Food in Greek culture is all about sharing and celebrating. This year, The National Herald has selected our favorite recipes to enjoy with family and friends. From everyday meals to casual get-togethers and formal dinner parties, the following recipes are versatile enough to adapt and enjoy any time and for any occasion.

Greek-Style Stuffed Mushrooms

3 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon Greek sea salt
4 portobello mushrooms (about 14 ounces), cleaned, stems and gills removed
1 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup crumbled feta, Dodoni
2 tablespoons pitted, sliced Kalamata olives
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and the salt in a bowl. Brush the mushrooms all over with the oil mixture. Place on a large rimmed baking sheet and bake the mushrooms for about 5 minutes. While the mushrooms are baking, stir together the spinach, tomatoes, feta, olives, oregano, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a bowl. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and fill with the spinach mixture. Bake the stuffed mushrooms for another 10 minutes or until the tomatoes wilt.

Vegetables and Halloumi

8 ounces halloumi

2 medium summer squash

1 medium red onion, sliced into 1-inch chunks

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Greek sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Cut the halloumi into 1-inch cubes and place in a rimmed baking sheet. Cut the summer squash in half lengthwise and then cut into 1/2-inch pieces and add to the baking sheet along with the red onion pieces, the crushed garlic, and the 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt, black pepper, and the red pepper flakes. Toss to coat all the vegetables and the cheese and make sure they are spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Roast in the preheated oven, stirring about halfway through the cooking process, until the halloumi is softened and the vegetables are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the vegetables and halloumi to cool for about 5 minutes. Add the chopped mint, stir to combine, and serve immediately with fresh bread.

Roasted Salmon and Vegetables

1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
3 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon Greek sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6 ounces each) fresh or frozen skinless salmon fillets
2 medium red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1 tablespoon Greek dried oregano
1 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place the potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and top with the sliced onion and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and black pepper. Stir to coat completely and then transfer to a 15 by 10-inch baking pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, thaw the salmon, if frozen. Add the sliced peppers, tomatoes, parsley, olives, oregano, and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and black pepper to the same large bowl previously used to mix the potatoes. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and toss to coat completely. Rinse salmon with cool water, then pat dry. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Spoon the pepper mixture over the potatoes and top with the salmon. Roast, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork. Zest the lemon and then squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the cooked salmon and the vegetables. Sprinkle with the finely grated lemon zest and serve immediately.

Biscuits with Greek Olive Oil

2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon Greek sea salt

A pinch of sugar, optional

1/2 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil

1 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar, if using. Make a well in the center and add the olive oil and almond milk. Stir using a rubber spatula until a sticky dough forms. Drop by a generous tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet to make about 9 biscuits. Bake in the preheated oven at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until the biscuits crack and are golden brown at the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature with Greek honey, jam or jelly, of your choice.

Greek Beer Bread

4 cups all purpose, unbleached flour or Zea flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon Greek sea salt

1 can or bottle Greek beer

Greek extra virgin olive oil

Greek dried oregano for topping

1/4 cup pitted olives of your choice (optional)

1/4 cup feta, crumbled (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare the baking pans by drizzling a tablespoon of olive oil in each of two 9 or 10 inch diameter Pyrex pie pans and set aside. Loaf pans may also be used. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the can or bottle of beer and using a rubber spatula, stir together until a sticky dough forms. Divide the dough into two discs, placing one in each of the prepared pie pans. If using olives (pits removed), add them to the center of the dough disc, and fold the edges of the dough over until the olives are covered in the middle of the dough. If using feta, add it to the center of the dough disc, fold the edges of the dough over until the feta is covered in the center. Sprinkle the top of the bread with oregano and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven until the bread is lightly golden brown and produces a hollow sound when you knock on it about 45 minutes to an hour. This crunchy bread is best consumed the day it is baked.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Lemon

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon Greek sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons Greek extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 pound mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup white wine

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. If pieces are very thick, place between pieces of plastic wrap and flatten with the flat side of a meat tenderizer to about 1/2-inch thickness. Stir together the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken one piece at a time until coated in the flour mixture, tap off the excess, and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet with a cover. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until softened and their liquid has been released and cooked off. Depending on the size of the skillet, you may have to cook the mushrooms in batches. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a plate and set aside. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the same skillet and cook the chicken over medium heat until golden brown on both sides about 5-6 minutes per side. You might also have to cook in batches so as not to crowd the skillet. Remove the chicken and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant, and then add the white wine and stir to deglaze the skillet, gently scraping up any brown bits. Once the liquid comes to a boil, return the chicken to the pan, top with the lemon slices and the mushrooms, cover and cook for about 5 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened, and turning the chicken about halfway through the cooking process to make sure it doesn’t burn. Serve immediately with cooked rice or the pasta of your choice.

Crumb-Topped Greek Yogurt Coffee Cake

3 cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Greek sea salt

2 beaten eggs

1 cup Greek yogurt

3/4 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil

1 cup raisins, optional

For the crumb topping:

4 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

A pinch of Greek sea salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour a 9 by 13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs, the yogurt, and oil. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Stir in the raisins, if using, and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. To make the topping, Stir together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and the pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the chopped nuts and sprinkle over the batter. Bake in the preheated 375 degree oven for about 50 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baklava-Topped Cheesecake

3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, at room temperature

4 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup whole milk or sour cream, at room temperature

2 (9-inch) store-bought graham cracker crusts or

Homemade graham cracker crust, recipe follows

For the baklava topping:

2 tablespoons melted butter

3 sheets phyllo dough

1/3 cup chopped, toasted almonds, pistachios, and walnuts

2 tablespoons Greek honey

Set out the cream cheese, eggs, and milk or sour cream for about half an hour to one hour to bring them to room temperature. Cut the cream cheese into smaller pieces and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar until foamy. Add the cream cheese one piece at a time and beat until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, cornstarch, and milk or sour cream and continue beating until smooth. Pour into two graham cracker crusts or prepared 9 or 10-inch springform pan. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 45 minutes over a water bath (place a large baking pan on the lower rack of your oven and fill with boiling water, bake the cheesecake on the rack above it for even baking) until lightly golden brown around the edge and set in the middle. Allow to cool completely on wire racks before topping the cheesecake.

For the baklava topping, tear the phyllo dough into one-inch pieces. Place the phyllo pieces in a bowl and add the melted butter, then stir until all the pieces are coated. Spread the coated phyllo pieces in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks and then sprinkle the baked phyllo pieces and the chopped nuts on top of the baked and cooled cheesecake. Drizzle with the honey and serve.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs and the sugar. Add the melted butter and stir until well-combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 or 10-inch springform and up the sides using a measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly. You can use your hands to press the crust into place but a measuring cup gives a more even result. Fill with the cheesecake filling and bake according to the recipe.