Baklava

My absolute favorite dessert!

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Traditional Greek Baklava Recipe with Walnuts and Honey - My Greek Dish

 Ingredients

For the baklava

• 25–30 sheets of phyllo dough
• 500g (17 oz.) walnuts, chopped (or a mix of walnuts, pistachios and almonds)
• 2 tsps cinnamon powder
• 2 tsps grounded clove
• 300g butter, melted (10 oz.)
• some whole cloves for garnish (optional)

For the syrup

• 600g sugar (20 oz.)
• 400g water (14 oz.)
• 80g honey or glucose (2.8 oz.)
• zest of 1 lemon or orange
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. To prepare this Greek baklava recipe, start by melting the butter in a saucepan over low heat, being careful not to burn it. Use a cooking brush to butter the bottom and sides of a baking pan. (For this baklava recipe you will need a large baking pan approx. 40*30cm / 15*12 inch). Begin by layering the sheets of phyllo on the bottom of the baking dish to form the base. Layer the sheets one at a time, making sure to sprinkle each one with melted butter. Use about 10-12 layers for the base.
2. In a large bowl, mix the chopped nuts, the cinnamon and grounded clove. Sprinkle the nut mixture over the phyllo base and continue forming the top of the baklava. Top the nuts with the rest phyllo sheets (10-15 of them), sprinkling each one with melted butter and brush the top of the baklava with enough butter. You could also try adding some of the filling in between layers of filo.
3. Place the baklava in the fridge for 15 minutes to make it easier to cut into pieces. Remove from the fridge and using a sharp knife cut all the way down into pieces. If you fancy the taste of clove, place one whole clove into the middle of each baklava piece and sprinkle the top with some cold water.
4. Place the baklava in preheated oven at 150C / 300F on the lower rack (both top and bottom heating elements on) and bake for about 1 1/2- 2 hours, until all the phyllo layers are crisp and golden.
5. Prepare the syrup. Into a small pot mix all the ingredients for the syrup (except honey) and bring to the boil. Boil for about 2 minutes until the sugar is dissolved. Take it off the heat and stir in the honey. Let the syrup cool down. You can also put the syrup in the fridge. As soon as the baklava is ready, ladle slowly the cold syrup over the hot baklava, until it is fully absorbed.
6. Let the baklava cool down completely and serve after the syrup has soaked throughput. Enjoy!

Blessed by God

LIfe's yummy @ the Bright Side of the Barn

Thanks for stopping by

Until next time, Stay Safe and Happy Trails.

Weird or What

 This past week was rough, no doubt about it. Most times I just push through. It's really all you can do when you are fighting with depression.

 I went on a bit of a movie watching binge this weekend, within the comedy section on Prime. I don't always read the details, rather get drawn towards actors that I like. As it turns out all 4 of these movies ..........

World's best Dad

Just before I go

It's kind of a Funny Story

The Angriest Man in Brooklyn

..... are about suicide and death. 

2 have happy endings and 2 result in actual death. 

All four were worth watching. 

And yes, they were in the 'comedy' section? Don't figure - right.

I don't believe in coincidences so I can't help but wonder what God's message was in all of it. 

I think it would be good for schools to show the one called "it's kind of a funny story". It might actually help a few kids, with the number of teens committing suicide these days. Bullies have been around since I was a kid. In fact, it was because of all the bullying, that I chose to not go on to college. I wanted to get away from school as soon as possible. {I was way younger than my classmates and they all had a problem with that. Being smart has a negative side too}

Being old now, has come with its own issues in the fight against depression.

Not all family is what you would expect from family, sometimes you outlive your value with some people. Other times you tend to think if you would have died sooner, you wouldn't have had to endure the pain inflicted by people. I don't believe any of them realize the pain and how much hurt they have caused you.

Many of us sacrificed everything for our families and don't feel appreciated by all, rather instead being blamed by some, for their own 'hard times' in life. As if their choices were our fault. Little do they realize that their choices complicated our lives, more than our choices complicated theirs. 

Most people hide their 'personal' feelings. Many don't believe you should be 'too personal' on social media. I myself think that everyone that only shares the good times are unreal on social media. Nobody has a perfect life. Everyone has things that they struggle with. I consider it being 'fake' to not be 'real' about it. 

My mom put the world on my shoulders at a very young age. 

Her philosophy was ~ People are watching you. There are others struggling on the inside and need to see someone else go through things, to give them the strength to get through what it is that they are going through. ~ 

As if it was up to me, to show them the way through the tunnel.

The domestic violence in my life has led to many days in courtrooms full of people, where very private moments had to be shared publicly. {I used to be a shy quiet child}. Over the years I became a very loud advocate and was actually part of the changes on a few things for the better. Making it easier for victims to get through the process and live to tell about it.

So, here we are @ The Bright Side of the Barn. Where life is real and not always 'happily ever after'. Life is raw and sometimes down and depressing. More than once I've had someone 'thank me', for sharing the inside of my life. More often than once I've had someone tell me, 'They were on their way to commit suicide and it was our conversation or the actions of my kids, that stopped them, and they lived on'. 

Too often told 'You should write a book'. I've chosen to write a 'blog'. As I once told a therapist, there is too much in my head, I have to sort it all out and I need post it's to help me put it in order. Thus, the blog has helped by giving each thought a title. A book, maybe someday, maybe not. The blog has accomplished more I believe. The followers and the feedback have been incredible. 

So here we are. The movies helped me through the weekend. Maybe they will help some of you - too. Either way, remember 'Life is worth living' and you really don't know what tomorrow might bring. Stick around, it's worth finding out. 

Blessed by God

Life's weird sometimes @ the Bright side of the Barn

Thanks for Stopping by

Until next time, Stay safe and Happy Trails.