Wednesday, December 31, 2014

737. Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies


Sometimes, you just need a cookie. Different moods call for different cookies. Caramel-y? Alfajores. Crunchy? Pistachio biscotti. Healthy? Oatmeal Raisin. Nutty? Gazelle horns. Iraqi? Kleicha. Chocolate-y? Kinder all the way. Spicy? Mushrooms and Zmitsterne. Elegant? Macarons. Sugary? Palmiers.

Monday, December 29, 2014

736. Zaatar Shortbread Rods


The Lebanese, with the Francophone influence over their culture, have a habit of merging French and Arabic food yielding impressive results. Take the zaatar croissant: quintessentially French pastry with undeniably Arab (specifically Palestinian) herb/spice mix.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

735. Scrambled Eggs and Mushrooms


I cannot get over how underrated the simple things in life are.
Here we've got the most simple breakfast possible that will have your tummy feel like a king's.
Pan roasted fresh mushroom are accompanied by slow and low-heat scrambled eggs, all brought together with some toast and perhaps a glass of orange juice.

Friday, December 26, 2014

734. Chicken Tikka Masala


So I seem to be a hopeless cookbook collector. To moderate my addiction, I made this self-imposed rule to make at least fifteen recipes from each book I own.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

733. Merguez Baguette Sandwiches


Merguez is a North African (specifically Moroccan) sausage which the French have adopted as their own. It is a hybrid of a sausage and a kofta. Not unlike the Iraqi basturma or the Turkish sujuk actually.
Sauteed in a pan and placed beside some sunny-side-up eggs for breakfast, or tossed on the grill accompanying a full-blown barbeque lunch, this spicy fresh sausage is to be appreciated.

Monday, December 22, 2014

732. Peanut Butter Oreo Ganache Tarte


This tart is a nutty spin-off my oreo-ganache tart. The addition of peanut butter almost invariably makes things better, don't you think?

Saturday, December 20, 2014

731. Steak Escalope with Mushroom Sauce


This dish is not a light one, albeit an amazing, warming, delicious, and comforting one.
A mash-up of two previous recipes (Chicken Fingers with Dipping Sauce and Crispy Roasted Chicken with Mushroom Sauce), it is a dish of no regrets.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

730. Chicken Liver Mousse


 Information truly is enlightening.
Before, I would refuse to feel bad about eating anything Allah has created for human consumption. I thought of vegetarians silly, and vegans as simply absurd.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

729. Roast Chicken Provencale


Provence is a region in Southern France, very well loved and known for its rustic and local cuisine and produce. Arguably the most famous dish hailing from that region is the ratatouille, which showcases the abundant use of aubergines, capsicums, garlic, onion, tomato, and of course olive oil.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

728. Cheesy Jalpeno Quesadilla


Quesadilla are basically the Mexican version of Iraqi arayees or regular grilled cheese sandwiches.
A filling is encased between two thin breads and toasted to perfection.
This cheesy, and very spicy, quesadilla is as simple as it gets.

Friday, December 12, 2014

727. Knafa Naplussi


Knafa (الكنافة) is the all-time Ramadan dessert, and is just as good any other time of year. Everyone from the Arabian Gulf, to the Levant, to Turkey, Greece, and Northern Africa make it and call it theirs. Its true origin? None other than our mother land of Palestine.

Monday, December 8, 2014

725. Iraqi Yellow Rice


Rice is a staple in the Iraqi household, and no lunch is complete without it.
Therefore it is of no surprise the sheer creativity and variety Iraqis have created using this grain, from elaborate biryani, parda plau, carrot rice, and broad bean dill rice, to more simple forms like vermicelli rice and lamb fat rice.

Sunday, December 7, 2014

724. Brie-Stuffed Mushroom


Anyone who likes mushroom, cheese, and garlic will appreciate this recipe.
Mushroom caps are lightly cooked in a little butter, then stuffed with brie cheese cubes and topped with an onion-garlic-parsley mixture.

Friday, December 5, 2014

723. Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake


This season I bought a small load of excellent butternut squash, and decided to use it instead of pumpkin (to great results). I made pumpkin pie, pumpkin latte, and now I used the last of it in this pumpkin-chocolate cheesecake swirl cheesecake.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

722. Turkish Menemen Eggs


There exists a whole world of eggs I thoroughly plan on exploring. Eggs just might be the best and most convenient single-cell protein out there. I have even seen old ladies slowly peeling their boiled eggs on a train or in the park.

Monday, December 1, 2014

721. Crispy Roasted Chicken with Mushroom Sauce


Chicken and mushroom, much like chicken and lemon,  is a classic and made time and again for a reason: it's a winning combination.

Thursday, November 27, 2014

720. Greek Shrimp Sanganaki


This was such a wholesome and flavorful dish that it's become one of my go-to recipes.
A sauce of garlic, tomatoes, olives, and dill envelope envelope tasty shrimp, all topped with salty feta cheese.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

719. Fresh Pumpkin Pie


It's difficult to ignore the pumpkin craze this time of year in the virtual world.
One recipe that particularity spiked my curiosity for years is pumpkin pie. The concept is so foreign and strange to me.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

718. Cheese Steak Sandwich


Sometimes a carnivorous, cheesy, crusty, rough-and-tough sandwich is what we need at the end of a long day.

