100. Zaatar Cheese Snails - Halazon

For my 100th post, I just had to post a decidedly Arab recipe in honor of the region's clouded magnificance. Cookies and brownies are delightful, but Arab recipes are just more...wholesome.

99. Chocolate Truffle Cakes

There are times when an intense craving for Mars bar may overtake a person... Dense, fudgy, chocolately, satisfying! So these little chocolate truffle cakes are my home-made alternative to Mars bars.

98. Turkey-Bacon Wrapped Chicken

This is another chicken-sage combo, but so very different than the roasted sage chicken!
Only three ingredients are assembled and seared in a little oil to created this easy quick lunch or dinner chicken.

97. Sage Roast Chicken

I have presented a roasted chicken recipe once before (roast chicken with vegetables), and I have also mentioned that variations in a roasted chicken recipe are almost endless. Well, today I have included one of the simplest ever roasted chicken recipes.

96. Chickpea Salad

Canned food is so undervalued. A well-stocked pantry, paired with a few staple fresh produce, can surprise you in their outcome. Canned chickpeas are great. No need for overnight soaking, nor hours of boiling.
Simply open the can, drain, rinse, and you're ready to go.

95. Savory Lamb Baklava

This is basically a meat pie, made with fillo pastry, and cut in a way similar to the sweet nut baklawa.
It is much lighter than a traditional meat pie, which might contain a cream based sauce or beschamel which renders it more suitable for colder days.

94. Greek Spinach Fillo Pie Rolls

Spanakopita is a very popular Greek spinach pie, which can take many shapes and forms. It may be made into large rolls, served one per person, or smaller rolls, or as a regular flat pie.

93. French Macarons

I have been wanting to make dainty delicate French macarons for the longest time, but kept putting it off because of how complicated and intimidating all the recipes I read are.

92. Pistachio Ice Cream

Pistachio ice cream is a beautiful change from the traditional chocolate and vanilla flavors.
I adapted this recipe from chow, but they roasted their nuts (which lessens the color), and I soaked them in boiled water. Since the nuts were soaked in boiled water for a while, their nutty crunch is not as harsh as an un-soaked nut.
It doesn't have the bright green color of store-bought ice cream because there is no food coloring in it.
All in all, I liked the result just as it is, but that doesn't prevent you from experimenting with more flavors... like adding some rose water or orange blossom water.
Note that this recipe uses 6 egg yolks, so I have a delicious French macaron recipe coming up that uses the remaining 6 egg whites!!

Ingredients:

1 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups whole milk

6 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Method:

Pour boiled water over the pistachios to cover, let soak 20 minutes, drain, cool.

Combine pistachios, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process until pistachios are medium ground, about 15 seconds.

Combine cream, milk, and pistachio mixture in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat (12 to 15 minutes).

Prepare an ice water bath by filling a bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and almond extract in a large bowl until smooth, foamy, and light in color, about 3 minutes. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.

Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until custard coats the spoon, about 3 minutes. (When you draw your finger across the spoon, it should make a mark through the custard, which should not run back in on itself.)

Pour the custard into a large clean bowl and place over the ice bath to chill, about 15 minutes. Once the ice cream base is lukewarm, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill completely, at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours.

Once the base is thoroughly chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

 صحة و عافية

 

91. Squash Mucver (Turkish Courgette Patties)

Squash mucver, courgette patties, and zucchini fritters all indicate the same thing. These are actually really popular in the Mediterranean region, especially in Greece and Turkey.

90. Grilled Fish with Parsley Sauce

This is a wonderful light summer meal, and so versatile. The size of the fish and the actual fish is entirely up to you.

89. Chicken Wrap Sandwich

This wrap is an improvised sandwich using a thin round bread. I used an Indian Chappati bread, but tortilla rounds are just as good. This made a perfect summer lunch, and can in fact be made just as easily any time of the year.

