All the way from Lesvos, Greece … we wish you a very blessed New Year 2011. May you strive to be the person God has made you to be, may He lead you in each step you take, may you listen closely for His voice and follow, may you choose to find the love, joy, peace, and patience in everything God allows to come across your path, and may this build your faith and wisdom every day of 2011. Our coin was in Christ’s piece, I guess that means we will all be blessed this year as long as we are following Him!

Vasilopita Recipe (Makes one large round cake or two smaller cakes)
4 cups flour, sifted (I use 1/2 cups whole wheat)
2 T. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon or all spice
1 cup butter, softened 
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1-2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
zest of 1 lemon or orange
Confectioner’s sugar 
1 coin (cleaned and wrapped in foil)


Preheat oven to 350°F and butter or line your round cake pan. Sift dry ingredients in small bowl and cream butter and sugar in another bowl. Add eggs to sugar mixture gradually, then stirring in vanilla and zest. Alternately mix in the dry ingredients with the milk, beginning and ending with the milk. Bake for 40-45 minutes, remove and cool on rack. Decorate with powdered sugar and or icing.