895. Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

This is a fast weekday meal with a punch of flavor. Served alongside a carb of choice (potatoes or bread or rice) and a healthy side of sauteed or steamed or roasted vegetables, it makes for a hassle-free and go-to dish.

894. Strawberry Jam Oat Bars

These nostalgic fruit jam bars are so easy to make and please all from the ages of 3 to 70 alike. Part of what is so fantastic about them is that the recipes uses all pantry staples, and we need those kinds of recipes once in a while.

893. Coconut Chicken Curry

Curry is such a broad term for a variety of stews from India, to Thailand, and more. Although no chicken curry can surpass my favorite, I do have a few here on MCW that are not only chicken based, but also vegan versions and seafood ones. The addition of coconut milk makes a curry magical to me. This colorful curry is a great weekday meal.

892. Gingerbread Cookie Icebox Cake

For me, this is a new-age type of cake. It is not a cake in the traditional sense at all; rather it is composed of staked cookies, with sweetened whipped cream sandwiching the layers in between. Given the concept, one can imagine how the varieties can be endless.

891. Pumpkin Seed Granola

I love my trusty granola recipe and have made it countless times. This is the simplified and stripped-down version which also lends itself to endless varieties. The star of the show are the pumpkin seeds, but there are also flax seeds in there and feel free to add/substitute for sesame and sunflower seeds as well.

890. Syrian Roast Lemon Garlic Chicken

How can one talk about Syrian food without mentioning Syrian people? Such a fertile and blessed land loved by Prophets travelers alike. Such a bountiful people and land where hospitality knows no bounds and fruit tree branches hang low from their blessed load. May Allah take vengeance for Iraq and Syria and every Muslim nation victimized by the enemy.

889. Brazilian Carrot Cake

This Brazilian carrot cake, Bolo de Cenoura, has little to do with the traditional carrot cake we know internationally. This vibrant orange colored carrot cake gets its color completely naturally from blended carrots.

888. Iraqi White Bean Salad

The use of pulses in salads is not a new concept, and is one especially popular in Middle Eastern cuisine.
Some bean/pulses salads here on MCW are chickpea, black eyed peas, and lentils.

887. Fauchon, Doha

886. Coconut Steamed Crabs

A huge part of influence on a county's culture comes from its immigrants. In regards to the Arabian Gulf, the Indian influence is undeniable and can be seen in everything from karak and biryani to henna parties and movie screenings. The Filipino influence is just as prominent, as displayed by population statistics.

885. Pitaya Smoothie Bowl

Smoothie bowls have been all the rage in culinary 2015. It is exactly what the name entails: a smoothie poured in a bowl. The difference is that in a regular smoothie you blend all the fixings (seeds, other fruit, etc) in and slurp the lot. Smoothie bowls allow you to see your toppings and eat them like soup in a bowl.

884. Fresh Ginger and Molasses Cake

Having bottled a bounty of date molasses in the late Summer, I am enjoying using it in various recipes.
Given the cooling Season, spicy ginger and date molasses combinations are more than welcome.

883. Whipped Feta Tomato Crostini

The difference between a crostini and a bruschetta is that the latter's toasted bread is rubbed with some garlic before it is topped. So I already have a Spanish tomato bruschetta on MCW, but this tomato crostini is special because of the whipped feta.

882. Coddled Eggs

Coddled eggs are basically soft cooked eggs that have their shell removed and are cooked in a container in a water bath. Butter the sides of a Bonne Maman jar, add a couple of ingredients, crack the egg inside, and bake in a water bath.

881. Saudi Banana Maasoub

This month's MENA Cooking Club feature is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The MENA Cooking Club explores the differences and similarities of the Middle East and North African countries through local cuisine. Previous entries include Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Oman, Occupied Palestine, and most recently Qatar.

880. Green Beans Gremolata

This green beans side dish is a wonderful compliment to poultry, red meats, or fish alike.
Gremolata is an Italian condiment made of lemon zest, garlic, and chopped parsley. This gremolata has added substance by  adding fried fresh breadcrumbs to the mix.

879. Steak Garlic Sandwich

A steak sandwich is called for once in a blue moon (or so), and the variations are endless. Last time was the cheese steak sandwich, this time its two types of cheese plus a fair bit of peppery rocket leaves.

