Orange

Orange
Properties
Antispasmodic
Ascorbic
Diaphoretic

Orange is useful for:
Arthritis
Bronchocele
Constipation
Cough
Gingivitis
Scurvy

Orange natural essential oil
Properties
Antidepressants

Antiseptic

Antispasmodic

Digestive
Inflammatory
Sedative
Soporific
Tonic

Moisturizing facial mask...

Ingredients
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon apricot oil
2 drops orange natural essential oil
2 drops calendula natural essential oil

Preparation & Apply
Mix all the ingredients and apply on face. After 10 minutes wash out with warm water.

Potato pie...

Ingredients
4 tablespoon melted margarine
For the dough
3 cups flour
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 shot extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 cups water (You may not need all water. It depends on the flour.)
For the stuffing
4 potatoes
1 cup ground Gruyere cheese (I prefer the Gruyere of Naxos)
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 shot milk
130g bacon
1 onion
1 tablespoon margarine
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Preparation

Dough
Step1
Put flour, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and salt into a bowl. Slowly pour water in the bowl and knead the dough. If the dough is too wet add some more flour.
Step2
Cover the bowl with a towel and let it for 1,5 - 2 hours.

Stuffing
Step1
Peel potatoes and boil for 20-30 minutes.
Step2
Mash boiled potatoes and put them into a bowl.
Step3

Chop bacon and sauté with 1 tablespoon margarine for 2 minutes. Add in the bowl and stir with mashed potatoes.

Step4

Chop onion and add it in the bowl.

Step5

Add in the bowl milk, cream cheese, Gruyere cheese, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme and stir all together.

Assembly 

Step1

Share dough in 4 parts.

Step2

On lightly floured surface, flatten 1 dough part. Roll from center to edges into circle. Your dough circle must be 2-3 mm thickness.

Step3

Spread melted margarine over the dough with a brush.

Step4

Place some stuffing along on the edge in the half circle.

Step5

Rolled up the dough with the stuffing.

Step6

Place the roll in a well buttered baking pan. You can place it along the baking pan or you can wrap in helical and place it in the center of the baking pan.

Step7 

Repeat steps 2-6 for the remain parts of dough. (If you choose to wrap in helical then you should continue your first helical with the other rolls.)

Step8

Spread some melted margarine on top with the brush.

Step9

Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 30-40 minutes.

Zucchini stuffed...

Ingredients
10 medium size zucchini
600g minced beef
3/4 cup rice
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon chopped parsley
pith of 2-3 zucchini
3 lemons
1 egg
salt
black pepper

Preparation
Step1
Wash out carefully the zucchini and dried with a paper towel.
Step2
Cut in half the zucchini and empty the pith with a Parisienne scoop. Let some pith on bottom. The zucchini should look like a cup.
Step3
Put zucchini into a big sauce pan. Sprinkle the half extra virgin olive oil on top. Add some salt and some black pepper.
Step4
Chop onion and saute in a medium sauce pan with the other half of extra virgin olive oil. Add minced beef and rice and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Step5
Put pith of 2-3 zucchini into a food processor and add in the mixture. Add chopped parsley, juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper, stir and boil for 5 minutes.
Step6
Share stuffing in zucchini "cups".
Step7
Add 3-4 cups of water and let it boil for 40 minutes.
Step8
Whisk egg with the juice of 2 lemons.
Step9
Remove the sauce pan from heat and take 1 cup of the hot liquid.
Step10
Slowly pour the hot liquid in the egg mixture and stirring constantly.
Step11
Add the liquid back to the sauce pan, over the zucchini.

Tenderloin ala cream...

Ingredients
1kg tenderloin
120g bacon
1 1/2 cup canned sliced mushrooms
250g light fresh cream
60ml extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt

Preparation
Step1
Cut tenderloin into 1,5cm thickness slices.
Step2
In the grill pan add 40ml extra virgin olive oil and grill tenderloin slices.
Step3
Cut into pieces bacon and saute with 20ml extra virgin olive oil in a sauce pan for 6-7 minutes.
Step4
Add mushrooms and saute for 10 minutes.
Step5
Add fresh cream, black pepper and salt and boil for 5 minutes.
Step6
Remove from heat and add grilled tenderloin slices.

