patties: Preheat broiler. Pulse bread, scallion, garlic, and mint in a food processor until finely chopped. Add to lamb in a bowl along with egg, feta, salt, and pepper. Blend with your hands until just combined (do not overwork mixture, or patties will be tough). Form into 4-1/2 inch patties (about 1/2 inch thick).
3) To cook: Broil patties on oiled rack of a broiler pan 5 inches from heat until browned but still slightly pink in center, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve patties with red pepper relish and warm pita bread or buns. Yield: 4 patties.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Chimichurri Turkey Burgers - One Perfect Bite
Green Curry Turkey Burgers - One Perfect Bite
Salmon Burgers - One Perfect Bite

Greek-Style Yogurt Pie with Fruit Preserves

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tonight, out of an abundance of yogurt, I have yet another custard dessert to share with you. Not all stores in this area carry Greek yogurt, so, when it's available, I've been known to buy more than I really need and then end up scrambling to use it before it goes bad. This pie is an example of where my over exuberance in the dairy aisle leads. It's a Greek-style yogurt pie that, despite similar ingredients, is creamier and slightly sweeter than the yogurt pie we made and posted here a few days ago. It also has an interesting crust that is made from a mixture of white and whole wheat flour that is fortified with wheat germ. There are no berries in the pie but it is topped with a copious quantity of fruit preserves. You may prefer to use macerated fruit as a topping. You will find the pie needs the sweetness the fruit provides. While it is easy to make, there is significant wait time before the pie can be served. It's best to make the pie the night before you plan to serve it. It's worth the wait. Here's the recipe.

Greek-Style Yogurt Pie with Fruit Preserves...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Kyra at TasteBook

Ingredients:
Crust
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
Filling
2 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fruit preserves, such as plum or strawberry

Directions:
1) To make crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place flours, wheat germ, salt, and cinnamon in food processor bowl. Process to combine. Add butter and sugar; process until dough holds together. Press crust mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze 15 minutes. Cover edge with foil. Bake until beginning to dry out, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely. (Leave oven on.)
2) To make custard: Stir yogurt, vanilla and zest in a bowl. Stir in butter and yolks. Stir sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl; stir into yogurt mixture until smooth. Pour into crust.
3) Bake, with foil covering edge of crust, until just set in center, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool 1 hour. Spread jam over center of pie. Refrigerate at least 3 hours (up to overnight). Yield: 10 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Frozen Lemon Yogurt - One Perfect Bite
Yogurt Cheese Cake - One Perfect Bite>
Raspberry Yogurt Parfait - One Perfect Bite
Peach and Cream Fraiche (or Greek Yogurt Pie) - Smitten Kitchen
Yogurt Panna Cotta - Taste with the Eyes

Avgolemono - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you're looking for a soup to span the seasons, I suspect you'll love this light chicken soup that's patterned after Avgolemono, a Greek soup made with chicken, rice and lemon broth. I've taken some real shortcuts with this recipe. Busy folks will love them, but they'll cost me points in my quest to earn a "foodie" merit badge. I hope you share my dislike of that word. It makes me downright uncomfortable. Someone, several years ago, decided there was an unpleasant class connotation associated with the words gourmet and gourmand. They, whoever "they" might be, wanted a word that spoke to the common man and the great unwashed. In a flash of brilliance, they plucked the word "foodie" from the rarefied atmosphere surrounding them and the era of the gourmet was put to rest. Those who love to cook and eat, and love other people who love to cook and eat, smiled and carried on, sure in the knowledge that the games and self-importance would continue unabated. I suspect we'll always remain on the outside looking in. We take shortcuts, make substitutions and listen more to table banter than the words of the current culinary super star. We - I - am a mess! I cook for fun, but I want my fun to be part of a life that revolves around more than food. I need great recipes, but I need shortcuts that make them feasible for my kitchen and family. Now here's where I'm going to get myself in trouble. I love deli chickens and canned broth. I love pre-minced garlic and, yes, I love frozen vegetables. The thing is, I want to consume my food rather than have it consume me. Now, if you want to make this soup from scratch I'll be the first to salute you. I did that once myself, and it was wonderful. It just wasn't necessary. What is necessary, is using the right kind of rice. Hopefully, you'll have access to (sushi)pearl or arborio rice. If not, use anything that works for you, save for instant or converted rice. The rice helps thicken the soup and give it its lovely creamy color. Don't overcook it. While I prefer to use fresh lemon juice for the soup, there have been occasions when I've used the bottled variety, and I'm happy to report the world didn't end. This is a very light soup and I think it works best for lunch. It takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Here's the recipe.

Avgolemono - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
8 cups canned chicken broth
1 cup uncooked pearl or arborio rice
1/2 cooked deli-chicken, skinned, boned and coarsely chopped or shredded
2 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in rice, lower heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for 5 minutes longer.
2) Meanwhile, whisk egg whites in a small bowl until they are frothy. Stir in yolks and lemon juice and whisk to combine.
3) Remove 1 cup of broth from soup. Slowly whisk it into egg mixture. Add another cup of broth in the same manner. Remove soup from heat and pour egg mixture into it. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also like these recipes:

Celery Soup - One Perfect Bite
Creamy Carrot Soup - One Perfect Bite
Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup - One Perfect Bite