Avgolemono Soupa Easy (Greek Egg/Lemon Chicken Soup) This is a streamlined version of the classic soup. ItÂs quick and easy to make yet quite delicious! Soup Preparation: Canned chicken broth (enough to make approximately 8 cups or 64 ounces) ½ onion, chopped finely 1 carrot, peeled and chopped finely 1 celery stalk, chopped finely Salt and pepper to taste 1 bay leaf ¼ teaspoon allspice ½ - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken meat (optional) ½ - 1 cup white long grain rice 1 tablespoon cornstarch or quick mixing flour (like Wondra) ¼ cup water In large stockpot, bring chicken broth, vegetables, and seasonings to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 20 minutes. If using, add chicken meat after 10 minutes and continue cooking for about 10-15 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf. Remove chicken meat, if using, and cut into bite size cubes. Add rice to stock and simmer covered until tender (about 20 minutes). Add the chicken meat, if using, to the stock. Mix cornstarch/flour with water and add to hot soup. Simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Remove pot from heat. Prepare Avgolemono Sauce* and add to soup gradually. *Avgolemono Sauce 1-2 cups hot soup broth 2 eggs Juice from 2 lemons 1 tablespoon cornstarch or quick mixing flour (like Wondra) Mix the cornstarch/flour with the lemon juice and blend well. Beat the eggs well in a bowl. Add the flour and lemon mixture to the eggs and beat well. Slowly add the broth to the egg mixture, little by little (ladle by ladle), while continuing to beat. Pour and mix the Avgolemono Sauce gently into the hot soup and stir well. Serve immediately. Note: To make this even easier and faster, omit the vegetables and chicken! Avgolemono Soupa  Traditional (Greek Egg/Lemon Chicken Soup) This is probably the most famous of the Greek soups. Heartwarming, flavorful, chock full of tender rice, and with a distinct lemon tang. It can serve as the beginning of a special dinner or as a wonderful meal all by itself. Soup Preparation: 1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds) 8 cups water 1 onion, cut into large chunks 2 carrots, peeled and whole 2 celery stalks, cut into large chunks 1 tablespoon salt Pepper to taste 1 bay leaf ¼ teaspoon allspice ½ -1 cup white long grain rice Clean and wash chicken and place in large stockpot (do not use liver). Add water, onion, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil, skimming off foam that rises to top. Lower heat, cover, and simmer gently over a low heat for 1-1½ hours or until chicken is completely tender. Remove cooked chicken from stock. Remove vegetables from stock. Strain stock and return to stockpot. Add rice to stock and simmer covered until tender (about 20 minutes). Skin and bone cooked chicken meat and cut into bit size pieces (If desired, reserve chicken breast meat for another use). Add the chicken meat to the stock. Adjust seasonings. Remove pot from heat. Prepare Avgolemono Sauce* and add to soup gradually. *Traditional Avgolemono Sauce 1-2 cups hot soup broth 2 eggs Juice from 2 lemons Separate the egg yolks from egg whites. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until almost stiff. In smaller bowl, beat egg yolks with lemon juice. Gently combine the egg whites with the lemon/yolk mixture. Slowly add the broth to the egg mixture, little by little (ladle by ladle), while continuing to beat. Pour and mix the Avgolemono Sauce gently into the hot soup and stir well. The soup should be slightly thick and foamy. Serve immediately, before froth subsides.

How about rum balls made with oreo cookies (found at Chowhound): Midnight Rum Balls 1 small package (8.5 oz.) Oreo cookies 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar 1 cup finely chopped nuts (optional - I leave 'em out) 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (sweetened cocoa is fine, too) 2 Tbsp corn syrup 1/3 cup rum (don't use more!) granulated sugar Put whole cookies in food processor and whiz until finely crushed. In medium bowl, combine crumbs, powdered sugar, nuts, and cocoa. Blend in corn syrup and rum. Wet hands and shape mixture into one-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar. Store covered, in a cool place. (Rum balls are better after they have "mellowed" for a day or two.) Variation: Prepare marinated cherries: soak a jar of sour cherries in rum or kirsch for a week or two. When ready to use, drain cherries well, then pat dry. Wrap mixture around a cherry and roll in sugar as above. I've also made these cookies with a different alcohol - Chambord (black raspberry liqueur) is really nice. I'll bet an orange liqueur would be good, too.

I'm glad you all like them...I'd love to be eating those crepes, this morning! I need to go buy some good quality, chocolate bars :) Deedles- I saw Laura Calder's kitchen for the first time, thanks to a link from a GW post. The minute I saw those blue tiles...I was hooked. I love white, blue and plants...have you seen my bunny tiles? LOL As for inspiration pictures, I usually look up 'english country cottage kitchen' or french country kitchen' or eurpoean country kitchen' sometimes even 'rustic romantic' but that's usually a bit too frilly...although I've found a few good pictures. Vintage kitchens might be a good place, too.

Baking...yes I follow exactly. I have never found a knack for baking. Cooking, it is rare I follow a recipe. My routine is usually: get a protein out of the freezer in morning browse recipes ideas at work about 4:00 and pick an idea make a mental note of what was in recipe and can I replicate with what's in the pantry? "wing-it" when I get home My favorite this week was a pork roast cut into bite sizes pieces. Coat in a brown mustard, italian dressing, and honey mixture. Throw in pan and add onion and mushrooms. My ex loved to make one thing....dill chicken. I keep a well stocked pantry, but he could never find anything. He always went to the store and bought every ingredient the recipe called for. When he moved out and I cleaned the spice shelf, I had at least 6 little jars of dill!