88. Roasted Garlic

This is one of those good-to-know recipes that is packed with intense flavor and has oh so many uses.
Roasted garlic can be used as a spread, or along with a grilled piece of meat, or pureed in a salad vinaigrette, or spread on the bottom of a tart before placing the rest of the ingredients, and so much more.

87. (Sun) Dried Tomatoes

This gem is so easy and economical to make, and all it takes is tomato and salt!
Dried tomatoes are so expensive to buy, and are almost sure to come with a whole lot of preservatives.

86. Plum Ice Cream

I was inspired to make my own ice cream, and having some plums on hand, I decided to make some plum ice cream! I suppose this recipe is good for any stone fruit.

85. Rice Crispie Treats

This is a delicious treat for kids (and adults), that was created in the 1920's and continues to bask in popularity. You may find them for sale, but it is a doozy to make them at home and this specific recipe cannot be beat.

84. Chicken Terrine Miso Salad

Summer is undeniably here, and this calls for simple, light, and refreshing food. Therefore I decided to make a composed salad using yesterday's chicken pistachio terrine, and incorporating it with a miso salad dressing.

83. Chicken Pistachio Terrine Rods

There was a time when I was a child that meatloaf was so over-done that every time I hear the word meatloaf, I cringe. So I really don't want to ruin this really good recipe by calling it meatloaf. In fact, it is more of a terrine, so I'll go with that.

82. Ice Cream Sandwiches

Who didn't love these as a child? Now it's so easy to make them right at home anytime nostalgia hits!
To fill the cake with the ice cream, take it out from the freezer and let it soften in the refrigerator for an hour.

81. Breaded Portobello Mushrooms

Fresh mushrooms are a whole other experience than canned mushroom.
Their woodsy, earthy flavor is so wholesome, that it can effectively replace meat and satisfy the palate.

80. Whipped Garlic Sauce

This recipe is actually a combination of two versions I found of it. The first was on Gaby's site, the other was from alrecipes. Take note that this is strangely addictive, and not all people take kindly to garlic breath!

79. Barbecued Chicken

This chicken barbecue pleases both children and adults alike. The barbecue sauce recipe may be made and stored in the fridge for a few days to make things simpler the next time you want to make this.

78. Tuna Salad Composé

Salad composé is the French reference to a salad composed of an assortment of ingredients topped with a vinaigrette dressing.

77. Lentil Soup

"You, who dare insult lentil soup, sweetest of delicacies" said Aristophanes almost 2400 years ago.

Yes, there is a reason why lentils (and soup) are still consumed by humans over thousands of years.

It is hearty, fulfilling, and nutritious. It is rich in iron, protein, dietary fiber, and potassium.

76. Turkish Aubergine Pilaf

I picked up this wonderful little Turkish Cuisine cookbook at the airport returning from Istanbul, and I'm so happy that I did!

75. Karak Tea

This is not your ordinary tea-and-milk. It takes tea on a whole other level. This is a staple in Qatar, everywhere you go it is readily available. The best is, oddly enough, the 1 or 2 riyal karak you get from these tiny tea stalls on the side of the road.

74. Black Bottom Cupcakes

I first discovered these black bottom cupcakes when a friend mentioned her 9 year old son does them all by himself.. I looked up the recipe in alrecipes, and its become a favorite ever since!

73. Thick Crust Pizza w/ Roasted Tomato & Pesto

Pizza, if you think about it, is really just a pie. You've got the pastry base, and you top it (topping replaces filling) with whatever you like! So after all, aren't pizza, pie, tart, fatira, and quiche all variations of the same thing??

72. Guacamole

I'm not the biggest fan of Mexican food... is that bad? I never crave it, and if it were right there, I would probably choose something else over it. That may be because I was never really properly introduced to it, but there it is.

71. Chicken Rice Soup

This soup was an invention at the spur of the moment, using whatever ingredients I happened to have on hand and that I thought will work together.