Pasta Salad...

Ingredients
500g pasta tricolore
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup frozen corn
1 big tomato (cut into cubes)
1 cucumber (cut into cubes)
2 canned tuna or 1 chicken breast (cooked on grill)
100g gruyere cheese (cut into cubes)
400g greek strained yogurt
200g mayonnaise light
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt

Preparation
Step1
Boil pasta for 10 minutes.
Step2
Add peas, carrots and corn and boil for 10 more minutes.
Step3
Strain pasta with vegetables.
Step4
In a big bowl put tomato, cucumber and gruyere cheese cubes.
Step5 
Chop canned tuna or grilled chicken breast and add in the bowl.
Step6
Add salt and black pepper and stir together.
Step7
Add pasta and vegetables and stir.
Step8
Put greek strained yogurt and mayonnaise light into another bowl and mix together.
Step9
Add yogurt mixture into the big bowl and stir with the other ingredients.
Step10
Put the salad in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Lentil soup...

Ingredients
300g lentils
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 laurel leafs
1 carrot
1 shot extra virgin olive oil
1 cup tomato sauce

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

Step1 

Wash out lentils and put in a sauce pan.

Step2

Chop onion, garlic and carrot and add in the sauce pan.

Step3

Add laurel leafs and 4-5 cups of water and let it boil over medium heat for 45-50 minutes.

Step4

Add salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil and tomato sauce and boil for another 10 minutes.

Peppermint liqueur...

Ingredients (for 1300g)
1 bunch of peppermint
1l vodka
500g sugar
400g water
3-4 drops green liquid food coloring

Preparation
Step1
Wash out the peppermint leafs and let them dry on a paper towel.
Step2
Put peppermint leafs in a big bottle or jar that seals.
Step3
Pour vodka over leafs and seal.
Step4
Let the bottle in a dark place for 10-15 days.
Step5
Boil water with the sugar for 5 minutes (the time starts when water seethe).
Step6
Let the syrup cool and add food coloring and stir.
Step7
Pour syrup in the bottle with the vodka and peppermint and mix.
Step8
Filter liqueur and share in bottles.
Step9
It's better to keep it in the refrigerator, because it serves cold.

Russian cake "Ptichye moloko"

Ingredients
For the sponge cake
150g butter + some for the baking pan
3 eggs
200g sugar
150g all-purpose flour  + some for the baking pan
1 tablespoon cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
For the cream
500g fresh milk
50g fine semolina
1 teaspoon vanilla flavor
250g butter (outside the refrigerator)
200g caster sugar
For the icing
200g couverture chocolate
200g fresh cream
1 teaspoon honey

Preparation
For the sponge cake
Step1
In a small sauce pan over low heat,melt the butter.
Step2
In the mixer, whip eggs with the sugar in medium speed until the mixture become whitish and fluffy.
Step3
Preheat the oven at 190ºC.
Step4
Remove the bowl from the mixer and add cocoa, baking powder and flour and mix with a spatula.
Step5
Add melted butter and mix.
Step6
In a floured and buttered baking pan (24cm), pour the mixture.
Step7
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Step8
Let it cool before remove from the baking pan.
For the cream
Step1
In a sauce pan over medium heat put the milk.
Step2
Add fine semolina and vanilla flavor and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts seethe.
Step3
Remove from heat and pour the mixture in a big bowl and cover with a membrane that osculate the mixture and let it cool for 1 hour.
Step4
Mix the butter with the caster sugar and add in the semolina mixture and stir.
Step5
Put the cream in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
For the icing
Step1
Boil the fresh cream.
Step2
Pour the hot fresh cream over the couverture chocolate and stir together.
Step3
Add honey and stir.

Assembly 
Step1
Cut the sponge cake in 2 or 3 equal thickness disks.
Step2
Put the first disk in a plate and pour half of cream on top. Put the second disk and pour the other half of cream on top. Put the third disk.
Step3
Spread the icing over and around of the cake.

