TheMakroLife

Tzatziki Easy, refreshing and the perfect compliment to veggies (raw or cooked), meat (lemon greek chicken skewers, greek keftedes/meatballs, streak, gyro), pita bread or pita chips, and it is a part of every Greek Mezze Platter. Easy to make in about 15 minutes. Make it the night before, because like all Greek food, the longer it sits all mixed together, the better the taste!! I found this cute picture showing all the steps. Here are some highlights...but review the picture below for full recipe!!!! 1. Use higher fat plain yogurt, non fat yogurt has little taste and too watery. 2. Strain yogurt, if you don't have fabric to strain, I use paper coffee filters and that works well also 3. Remove seeds from cucumbers 4. Finely grate cucumber into a bowl, add salt and strain all excess liquid. You can squeeze the grated cucumber using your hands, but also leave it just straining/sitting in a strainer in the sink to get rid of all excess liquid. 5. Finely grate 2-3

What is the meaning of the Greek Evil Eye?? Since I became a member of the Makrogiannis Family I have been introduced to the concept of the Greek Evil Eye or “Matiasma”. The Greek traditional belief of the evil eye is an ancient superstition in many cultures around the Mediterranean Sea dating back to Ancient times. It is deeply ingrained among Greek people who are both very religious and superstitious.  It is believed that the evil eye can strike anyone at any given moment. The Evil Eye is the belief that someone can catch the evil eye curse or Matiasma from someone else’s  jealous compliment or envy. If a person has caught the evil eye they will usually feel bad physically or mentally. Or in simple terms bad things happen. For example, perhaps there was an occasion that you were dressed up and someone told you that you looked nice. A few minutes later you spilled coffee down the front of yourself. Or maybe someone commented on how beautiful your new vase was and a while late

The Parthenon was built in 13 years.....this wonderful recipe doesn't take that long, but all great things take time, effort, patience and a lot of love!  And if my 7 and 9 year old eat it saying “this is the best thing in the world”…..well, it is worth the effort!!! (yes I am extremely blessed to have children that eat everything!!!) Our family is so blessed to be friends with the Alexoudi Family. The are the kindest people and have wonderful hearts. Giagia Koula is the absolute BEST cook. Being invited to her house to eat is like being invited by the Greek Queen of the Kitchen. It is a magical meal experience EVERY time. And her husband Dimitri....well he's the King of the Greek Garden. His vegetable garden is spectacular and his fruit trees bursting with the freshest farm to table food I have every had in my life. They eat from the earth and it is wonderful. I constantly joke with them that I want them to adopt me (they said they would anytime) for a year where I wil

The Biblical City of Philippi, Greece Ten miles inland from the port of Kavala (20 minutes from our home in Kavala) is the Biblical City of Philippi. In the 4th century B.C., the settlement was named and founded Philippi after King Philip II of Macedon (Father of Alexander the Great). Philippi was an important outpost on the Egnatian Way.  Two important battles were fought here in 42 B.C. resulting in the defeat of Cassius and Brutus, conspirators in the assassination of Julius Caesar.  After these battles, Philippi became a Roman colony encompassing 700 square miles.  Saint Paul and Christianity arrived first on the continent of Europe in Kavala in 49-50 A.D.  Kavala was the regular landing place for those wanting to travel by the Egnatian Highway (Via Egnatia), the great Roman military highway connecting the Aegean and Adriatic Sea, across Macedonia.    Archaeological work has revealed a large and well-preserved forum, a theater, the alleged jail of St. Paul and several B