Embarrassing adolescent confession time: I had a crush on Uncle Jesse. Uncle Jesse was Greek and therefore in honor of Uncle Jesse I give you the quintessential Greek dish:

Spanakopita (Originally published in I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris)

5 eggs
3 10-oz packages of frozen, chopped spinach, defrosted (ring out any water using cheesecloth or dishrag)
8 ounces of cream cheese
8 ounces or more of crumbled feta cheese
8 ounces of small curd cottage cheese
Olive Oil
2 bunches of chopped green onions, sauteed
1 tablespoon of parsley
Dill, fennel (optional)
3 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
1 1-lb box of phyllo pastry
1 stick of butter

In a mixer, beat the eggs until fluffy. Add everything else (except the phyllo dough and butter) gradually, just until mixed.

Melt the stick of butter. Using a pastry brush, butter a 9×13x3 inch pan.

Line the bottom of the pan with half the box of phyllo, buttering between each layer. Add spinach filling and spread evenly.

Top with a little extra crumbled feta, if you have some left.

Place the remaining phyllo on top, again buttering between each sheet.

“Baptize” the top with a little water and bake at 350 degrees until brown and crispy on top, approximately 45-50 minutes.

If the phyllo starts to get too brown, cover with foil.

Melt	Green Onions
Fluff the Eggs	Drain the Spinach
Combine with Cheeses	Brush Each Sheet with Butter
Add Filling	Continue Layering
Bake	Get Your Greek On

I purchased Amy Sedaris’s book last December and like most of my cookbooks, glanced at it once, had a good chuckle and never took it off the shelf again. That is until last week. I was craving junk food. Something quick, chocolate, and not cookies. I stood in front of the baker’s rack staring at my cookbooks until Amy’s jumped out at me. I knew she would have fabulous ooey gooey junk food recipes.

The word brownie popped out at me from the pages and I was officially a goner. Minimal instructions and minimal ingredients were exactly what I needed. Perhaps too minimal instructions since I ended up baking the brownies in a 9 inch pan. It really didn’t look like that much batter so I figured it would be fine. In addition, since that little accident a few weeks ago I’ve yet to purchase a new, more appropriately sized glass baking dish and the 9 by 13 seemed as though it would be too big.

I ended up with fluffy brownies that were 3 inches thick. They were amazing, and every time I ate one I ended up with a glutton fueled stomach ache. But that didn’t stop Chris and I from munching on them for several days until they were completely gone. It probably didn’t help that we topped them with Ben & Jerry’s Cookie Dough ice cream. Oh well. That’s why we work out, or at least, that’s what I tell myself.

PS: The gigantic 72 ounce bag of chocolate chips in the images below is from my new best friend Costco. They have tons of great bulk baking supplies. Definitely check it out sometime if you have the cupboard space. Personally, I make room for chocolate chips.

Aunt Joyce’s Brownies (Originally published in I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence by Amy Sedaris)

4 eggs beaten until fluffy
1 C sugar
1 C flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 12-oz package chocolate chips
2/3 C unsalted butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Melt together chips and butter. Beat eggs and add in everything else. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Optional: Press pecans on top, down into dough.

Consultation With Amy	Break Out the Big Guns
Melt Bits and Butter	Beat the Eggs
Combine and Bake	And Now…the Bellyache