Delicious omelette...

Ingredients
3 eggs
2 slices of bacon
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
2 slices of bread
1/2 cup of milk
50g Feta cheese
1 tomato
1 shot extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano

Preparation
Step1
Whisk eggs with milk.
Step2
Chop tomato, bacon, bread and Feta cheese.
Step3
In a frying pan over high heat, add extra virgin olive oil, bacon and mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes.
Step4
Add tomato, Feta cheese, salt, black pepper, oregano and bread.
Step5
Add the mixture with the eggs and milk.
Step6
Cook for 5-7 minutes.

Geranium

Properties
Styptic
Antihaemorrhagic
Antidepressant
Deodorant
Diuretic

Geranium is useful for:
Tonsillitis
Mastitis
Diarrhea
Sterility
Ophthalmology disorders

Tip for perfect skin
Add 1-2 drops of Geranium natural essential oil  in your body lotion.

Greek summer potatoes....

Ingredients
4-5 medium size potatoes
3 tomatoes
200g Feta cheese
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Preparation
Step1
Boil the potatoes.
Step2
Peel potatoes and cut into slices.
Step3 
Cut tomatoes into slices.
Step 4
Put some extra virgin olive oil on the baking pan. Lay the potatoes and add salt and pepper.
Step5
Lay tomatoes over the potatoes and crumble the Feta cheese on top.
Step6
Add oregano and the extra virgin olive oil.
Step7
Bake in the oven at 170ºC for 30-40 minutes.

Baked meringue...

Ingredients
150g egg whites
150g caster sugar
150g sugar

Optionally: some drops of liquid food coloring

Preparation
Step1
Put the egg whites with the sugar and whip in the mixer at low speed until meringue thick.

Step2
When the meringue gets ready remove from the mixer.

Step3
Add caster sugar and mix with a spatula.

Step4
Add food coloring

Step5
Put the meringue in a pastry bag and make circular shapes on baking paper or  on silicone pan.

Step6
Bake in the oven at 80ºC for 2,5 hours.

Canapés...

Ingredients
3 slices toast bread
70g cream cheese
6 slices ham or prosciutto

Preparation
Step1
Cut each slice of toast bread into 4 pieces.
Step2
Cut in half each slice of  ham or prosciutto.
Step3
Spread cream cheese over bread.
Step4 
Wrap ham slices and put them over the bread.
Step5
Pin with toothpicks.

Delicious tartlets...

Ingredients

16-20 circular puff pastry (8-10 cm diameter) 

50g bacon

40g grated parmesan

For béchamel sauce

50g butter

50g flour

1/2 liter hot milk

1/4 tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

100g grated parmesan

Preparation

Step1

Put the puff pastry into cupcake pans and bake in the oven at 170ºC for 15-20 minutes.

Step2

Cut bacon into pieces.

Step3

In a big sauce pan, over medium heat melt the butter. Add the flour and saute for 1 minute.

Step4

Remove the sauce pan from heat and add the half of hot milk and whisk. Add the other half of hot milk and put it back to heat and stir until cream thickens.

Step5

Remove from heat and add parmesan, ground nutmeg, salt, black pepper, bacon and stir.

Step6

Remove the puff pastry from the cupcake pans and put them on a baking pan.

Step7

Fill each puff pastry with béchamel sauce.

Step8

Sprinkle on the top with the 40g grates parmesan.

Step9

Bake in the oven at 170ºC for 10 minutes.

Ways to use herbs...

Compress
Wet one gauze in herb tea, infusion or juice of the herb and apply it hot or cold.

Cream
Mix equal parts vaseline and pulp or juice or powder of the herb. For external use only.

Emulsion
Herb pulp mixture with water. Made with herbs containing essential oils.

Gel
Wet galetine leafs with cold water for 10 minutes. Add it in the herb juice and add some sugar. Stir, filter and set aside to the refrigerator.

Herb tea
Boil the herb in water for 10-15 minutes.
Ratio: 1 tablespoon herb for 3 cups water.
You can drink 1-2 cups herb tea per day.

