I’m dialing it back to basics today with Chocolate Banana Bites. I wanted to film this episode because I’m a big believer in having simple recipes we all can use in our homes. Cooking for our families should not be complicated. Banana has been one of my kid’s favorite foods since they were babies. We still always have them in the house. For this treat we simply dip them in chocolate, sprinkle with sea salt, and freeze them until solid. Then, voila, an easy-to-make sweet is bo

This is such a cute and fun Christmasy breakfast idea. The Cinnamon Bun Wreath is a classic recipe that has a million and one adaptations all over the internet. This is how I make it and today I want to make sure you get a clear demonstration so you can do it perfectly at home. Some people like to start by making homemade cinnamon bun dough, but I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to. The first step to this recipe is buying the cinnamon bun mix at the store. Yup. I said

This is a fun recipe that came out of our family’s deep love of eggnog. My kids, of course, drink the kind I buy at the store. When I cater holiday events for my clients, I’m always whipping up batches of boozy eggnog for the adults, and that’s our adult treat at home, too. It’s a very decadent drink, but the holidays are a time to indulge a little! These cookies are so good. They are soft little sugar puffs flavored with warm spices and slathered with a thick eggnog glaze. T

At Christmas time I like to share a classic cookie recipe that everyone loves. This year I’m sharing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies because it’s one of those cookies that never, ever goes out of style. I make them many times throughout the year, but I really like to include them in our Christmas cookie round-up. The thing about a recipe like this is there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. I’ve made many oatmeal cookie recipes over the years and this one is the result of many little tw

The general recipe for any kind of bark dessert is chocolate melted in a thin layer with something salty and crunchy. Then, the top is drizzled and dotted with all kinds of sprinkles and decorations and more tasty treats. You really can’t go wrong when you start with this approach. Today I’m making Christmas Pretzel Bark with caramel and candies sprinkled on top. This is a great recipe to make with kids. In fact, older kids can really handle this themselves from start to fini

If you need comfort, you want this Homemade Applesauce recipe. It’s definitely the best kind of comfort food. But you might also want to use it as a side dish, a topping for pork chops, as baby food, or even for a gift to give to friends. Making this is really easy and is somewhat of a fall tradition in our house. My kids always get so many apples when we go apple-picking, I have to think of things to do with all the apples they bring home! The longest part of this recipe is

With three children living at home, you be better believe we go through a lot of sweets. My kids love desserts and I’m happy to let them indulge after a great day of school and activities. I often don’t have a ton of time to bake during the week so I frequently turn to simple recipes like these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars with Sea Salt. They come together so easily I don’t even have to turn on the oven! The key to making this recipe go smoothly is setting out the ing

There is nothing quite as elegant and delicious as a Chocolate Dipped Fig with Sea Salt. Figs grow everywhere in Greece and they are used in all kinds of dishes. I really like this way of making them into dessert because they are simply dipped in chocolate and the flavor of the fig still really shines through. Since there are very few ingredients in this recipe, be sure to use the freshest figs, most high-quality chocolate, and quality sea salt. Also, leave yourself ample tim

I love making loukamades. They might be one of my favorite Greek foods of all time. It’s simply that the taste reminds me of home in the most comforting way. In this episode I’m sharing how I make Apple Loukamades, a slightly new twist on the classic version. There are many ways to flavor loukamades and this is my favorite way to do it in the fall. They kind of taste like apple pie donuts! If you have a big party coming over you can easily double this recipe. This version mak

I love making apple desserts in the fall. Since we always do a lot of apple-picking this time of year, there are always tons of apples in our house. There are so many ways we enjoy them, sometimes it’s just slicing them up for snacks, and other times it’s baking up a delightful dessert. This Apple and Peach Puff Pastry is something we love to make because it’s very simple and is a real crowd pleaser. With desserts like these it is imperative to start with the freshest, most d

The range of recipes I share with you represent the range of recipes I cook for my family. Obviously, most of what we cook has a Mediterranean origin, but I also cook plenty of classic American family foods. Banana & Blueberry Pancakes can be found in many cultures in different variations and we really like the thick, hearty American version. I make them with Greek yogurt for extra flavor and because it creates a denser texture. Plus, the yogurt adds a nice shot of protein to

This easy-to-make Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread is the ultimate snack bread recipe your family is guaranteed to love. Since we can find zucchini year-round in our stores, I make it at all times of the year. However, I probably make it the most in the summer when zucchini seems to be everywhere you look and my neighbors even drop it off because it grows prolifically in their gardens. This is a great recipe that is also easy for kids to make. If you have aspiring bakers then I

Halva is a traditional candy that’s found everywhere in Greece and the middle east. It is frequently served during Lent because it’s perfect for fasting since it is dairy-free and egg-free. I have so many memories of eating this with my family when I was a little girl, I would always try to sneak extra bites! One of the best things about Halva, in my opinion, is that it can be made in one bowl, no baking required. Now that my kids are older, I often put them in charge of maki

I had to film this episode because Easter Popcorn is SO much fun to make. Yes, it is filled with junk food, so please banish any idea that I’m going to make this seem at all redemptive or part of a balanced diet. It’s not. It’s pure pleasure in the form of a salty, sugary snack that kids (and adults!) go crazy for because we all wish we could eat like this all the time. The key to making this really work is balancing the salty and sweet flavors. Salt and sugar go hand-in-hand

These delicious Kataifi Cups are perfect for spring. I purposely made them to look like little nests with a jewel-like egg in the middle for Easter! Kataifi is a shredded phyllo that’s frequently used in Greek cuisine. In this episode I’m using my favorite 776 brand phyllo because it tastes incredible and is very easy to work with. To shape the nests neatly I start off with a muffin tin and twist the phyllo into each one. I’m generous with the phyllo because I want them to be

Pasteli is Greek Honey Sesame Candy that’s incredibly delicious and easy to make at home. I have so many fond memories of my grandmother making this for us in her kitchen. My siblings and I would start eating it the minute it was cool enough to touch. These days I make it for my family and friends. It takes just minutes on the stovetop, plus a little cooling time and it’s ready! There are two ingredients in this candy: honey and sesame seeds. In this episode I’m using a delic

I like sharing my favorite Greek cakes with you ( https://www.nikkiglekas.com/post/walnut-cake-karithopita ) because everyone loves them,...

I couldn’t help myself, Eggnog Cheesecake is an over-the-top dessert that everyone needs to have for the holiday season. It serves a...

Every year I try to share a classic holiday cookie recipe here. I find that no matter how many cookies we make ourselves, it’s always fun...

Melomakarona (Christmas Honey Spiced Cookies) Makes approx. 3 dozen Cookies Syrup 2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup honey 1 ¼ cup water...