• Place kidney beans in a large kettle and mash them slightly with a fork.
• Add garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and chopped parsley.
• Stir well.
• Pour in water and add all vegetables to the kettle.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat, cover the kettle, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• After 1 hour, add macaroni and beef bouillon or tomato juice.
• Simmer for an additional 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add salt to taste.

• Wash all fresh vegetables thoroughly and let them dry.
• Cover a large serving plate with leaf lettuce.
• Place shredded greens on top.
• Divide carrot and celery sticks in half and place at each end of the plate.
• In the center of the plate, lay alternate slices of salami and cheese.
• Cut tomatoes and hard-cooked eggs into quarters.
• Arrange egg and tomato quarters and artichoke hearts around the edge of the plate.
• Place olives, a few radishes, and some scallions wherever they fit in attractively.
• (Any other fresh raw vegetables such as broccoli or cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces may be added.
• )
• Dribble salad dressing over all.

• In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, honey, salt, and pepper until well combined.
• Dribble this flavorful dressing over the antipasto platter for an authentic Italian touch.

• Chop up the chocolate into medium-sized pieces.
• Place in a bowl and set the bowl in a shallow pan or dish of hot water to melt the chocolate.
• When the chocolate is smooth, add the remaining ingredients.
• Mix well.
• Cool slightly.
• Shape into little bells and roll in powdered sugar.

• Dilute the dye powder in vinegar.
• In a large pot, combine the dye mixture and warm water to cover the eggs.
• Bring to a boil.
• Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
• Remove the pot from heat and add the eggs.
• Return to heat and simmer the eggs for 45 minutes.
• Remove the eggs and cool slightly.
• Rub each egg with an oiled cloth to glaze the surface.

• Place the meat in a large covered casserole dish with warm water.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add onions, celery, parsley, garlic, mint, tomato sauce, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour.
• While the meat cooks, prepare the crust.
• While the dough is chilling, remove the meat mixture from heat.
• Beat 4 eggs lightly and add grated cheese and cinnamon.
• Mix well and add to the meat mixture.
• Add rice to the mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Crust Instructions:

• Put sifted flour, salt, and olive oil into a bowl and mix well with a fork.
• Add 1 egg and stir.
• Gradually stir in warm water until the dough is well blended.
• Knead for 5 minutes, or until the dough is firm.
• Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
• Divide the chilled dough into two balls and roll each out on a lightly floured surface to ½-inch thickness.
• Make one piece to line a 15×8-inch baking pan with a lip to turn over the top.
• The other piece should fit the top of the pan.
• Grease the pan with butter and olive oil.
• Line with the larger piece of dough, then pour in the meat mixture, spreading it evenly.
• Cover with the second crust, turning the lip of the lower crust over.
• Crimp the edges.
• Brush lightly with olive oil.
• Prick the crust a few times with a fork.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
• Allow to sit for a few minutes, then cut into squares.

• Preheat oven to 300ºF.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, lemon, and cinnamon for the syrup.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat, stir in honey, and cool well.
• Once cooled, remove the lemon and cinnamon.
• In a large bowl, combine walnuts, almonds, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the pastry.
• Butter a 9×13-inch pan with 2 tablespoons of butter.
• Place 4 sheets of phyllo in the pan, brushing each with melted butter before adding the next.
• Butter the fourth sheet also.
• Sprinkle ½ to ¾ cup of the nut mixture over the phyllo.
• Top the nut mixture with 2 more sheets of phyllo, buttering each sheet well.
• Continue alternating nut mixture with 2 sheets of buttered phyllo until both are used up, ending with phyllo.
• Brush the top with butter.
• With a sharp knife, trim off any excess phyllo on the sides of the pan.
• Cut 1½-inch-wide lengthwise strips in the dough (do not cut through all layers).
• Make 1½-inch diagonal cuts to create diamond-shaped pieces (cut through the top layer only).
• Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
• Cut through the diamonds completely with a sharp knife.
• Immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot pastry.
• Cool and serve on dessert plates.

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Beat eggs lightly in a large mixing bowl.
• Add ricotta cheese, honey, cinnamon, flour, and lemon juice.
• Beat for 3 minutes, or until very smooth.
• Rub 1 tablespoon of butter into a 9-inch pie pan, then pour in the pie mixture.
• Place the pan on the middle oven rack and bake for 1 hour, or until the surface of the pie cracks and is puffed.
• Remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle with cinnamon.
• Cool the pie to room temperature before cutting it into wedges to serve.

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and egg until light and fluffy.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until well blended.
• Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
• With your hands, form the dough into balls, crescents, or S-shapes, using about ½ tbsp.
• at a time.
• Place cookies 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet.
• Put the cookie sheet on the middle oven rack and bake for 15 minutes, or until barely brown around the edges.
• Remove cookies from the cookie sheet with a spatula and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
• With a flour sifter, sprinkle powdered sugar over the cookies.

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• Carefully cut the tops off the tomatoes.
• Using a spoon, carefully scoop out the pulp and seeds.
• Save the pulp and discard the seeds.
• Coarsely chop the tomato pulp.
• In a small bowl, combine the tomato pulp with scallions, parsley, feta cheese, bread crumbs, and olive oil.
• Spoon the mixture into the hollowed-out tomatoes.
• Place the tomatoes right side up in an 8×8-inch baking pan and bake for 15 minutes.