Infusion
Put herb in hot water and wait for 10-20 minutes. Then filter the infusion.

Poultice
Pulp of herb or leafs of herb. For external use only.

Powder
Mix powder of herbs with some water.
You can use only 1 g per day for internal use or you can apply it external.

Syrup
Concentrated solution of sugar in herb tea or infusion.
Ratio: 1500g sugar in 1 liter of herb tea.
You can drink 2-3 teaspoons per day.

Tincture
Herb's solution in pure alcohol.
Ratio: 10g of herb in 100g pure alcohol for 10-15 days.

Herbs in beauty...

Herbs against acne

1. Yarrow
2. Lavender
3. Pine
4. Calendula
5. Parsley
6. Burdock
7. Soapwort

You can make an infusion and apply on your skin.

Don't mix the herbs together. Only one herb per time.

Herbs that help in weight loss

1. Wormwood
2. Vine
3. Verbena
4. Fennel

You can use these herbs as an infusion or tea.

Orange pie...

Ingredients

Dough

500g all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon caster sugar

300g shredded butter

2 eggs

2 tablespoon cold water

Cream

5g gelatine leaf

500g fresh milk (full fat)

3 egg yolks

100g sugar

70g corn flour

orange zest from 2 oranges

200g fresh cream (whipped)

1/2 cup orange juice

Preparation

Dough

Step1

In a big bowl sift the flour and add salt and caster sugar.

Step2

Add butter, eggs and cold water and knead quickly.

Step3

Conjure up the dough into a ball and wrap with a membrane and set aside in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Step4

Cut in half the dough and use only the 1 half. You can keep the other half dough in the refrigerator for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.

Step5

On a baking paper, flatten the dough. Roll from center to edges into a 26-28cm circle.

Step6

Transfer the dough in a  tart pan 22-24cm and press to apply thoroughly in the walls.

Step7

Cover the dough with a baking paper and fill with rice.

Step8

Bake in the oven at 180ºC for 15 minutes. Remove the baking paper with the rice and bake for another 15 minutes.

Step9

Let it cool.

Cream

Step1

Put the gelatine leaf into bowl with cold water until smooth for 3-4 minutes.

Step2

Mix fresh milk, egg yolks, sugar, corn flour,zest and the gelatine leaf in a double boiler (bain-marie).

Step3

Stir the mixture until cream thickens.

Step4

Let the cream cool for 1 hour.

Step5

Mix gently whipped cream and orange juice with the cream.

Assembly

Put the cream over the dough.

Lemon Pie...

Ingredients

Dough
500g all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon caster sugar
300g shredded butter
2 eggs
2 tablespoon cold water
Cream
5g gelatine leaf
500g fresh milk (full fat)
3 egg yolks
100g sugar
70g corn flour
lemon zest from 2 lemons
200g fresh cream (whipped)
1 shot limoncello liqueur
Meringue
150g egg whites
300g sugar

Preparation

Dough
Step1
In a big bowl sift the flour and add salt and caster sugar.
Step2
Add butter, eggs and cold water and knead quickly.
Step3
Conjure up the dough into a ball and wrap with a membrane and set aside in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Step4
Cut in half the dough and use only the 1 half. You can keep the other half dough in the refrigerator for 1 week or in the freezer for 1 month.
Step5
On a baking paper, flatten the dough. Roll from center to edges into a 26-28cm circle.
Step6
Transfer the dough in a  tart pan 22-24cm and press to apply thoroughly in the walls.
Step7
Cover the dough with a baking paper and fill with rice.
Step8
Bake in the oven at 180ºC for 15 minutes. Remove the baking paper with the rice and bake for another 15 minutes.
Step9
Let it cool.

Cream
Step1
Put the gelatine leaf into bowl with cold water until smooth for 3-4 minutes.
Step2
Mix fresh milk, egg yolks, sugar, corn flour, zest and the gelatine leaf in a double boiler (bain-marie).
Step3
Stir the mixture until cream thickens.
Step4
Let the cream cool for 1 hour.
Step5
Mix gently whipped cream and limoncello liqueur with the cream.

