Top 10 Greek Recipes of the Week - December 17 - 23, 2007

I make Melomakarona with a mix of flour and semolina, and sunflower oil instead of olive oil. I first made this recipe in the U.S. when visiting friends where olive oil wasn't handy, and the recipe is delightful. The cookies are dipped in a honey syrup. This recipe is for a smaller quantity (although it can easily be increased).

This is the Greek recipe for moussaka with eggplant, probably the most well-known of all versions, and a favorite of Greeks and non-Greeks alike. A casserole dish, moussaka is made with layers of ground meat and vegetables, and topped with a rich cream sauce.

This version of baklava, made with olive oil (the recipe can also be made with butter), is a modernized version of Gastrin (say: GHAH-streen) - an ancient Cretan sweet known from Roman times. Use butter if you must, but this version made with olive oil is absolutely delicious.

The creamy combination of yogurt, cucumber, and garlic makes tzatziki a refreshing appetizer that can be eaten alone, with bread, or as an accompaniment to vegetables, meat dishes, and pita wraps. It is one of the dips for which Greece is most well-known.

Kourabiethes (also spelled kourambiedes) are the ultimate celebration cookie. Because they're white - liberally coated with confectioner's sugar - they're a favorite at weddings and baptisms. Because they're melt-in-your-mouth delicious - a shortbread type cookie packed with chunks of almonds - they're a favorite at any gathering and special occasion.

Making Christopsomo (which translates as "Christ's Bread") is considered by many to be a sacred task, and great care is taken in its preparation. Raisins, nuts, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are just a few of the taste treats found in this traditional sweet loaf.

This dip is a delicious appetizer and a favorite with regional differences in this part of the world. The key to great hummus is to let the flavor of the chickpeas come through, rather than be overwhelmed by the lemon (it's easy to get too much lemon taste). It's quick to make, no cooking involved, and it's vegan- and vegetarian-friendly.

This version of these famous Greek celebration cookies is made with butter, and creates a rich shortbread cookie, liberally dusted with confectioner's sugar. Filled with chunks of almonds, these holiday favorites melt in the mouth.

A traditional recipe for Melomakarona from Yiayia's (Grandma's) kitchen, this calls for flour and olive oil, and the cookies are dipped in syrup. Interesting that she didn't use semolina (which can be found in many of today's recipes for Melomakarona) and her cookies were always delicious.

These little cookies are easy to make and can be formed into various shapes: circles, spirals, figure eights, braids, or other shapes. Because the cookies are small and the strips of dough are fun to work with, kids have a great time coming up with their own shapes.