1043. Carrot Cake Loaf

This is an everyday version to the decked-out carrot cake. The frosting is minimal, the cake is a loaf, and the batter would be rather dry were it not for the moistness lent from the grated carrot.

1042. Red Chicken Coconut Curry

There are hundreds of curries from a variety of cultures; definitely more than can individually be assigned a unique name. If I had to categorize this curry, I would say it falls under Arab, with Indian influence. The addition of coconut cream to the sauce is magical.

1041. Apple Tart, Revisited

One of my favorite and most underrated desserts is my apple tarts. I published the recipe years ago on MCW, but the photography was not great, and there it lay almost completely forgotten beside all the glorious pictures of apple pie brides that populate the internet every season. This time, I did a couple of enhancements.

1040. Rotisserie Chicken Tacos

These taco wrap sandwiches combine freshness, spice, zing, and a burst of flavor in a single bite. To illustrate how easy it is to pull together, I used a supermarket rotisserie chicken, but it will do just as well with a home roasted bird, or even better with leftover roast.

1039. Classic Cheesecake

I got this cheesecake recipe over twenty years ago from the cook we had at the time. This was my mother's treat, to which she would help herself to a thin sliver of a slice to, because of how rich and decadent it is. I have had the recipe all this time, but I haven't made it for over eighteen years now. It is without exaggeration the single best cheesecake I have ever eaten.

1038. Haloomi Zarshk Samosa

I based this recipe on my haloomi bourag rolls of yonder years ago. Haloomi, being a non-melting cheese, is ideal for grilling or  frying, as it doesn't make a mess. This time, it is combined with these tiny sour dried berries named zarshk and rolled up in a crispy roll.

1037. Sun Dried Tomato Palmiers

Palmiers are a French sugar cookie made with literally just sugar and puff pastry. I made a batch eons ago on MCW. These sun dried tomato palmiers are a savory take on these delightful little French cookies.

1036. Egyptian Macarona (Pasta Bake)

One of the side effects of knitting a tighter, more connected world is the obvious merge of cultures. This Egyptian pasta bake, known simply as macarona, is a staple comfort food in many an Arab home, and an excellent choice for this month's MENA Cooking Club challenge.. The recipe, while relatively simple (no spice beyond salt and pepper, no cheese *gasp*, and no herbs), actually delivered much more flavor than anticipated.

1035. Lemon Trifle

I have been putting my beautiful trifle bowl, a tasteful and generous gift from my dear brother in law, to very good use. The pomegranate Eton dessert, cappuccino trifle, and banana pudding all presented gorgeously. Other than that, tiramisus, and chocolate mousses would also be great show offs in it. So this lemon trifle got me excited at the opportunity to use this bowl again.

Al Khor Park Part II

Welcome back to part 2. Al Khor Park aims to have 172 animals and birds of 22 species entertain visitors in the park. The weather last December was far from cooperative, although significantly better, hovering at early to mid 20's. Most of the animals remained in their sheds, far from prying huts, but a few did come out to wink and say hello.

Al Khor Park, Part I

I have been to Al-Khor Park a couple of times, and am still surprised at how under-the-radar it remains. Therefore I decided to blog about this beautiful place to spread the word about the amazing new works and renovations that have gone into the place since it first opened in 1983. It's really amazing the attention to detail and how family-friendly it has become that a family can easily spend an entire day there as it's got all the amenities one could need.

Time and Again, Part 2

My first Time and Again was such a success that it left me wondering why my readers do not interact with me more. The numbers prove it was a hit, but the comments come down to a big fat zero. The same great people comment once in a while, and I highly encourage all of you to speak up too.
So the Time and Again series was inspired by my having reached over one thousand posts on MCW. While that is a major achievement, it is likely that some gold nuggets slip away unnoticed. These posts are designed to bring back to the spotlight some of our favorites.

1031. Cucumber Pomegranate Salad

This has to be one of the simplest and freshest salads out there. Cucumber is often used as an accessory to our salads, so making it the main even is quite the surprise. Cucumber rings are simply topped with fresh pomegranate seeds and crumbles of fresh plain white farmer's cheese (can switch for feta or even goat's).

1030. Orange Semolina Cake

While in my opinion few orange cakes surpass my Iraqi orange cake, discovery of options is the flavor of life. How else are you going to know what food you love if you don't have something to base your opinion against? This Mediterranean orange cake is simple, fresh, and flavorsome. Not only does it use the zest and juice of fresh oranges, olive oil replaces the generic butter here.

1029. Iraqi Kebab

The Iraqi kebab is different form any other kebab. First off, the Iraqi kebab is made of minced meat, whereas other nations may refer to it as kofta. Then, there is the unique flavor set off by a specific ratio of fat to meat, a simple flavoring of only salt, and some dampened bread to give that special texture to the cooked meat. All this is exponentially enhanced by the flavor lent by the smoke from the barbecue coals.