Friday, November 21, 2014

717. Slow Cooker Iraqi White Bean Stew


I'm adapting my slow cooker to make Iraqi stews.
This was my first experiment and the results were highly successful.
You simply put everything in the slow cooker pot, set the heat, and come back six to eight hours later to a fully cooked stew!

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

716. Pumpkin Latte


When I hear of any pumpkin drink, I inevitably think of Harry Potter.
It's a bit confusing when people use the term pumpkin spice and then you find there is not pumpkin, just a combination of spices some people refer to as pumpkin spice. This recipe is not like that. It has real pumpkin in it.

Monday, November 17, 2014

715. Cottage Pie


Hachis parmentier, cottage pie, shepherd's pie... there's something to be said for meat mince topped with mashed potato and baked to a bubbly crusty finish.

Saturday, November 15, 2014

714. Kinder Cookies


These cookies were bound to happen.
Having the perfect soft/firm cookie batter recipe in my pocket, the options are endless.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

713. Cheesy Olive Baguettes


Are bread and sheep the oldest foods known to man?
Bread, at any rate, is one thing no society can live without, so it comes as no surprise the sheer variety and embellishments created using bread.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

712. Slow Cooked Pulled Lamb


This has to be one of the most comforting and warming recipes out there, and that's not to mention it's highly nutritional and even healthy!

Monday, November 10, 2014

711. Cauliflower Mash


Cauliflower mash is a great alternative to mashed potato.
It is much faster and easier to make, as well as being much lighter to consume.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

710. Chicken Fingers with Dipping Sauce


Double-drenching tenderized chicken strips in seasoned flour makes for an amazing crispy crust. Make a gravy dipping sauce of it's own pan drippings, and it's a very special comfort meal indeed.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

709. Oatmeal Raisin Cookies


I think I may have mentioned my love for most things oat.
In cookie form, I have on this blog oatmeal cookies, oatmeal m&m cookies, and now as a natural following step, these oatmeal raisin cookies.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

708. Slow Cooker Chicken Sesame


This is a convenient meal made in the slow cooker that is just as good as take out.

Monday, November 3, 2014

707. Roquefort Cheese Burger


Ever since the simple burger, home-made burgers at home have never been so delicious.
No more messy eggs and breadcrumbs in the patties; just pure 100% good quality minced beef.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Thursday, October 30, 2014

705. Chocolate Bomb Dessert


Admittedly, this dessert is not made from scratch. However, a clever and appropriate use of resources makes it a cinch to make and a delight to eat with fellow chocolate-loving friends.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

704. Shrimp Curry (Diet)


One of the reasons why Indians are so smart is their daily consumption of spices. These spices unclog any arteries, liven up dull minds, and are excellent for the heart.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

703. Burger Hand Pie


These burger hand pies are a fun way to eat burgers.
Great as a lunch or for some serious snacking.

Friday, October 24, 2014

702. Slow Cooker Chicken Lemon Piccata


I love chicken piccata, but with all the batch frying of the chicken, it's almost enough for me to consider making something else.
With my slow cooker, no more!

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

701. Chocolate Caramel Coffee Latte


Chocolate and coffee is mocha. What is chocolate, coffee, and caramel??
This hot triple-C drink feels almost like a hack!

Monday, October 20, 2014

700. Iraqi Chicken Fesenjun


One of the greatest misconceptions in food culture is that the inclusion of fruit in savory dishes is Persian. In fact, ancient recipes literally engraved in stone from Sammara, Iraq is all the proof needed that it is Iraqi.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

699. Cheesy Baked Risotto


Sometimes, all one craves is a single, steaming, cheesy bowl of rice. Risotto, to be specific.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

698. Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff


Beef stroganoff is a comforting Autumnal dish which originated from Russia, but has been taking over the world for several decades now, thereby changing and evolving as it goes.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

697. Chia-Coconut Pudding


This is an amazing and wholesome superfood dessert, with no animal product, no added sugar or sweeteners, and no "fillers" such as flour and the like.
The actual dessert is actually only two ingredient: chia seeds and coconut milk.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

696. Stewed Greek Lemon Chicken


Lemon is great in just about everything, from drinks, to cakes, and definitely to chicken.
Greek roast chicken is hearty and delicious as it is, but you wouldn't expect the Greeks to resign to one type of lemon chicken now would you?

Sunday, October 12, 2014

695. Roast Tomato Soup


Tomato soup has so many variations, and while my previous one was made with canned tomatoes, this one uses roasted fresh tomatoes.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

694. Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich


Sandwiches are great; warm sandwiches are ideal.
This grilled cheese sandwich encompasses the ideal of European rustic wholesome food in my opinion.

Tuesday, October 7, 2014

692. Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue


Having discovered the wonders of a slow cooker (aka crock pot), I just had to make this recipe.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

690. Chicken Fillet in Mustard Mushrooms


In our family we like our mushrooms.
Be it with chicken, meat, or simply grilled by its lonesome with a sprinkle of salt.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

689. Spinach Gratin


Creamed spinach is one of my favorite non-healthy-disguised-as-healthy sides.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

688. Prune Earl Grey Yogurt Parfait


This parfait was an accidental skinny dessert. I love re-hydrated prunes, so I decided to showcase them as a fancy dessert.