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Greek Wedding Cookies + Debbie Matenopoulos Cookbook Review and Giveaway!

July 28, 2014

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Greek Wedding Cookies + Debbie Matenopoulos Cookbook Review and Giveaway!

This giveaway is CLOSED! Congratulations to Linda on winning 🙂

We’ve all been told eating a Mediterranean diet is healthy for us, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. That’s why I was so excited to get the chance to review Debbie Matenopoulos’ cookbook It’s All Greek to Me and be a part of her blog tour! Right on the cover, it notes it’s the way to “transform your healthy the Mediterranean way with my family’s century old recipes.”

I loved reading the introduction. In it, Debbie notes she never when to cooking school, but learned everything she knows from her mom. I think the best way to learn how to cook is just as Debbie did. Growing up with food, working with it on a daily basis, and learning to cook little by little through tradition is so important. It sets us up for a life of delicious and healthy eating.

Debbie Matenopoulos It's All Greek to Me

She learned to eat seasonally and focus on organic, free-range, and hormone free foods from her mom, who taught her this before it was trendy. Debbie also shares the schedule on which Greeks tend to enjoy their meals. It is quite different from what we have become accustomed to here in the US, with lunch being the largest meal, desserts enjoyed in the afternoon, and dinner only a light meal.

Following the introduction are basic cooking tips and an index of ingredients common in the Greek pantry and many of the dishes in the book. This was incredibly interesting to read. From the medicinal properties of cinnamon and garlic to Debbie’s favorite honey and vinegars, this is part of the book I will reference often, even when I’m just experimenting in the kitchen on my own.

Greek Wedding Cookies

The book is broken into sections with appetizers, basic sauces, salads, savory phyllo pastries, soups, stews, and one-pot meals, seafood main dishes, meat and poultry main dishes, vegetables and rice, sweet pastries, cakes, and cookies, and the extras. In between some of the sections is a feature on part of Greece. While they were all interesting, I loved reading about the Athens Baker Boys as well as how they read coffee cups kind of like reading palms in Greece.

Of course, I also have tons of pages flagged with recipes I want to try. Mom and I are dying to try the garlic sauce with potatoes. She once had sauce like that at a restaurant and has always wanted to recreate it. The lentil soup and baked cod with lemon garlic parsley sauce are also calling my name and sure to be on the dinner table soon. And the desserts, oh my, the desserts. I want to try them all, but I can’t stop thinking about the classic walnut cake.

Greek Wedding Cookies

Greek Wedding Cookies

Today, I have Greek Wedding Cookies for you. You’ll want to make these right away while you order a copy of the book and wait for it to come. I did make a couple changes to the recipe based on what I had in my pantry. I used regular sticks of butter instead of whipped, almond meal instead of grinding the almonds myself, and bourbon instead of cognac, and they turned out perfectly. Mom kept saying how they look just like the ones in the book! They are the lightest cookies, with a hint of crunch before they dissolve in your mouth, leaving the most pleasant vanilla flavor. I kept reaching for more and more, because they are just so good. The ingredients listed below are as written in the book; I included my adapted instructions.

Because I know you’ll love this book, the publisher has been kind enough to provide me with a copy to giveaway!

Greek Wedding Cookies

To enter, answer the question: What is your favorite Greek food?
To earn additional entries:
Follow @piesandplots on Twitter. Come back and let me know you’ve followed in an additional and entirely separate comment.
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IMPORTANT: This giveaway is open to residents of the US only.
The giveaway ends Monday, August 4, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST.
The winner will be chosen via the Random Number Generator on random.org. The winner will be notified by email and will have 24 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen. Good luck!

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Greek Wedding Cookies + Debbie Matenopoulos Cookbook Review and Giveaway!


  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 40-50 cookies 1x
Print Recipe
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups slivered blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely ground
  • 1 pound whipped unsalted sweet cream butter, room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, plus 3 cups for coating
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons cognac
  • 4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
  2. In a large bowl, cream butter, egg yolks, and ½ cup confectioners’ sugar with a hand or stand mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes. Reduce to low speed and add in almonds, vanilla, and cognac, before raising the speed back to medium-high and beating for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  3. Reduce speed to low again and add the flour one cup at a time. Start with 4 cups, add more as necessary until the dough comes together and is soft and not sticky. I used the recommended 4 ½ cups. Knead the dough by hand for about a minute to make sure all ingredients are incorporated.
  4. Scoop out heaping tablespoons of dough, form them into half-moons and place on the baking sheet. Cookies do not need to be too far apart as they will not spread, but they should not be touching. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cookies are pale yellow. They should not be brown. Cool about 5 minutes on sheets before placing remaining confectioners’ sugar in a bowl and rolling each cookie in it until fully coated. Allow cookies to cool completely. Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Notes

Additional cooling time is necessary

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes

Did you make this recipe?

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Disclaimer: I was provided with a review copy and the giveaway of It’s All Greek to Me, but all opinions, as always, are mine.

Greek Wedding Cookies

Filed Under: Baked Goods, Cookbooks, Cookies, Giveaway Tagged With: Almonds, Cookbook, Cookies, Review

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Comments

  1. Sues says

    July 28, 2014 at 11:35 am

    I love Greek wedding cookies! This looks like a great cookbook.

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 28, 2014 at 2:37 pm

      Such a great cookbook! I’m so glad to have had the opportunity to review it!

      Reply
  2. Linda Kish says

    July 28, 2014 at 3:41 pm

    Gyros are my favorite Greek food.

    Reply
  3. Patti Panuccio says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    Moussaka

    Reply
  4. Patti Panuccio says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:32 pm

    Followed pies and plots on twitter

    Reply
  5. Patti Panuccio says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:34 pm

    I liked you on facebook.