Meringue
Step1
Put the ingredients in a double boiler and stir until the mixture gets hot.
Step2
Whip the meringue in the mixer at medium speed until thick.

Assembly
Step1
Put the cream over the dough.
Step2
Put the meringue in a pastry bag and decorate over the cream.
Step3
Burn the meringue with a Kitchen blowtorch.

Pasticcio.....

Ingredients

For minced beef
700g  minced beef
1 onion
1 cup of concasse tomatoes
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1 shot extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of water

For macaroni
500g dried macaroni No2
1 teaspoon salt
1 liter of water
2 eggs
50g coarsely chopped cheese (Feta or Parmesan)
1/2 cup of milk
1 shot extra virgin olive oil
some extra virgin olive oil for the baking pan

For bechamel sauce
100g butter
100g flour
1 liter hot milk
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
150g coarsely chopped cheese (Feta or Parmesan)

Preparation

Step1
Chop the onion and put it on a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add minced beef and saute for 5 minutes.
Step2
Add concasse tomatoes, water, black pepper, thyme, oregano and salt. Let it boil for 15-20 minutes.
Step3
In a big sauce pan over high heat, boil the water. Add extra virgin olive oil, salt and macaroni and boil boil for 15 minutes.
Step4
Strain the macaroni.
Step5
In a baking pan put some extra virgin oil and lay the macaroni.
Step6
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. Add cheese.
Step7
Mix the egg mixture with the macaroni in the baking pan.
Step8
Lay the minced beef mixture over the macaroni.
Step9
In a big sauce pan, over medium heat melt the butter. Add the flour and saute for 1 minute.
Step10
Remove the sauce pan from heat and add the half of hot milk and whisk. Add the other half of hot milk and put it back to heat and stir until cream thickens.
Step11
Remove from heat and add cheese, ground nutmeg, salt, black pepper and stir.
Step12
Lay the bechamel sauce over the minced beef.
Step13
Bake in the oven at 170ºC for 30 minutes.

Stickers.. baby on board

Steps

1. Save photo on your computer.

2. Check the Flip horizontally in your printer's presets and print in a pvc paper (transparent sticker paper).

License Information

The stickers are free only for personal use.

design by www.sofiagkara.gr

Tooth care..

1.  White and strong teeth
Rub your teeth with a lemon peel.

2.  Fresh breath
Wash out your mouth with an infusion of peppermint.

3.  Teeth bleaching
Once a week brush your teeth with a paste of baking soda for one month.
Paste of baking soda:
Mix together 1 tablespoon baking soda and juice of half a lemon.

DIY:Decoration for children's room

Marble cake...

Ingredients
200g butter
4 eggs
200g sugar
4g salt
200g flour
2 teaspoon vanilla flavor
30g cocoa powder

Preparation
Step1
Preheat the oven at 180ºC.

Step2
Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Once melt the butter, remove from heat.

Step3
Separate the yolks from the whites.

Step4
Add sugar and salt in the yolks and mix them with a wooden spoon.

Step5 
Add alternately flour and melted butter and whisk.

Step6
Whisk egg whites into meringue. Add vanilla flavor.

Step7
Mix meringue with egg yolks mixture.

Step8
Separate the mixture in half. Add the cocoa powder in one half of mixture.

Step9
Put alternately from the two mixtures in a buttered baking pan.

Step10
Bake in the oven at 180ºC for 50-60 minutes.

Chicken with rice...

Ingredients
1 onion
800g chicken breast
1 1/2 cup rice
4 peppers
500g mushrooms
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups vegetable stock
salt
black pepper

Preparation

Step1
Chop the onion.

Step2
Cut the chicken breast into medium pieces.

Step3
In a big sauce pan, over medium heat put the extra virgin olive oil  and the chicken and saute for 6-7 minutes.

Step4
Cut mushrooms and peppers into pieces and add in the sauce pan.

Step5
After 10 minutes add the rice, the vegetable stock, some salt and some black pepper and boil for 30 minutes.

Extra tip
You can serve with some cheese on top.