878. Multicolor Beet Salad

This is the perfect Autumnal salad with all the beetroot, carrot, peas, cabbage, and the amazing potato. The potato is just like chips-fries and it completely makes you forget this is a salad.

877. Jamie's Shepherd's Pie

Full disclosure, this shepherd's pie is from Jamie Oliver's Comfort Food cookbook and my family and I agree that my cottage pie is so much better. Having said that, Jamie did suggest to serve this pie with "lots of condiments" so when we ate it with HP it was much better and not so bland.

876. Iraqi Aashouriya

Aashouriya (عاشورية) is a dish many Muslim cultures have versions of, and it is made for the occasion of Ashoura (عاشوراء). The foundation is always the same: dried grains and dried pulses cooked to a sort of sweet pudding which may or may nor include dried fruits as well.

875. North African Aubergines and Couscous

While this vegetarian dish is not necessarily be authentically North African, the flavor combinations in it most certainly are. Preserved limes, briny olives, sweet sultanas, fresh coriander and mint, cooling yogurt, earthy cumin, nuttiness and the indisputable couscous among others.

874. Taco Cups

Cupcake or muffin tins have so many uses that people have even written cookbooks on foods made in them! Similar to loaded nachos, this is the mini version with some changes.

873. Aubergine Puffs

Is there any food wrapped in puff pastry and baked to a flaky, golden, and crisp finish that isn't good? Some examples right here on MCW are: shrimp, meat leaf, cheese, and zaatar among others.

872. Green Beans in Tomato

Green beans in tomato is a dish so wide-spread that many countries consider it their own. Iraq definitely, but also Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus. In fact, this was one of my mother's favorite dishes to prepare. You can eat it hot, warm, or cold.

871. Tahini Potato Baked Kofta

Tahini Potato Baked Kofta is a Levantine classic, but it is an acquired taste of a dish. Kofta discs are put in a pool of tangy tahini sauce, covered in overlapping discs of parboiled potato, and baked to a bubbly welcoming dish.

870. Coconut Shrimp Curry

Similar to the meatball kale stew, this is a fast and healthy meal, easy to put together and packed with flavor. Coconut milk brings everything together once again, and the protein of choice is shrimp.

869. Bran Cake Loaf

This cake has immediately catapulted to being one of my favorite cakes. No sooner has the cake neared finishing do I have a new one baking in the oven. It's that good. Who could believe that its majorly healthy to boot?

868. Asian Chicken Salad

This salad mirrors Asian flavors through the combination of purple cabbage, carrots, and fresh coriander. Lime, soy sauce, and chili also go in the dressing. As for the chicken, you can poach it, but I preferred to bread and lightly fry it instead.

867. Meatball Kale Stew

This stew is actually something of a cross between a curry and a soup. You can adjust the thickness to your liking. The coconut milk lends a very subtle and smooth flavor to this stew, and the kale is a hearty compliment to the meatballs.

866. Treacle Tart

Treacle tart for me equates Harry Potter and Hogwarts' House Tables heaving with delicious and welcoming food. It is a traditional British dessert, and very simple and easy to make provided you can get your hands on a tin of golden syrup.

865. Iraqi Diheena Halwa

Eid Al Adha mubarak to all my fellow brothers and sisters in Islam. May Allah guide us to the Straight Path and be pleased with us.
Dubbed the Iraqi Fudge, Diheena (الدهينية) is an ancient recipe developed through the ages. Like many ancient arts, the specialists make it best. Nowadays you have to dodge bullets of idolators in Najaf just to get a taste of Diheena, so you can try this home made version instead.

864. Roast Prune Chicken

And the roast chicken chronicles continue. This time, it's a surprisingly complex and flavorsome combination of the strangest ingredients tossed together and baked. My first of mixing soy sauce and pomegranate molasses was hesitant, but wildly successful stovetop chicken here. This recipe even has mango chutney in it!

863. Blue Cheese Walnut Gnocchi

True, I made this sauce with gnocci, but it would work just as well with most pastas. The combination of blue cheese and walnuts is a winning one. Just try a slice of Bresse Bleu with a walnut half over an oat cracker and you'll see.

862. Red Velvet Baked Donuts

It seems like red velvet is quickly becoming a thing here on MCW: cupcakes, brownies, and brownie cake, cheesecake, and now baked donuts. This cream cheese frosting competes for attention just as much as the cake/baked good.

