1438. Zaatar Feta Sunny Eggs

Eggs are like chicken. Well, granted they come from chicken, or they make a chicken, but that's not what I mean. Eggs are like chicken in the sense that there are a million and one ways to cook them, flavor them, and consume them, making them new every time. This is a new favorite weekend breakfast, giving a tangy spin to regular sunny side up eggs (spoiler: outrageous zaatar crust involved).

1437. Butternut Half Salad

Admittedly, I was hesitant to serve a roasted half butternut squash in this manner. Turns out, it made for a great meal, bursting with flavor, texture, and just so happens to be accidentally vegetarian (vegan if you omit the cheese). I love the charred carmelized butternut squash bits as the roast. Combined with peppery rocket leaves, tangy sun-dried tomato, and unctuous goat cheese, the celebration does not end there.

1436. Baked Pesto Salmon

Sometimes, shortcuts are warranted. Using ready made pesto and jarred sun-dried tomatoes make this a quick and delicious three-ingredients recipe. You don't even need salt or pepper since the pesto is already seasoned. Salmon just might be the fish version on chicken, in the sense that you can never have too many ways to cook it.

1435. Burrata Caprese Salad

Burrata is more than just fresh mozzarella cheese. It is a handmade Italian mozzarella cheese ball stuffed with a thick Italian cream almost like the Iraqi geemar. It is a delight. So for such an exquisite ingredient, simple presentation and top quality ingredients are key. The tomatoes in the picture truly are that red, as they are organic Italian baby plum tomatoes.

1434. Simple Aubergine Turnover (Maqlooba)

Many Arab nations have their own versions of a good rice turnover, and like many famous Arabian dishes, turnovers come highly customized depending on the household preferences. This is a simple aubergine turnover featuring a minced meat base (which becomes the top), filled with a spiced rice and surrounded by cooked aubergine slices. Fried nuts make for the crowning jewel.

1433. Pistachio Breadcrumb Cake

This is a pistachio cake recipe generously passed on. It is strange in the sense that instead of flour it uses breadcrumbs, but it is also genius at the same time as this swap generates much more flavor. The cake also has another few surprise ingredients which I am sure contribute to the high demand of recipe sharing every time it is made.

Best of MCW 401-500

Time for a new Best of MCW compilation. This is a rather brief post compared to others preceding it, but there are some veritable gems to keep you inspired within. We're kicking off with some of the best marinated feta one can make; suitable for breakfast, snack, or a light-ish dinner, you can customize the flavors endlessly.

1431. Lemon Butter Salmon

It's all in the sauce. I have repurposed my fries seasoning for this dish, but a simple seasoning of salt and pepper will also yield good results. The sauce is a velvety smooth and very flavorsome lemon butter with a tinge of garlic that marries beautifully with the mild fish.

1430. Tomato Kalamata Panzanella

How many panzanella recipes do you need? Well, once you've got the foundation of the salad well-built in your mind, you will realize this is a highly customizable dish that may cater to almost anything you may have on hand. This is a cherry tomato and kalamata olive version that did not live to see the light of tomorrow.

1429. Simple Chicken Panini Sandwiches

Panini is a pressed grilled sandwich and truly elevates the experience to a very crispy and delicious one. There was this corner food stall in a petrol station long long ago that sold these for less than a dollar each, and I don't know what reminded me of them or why it took me so long, but here we are.

1428. Roast Red Capsicum Salad

This roast red pepper salad originates from the Italian antipasto, a flavorsome dish semi-preserved in an abundance of olive oil. Add a couple of ingredients, allow to macerate overnight, and enjoy the next day.

1427. Crusty Cheese Stuffed Buns

The famous crusty artisan overnight bread strikes successfully again. This time, the dough is stuffed with melty cheese that is parsley-infused (very Levant) and baked as buns. You can use a mix of cheese as we did, or a single types as per your preference.

1426. Kebab Koobida

This was a super-fast iftar in Ramadan that surprised us all in its deliciousness for something that came together so quickly. The meat is spiced generously, and the saffron played an integral role.