    Reply
  6. Patti Panuccio says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:35 pm

    I folloed you on pinterest

    Reply
  7. Patti Panuccio says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    I am following you on Instagram.

    Reply
  8. Patti Panuccio says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:40 pm

    I signed up for your newsletter and now I am going to save that recipe.

    Reply
  9. Victoria says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:55 pm

    I love baklava!

    Reply
  10. Victoria says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:56 pm

    Following you on twitter @cherryontop22

    Reply
  11. Victoria says

    July 28, 2014 at 8:57 pm

    I subscribed by email

    Reply
  12. Liz says

    July 28, 2014 at 9:07 pm

    Hard to choose – but I eat greek yogurt every day!

    Reply
  13. Liz says

    July 28, 2014 at 9:08 pm

    I follow @piesandplots on twitter 🙂

    Reply
  14. Lindsay B says

    July 28, 2014 at 10:27 pm

    My favorite Greek food is grilled octopus, yum!

    Reply
  15. Joanne says

    July 29, 2014 at 7:06 am

    The.Boy’s family is Greek and his grandmother is infamous for making these! A must try on my part. Yours look great!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 30, 2014 at 10:18 am

      And these are so easy to make. The Boy will love them!

      Reply
  16. Johlene says

    July 29, 2014 at 8:03 am

    These cookies are super interesting 🙂 They look devine!

    Reply
  17. Mason Canyon says

    July 29, 2014 at 8:17 am

    Don’t really have a favorite Greek food, but these cookies look yummy. The recipe is so much simpler than I thought it would be.

    Reply
  18. stephanie says

    July 29, 2014 at 9:02 pm

    I once had Galaktoboureko, which was like a Greek custard pie in flaky phyllo, that was amazing!! This book looks great!!

    Reply
    • stephanie says

      July 30, 2014 at 10:25 am

      I wonder what the difference would be with the whipped butter!

      Reply
  19. stephanie says

    July 29, 2014 at 9:26 pm

    I subscribe by email (but have problems with my account) so I also follow your RSS feed.

    Reply
  20. stephanie says

    July 29, 2014 at 9:26 pm

    I follow you on Pinterest

    Reply
  21. stephanie says

    July 29, 2014 at 9:27 pm

    I like you on FB!

    Reply
  22. Nikki says

    July 29, 2014 at 9:52 pm

    baklava

    Reply
  23. Nikki says

    July 29, 2014 at 9:53 pm

    I follow you on pinterest

    Reply
  24. Abbe@This is How I Cook says

    July 29, 2014 at 11:25 pm

    My neighbor who is Greek makes these cookies. I love them, Anything with powdered sugar has to be good, right?

    Reply
    • Laura says

      July 30, 2014 at 10:17 am

      Oh, yeah! I love how the powdered sugar kind or melts into them. So good!

      Reply
  25. mookies says

    July 30, 2014 at 8:34 pm

    I am very glad that you like Greek food and pastries. These cookies are called Kurabies and eat them all year round but especially at Christmas.
    kisses

    Reply
  26. Theresa says

    July 31, 2014 at 8:14 pm

    Spanikopita 🙂

    Reply
  27. Theresa says

    July 31, 2014 at 8:18 pm

    I followed you on pinterest

    Reply
  28. Theresa says

    July 31, 2014 at 8:19 pm

    I liked your Facebook page

    Reply
  29. Theresa says

    July 31, 2014 at 8:21 pm

    I subscribed by email

    Reply
  30. Muna Kenny says

    August 1, 2014 at 3:03 am

    Greek wedding cookies is one of my favorite cookies ever, it melts in your mouth and tastes simply amazing 🙂

    Reply
  31. Jennie @themessybakerblog says

    August 1, 2014 at 9:10 am

    I adore Greek wedding cookies. I think it’s all the powdered sugar. These look delish!

    Reply
  32. Shannon F says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:50 pm

    I absolutely love gyros! My husband grew up eating Greek food and he would love if I won this! lol

    Shannon F
    meltoole(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply
  33. Shannon F says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:51 pm

    I’m a twitter follower. (@mamamichigan)

    Shannon F
    meltoole(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply
  34. Shannon F says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:52 pm

    I’m a facebook follower. (Shannon Faith)

    Shannon F
    meltoole(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply
  35. Shannon F says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:52 pm

    I’m a pinterest follower. (Shannon Faith)

    Shannon F
    meltoole(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply
  36. Shannon F says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:54 pm

    I’m an email subscriber!

    Shannon F
    meltoole(at)hotmail(dot)com

    Reply
  37. Jessica Gappy says

    August 2, 2014 at 9:03 am

    My favorite Greek food is Saganaki – I am such a sucker for melty cheese 🙂

    Reply
  38. Jessica Gappy says

    August 2, 2014 at 9:04 am

    I subscribe to Pies and Plots

    Reply
  39. Jessica Gappy says

    August 2, 2014 at 9:05 am

    I like Pies and Plots on Facebook

    Reply
  40. Jessica Gappy says

    August 2, 2014 at 9:05 am

    I follow Pies and Plots on Pinterest

    Reply
  41. Barb says

    August 3, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    has to be baklava

    Reply
  42. Tonia says

    January 21, 2017 at 4:20 pm

    Hey there,

    I’m wondering how exactly you shaped the cookies to be kind of ‘high’ like that with only a small dent to make a small crescent, basically how it looks in the book. Hope that makes sense

    Best
    Tonia

    Reply
    • Laura says

      January 23, 2017 at 10:35 am

      Hi Tonia! I really just molded them with my hands – some turned out better than others 🙂

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Debbie Matenopoulos It's All Greek to Me Cookbook Giveaway - Giveaway Promote says:
    July 28, 2014 at 1:50 pm

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