861. Cinnamon Baked Donuts

I went and bought a mini-donut baking tin, and I like it, too. These donuts would fare best in the colder seasons, as the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg strongly urge you to combine them with a steaming mug of hot chocolate or coffee. But who really cares what season it is when cooking?

860. Puffed Meat Loaf

If the genes of a beef wellington and a meat loaf were to be crossed, this puffed meat loaf would be the resulting offspring. Individual pockets of seared minced meat patties, sandwiched over sauteed mushroom and topped with creamy spinach, all wrapped in a golden puffed crust.

859. Gratin Dauphinois

Gratin dauphinois is a French-Swiss potato dish cooked very simply where thinly sliced potatoes release their natural starch to thicken their own milky-creamy bath. That's right: no flour or cornstarch thickeners here.

858. Qatari Rangina Cups

This month's MENA Cooking Club feature is Qatar, which couldn't have come at a better time because 'tis the season of fresh dates! Fresh dates mean Rangina making, pronto. The MENA Cooking Club explores the differences and similarities of the Middle East and North African countries through local cuisine. Previous entries include Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Oman, and Occupied Palestine.

857. Chickpea Fetta

I mentioned in my chicken fetta post how versatile the fetta is and how you can create your own based on what ingredients you have on hand. Some have rice, some have bread, some have both. Some have become classics because of how popular, easy, and readily available the ingredients are. This chickpea fetta (فتة الحمص) is one of those classics.

856. Shrimp Cocktail Salad

Shrimp cocktail had its basking days in the seventies, but it has remained a classic ever since for a reason. It is easily served as a quick lunch for one as it is as an elegant hors d'oevres for a crowd at a formal gathering.

855. Black and Blue Clafoutis

Clafoutis is a classic French dessert traditionally made with cherries. It is a batter that is something between a pancake and a custard, studded with fruit, and baked until just set. This beautiful velvety clafoutis uses blueberries and blackberries

854. Biscuits and Gravy

America, country of co-existing extremes, has a knack for culture-merging and creating hypes. The story of its biscuits and gravy is a rather touching one. Originally, it was created by mothers of poor families using cheap sausage and poured over the biscuits (something if a bread or savory cookie) to feed their families with some vague semblance of meat as meat was unaffordable.

853. Cheesy Garlic Loaf

A four ingredient loaf of bread is whipped up and baked in an hour or less, and if then stuffed in a flavorsome cheesy garlic concoction to make an excellent home made garlic bread loaf.

852. Whole Wheat Bread Loaf

I have struggled a fair bit in the bread making department and truly believed my success is limited to a decent loaf of 5 minute artisan bread (a nifty base recipe with endless varieties including amazing stecca, focaccia, and pull apart). This is the recipe that changed my bread making universe. The fact that it's wholewheat makes it all the more tasty!

851. Banoffee Pie

Although my banoffee pudding is famous and highly requested among friends and family, it is a spin off the classic Banoffee Pie. This is the banoffee pie! Layers of biscuit crust, dense dulce de leche, slices of fresh banana, and a fluffy topping of freshly whipped cream.

850. Red Velvet Cheesecake

I keep claiming that Red Velvet is nothing more than a dyed weak chocolate cake yet I keep finding myself making variations of it! What can I say? People love it. After the brownies, brownie cake, and cupcakes, comes today's red velvet cheesecake.

849. Chicken Mushroom Tepsi

The secret of the flavor, she told me, lies in using both cooking cream as well as whipping cream.
A light dish, this is not. But the coziness, deliciousness, and flavor makes up for it. This is a recipe invented and given to me by a dear sister and friend. It's something of a chicken pie, with an kinship to hachis parmentier and cottage pie.

848. Citrus Scrub (Non Edible)

Citrus are widely used for their health benefits both through consumption and exterior skin application.
The essential oils in the zest of citrus are invigorating and energizing, and are the main feature of this scrub.

847. Broccoli Mushroom Pasta Bake

I seem to prefer baked pasta dishes to stove top ones. My baked mac and cheese is pretty phenomenal, although my stove top shrimp broccoli fettuccine is also hard to beat. This pasta bake incorporates broccoli and mushroom and whole wheat torsade or fusilli pasta.

846. Melon Mozarella Viande Sechee Salad

Remember the melon wrapped in viande sechée I made a while back? Well this salad is a more formal form of that rustic version and is just as easy to make and presents much better.