1848. Syrian Pumpkin Yogurt Stew

I could not get a pretty picture of the stew, but its character more than makes up for its lack of beauty. This Syrian pumpkin yogurt stew is such a cozy and heartwarming dish for the winter, especially for us Arabs who love yogurt-based dishes. 

1847. Salt Fudge Toffee

The end of year brings candy and baking recipes galore. This salted fudge toffee is so moreish in the winter, but honestly might be the same year-round. 

1846. Arayes Sprial Skewers

Arayes is a classic Arabian snack, and presenting them as spirals on a skewer is novel and innovative. I served it with a side of kefir ranch dip, and it was delicious. 

1845. Canned Cranberry Juice

People have an apprehensive approach to canning food, with food safety issues and all. Starting small and conquering minor steps is key to developing any skill. So I tried my hand at canning cranberry juice, and it was really successful.

1844. Fresh Zaatar Olive Savory Muffins

Zaatar and cheese is a classic and nostalgic combination that I would be happy to include in my daily routine as it's got hundreds, maybe even thousands, of variations.

1843. Mini Pumpkin Cheese Fondue

This is a fun and delicious idea for small pumpkins and leftover scraps of cheese: serving one or two people, the cheese fondue is put in a baked small pumpkin, which is edible as well. 

1842. Raclette

Raclette is the name of a Swiss and French Alps cheese, but it is also the name of a dish on how it is consumed. I was gifted a two-person raclette candle-lit grill, and allowed myself the indulgence of a raclette dinner for two. 

1841. Sweet Potato Schiacciata

Firstly, I do not know how to pronounce schiacciata. Secondly, the internet has confused me if this is a schiacciata or not. The idea is that it is an Italian flatbread filled to the brim with vegetables and freshly grated parmesan. You know, like Iraqi iroog bread, but without the meat or lamb fat. 

1840. Baked Courgette Boats

Fun fact: the traditional cored and stuffed courgettes are an acknowledged classic and a tolerated meal. It was after I discovered and implemented the deconstructed courgettes in yogurt, and these courgettes boats in tomato sauce, that I got passionate about them. 

1839. Quick Turkish Delight

Most Turkish delights are made using glucose syrups. This is an easy homemade version using plain old pantry ingredients you can easily find in any home. The nuts we added are pistachio, but they can be switched for another type of nut or completely left out.

1838. Sesame Crust Sourdough Boule

The sourdough chronicles continue.  Today's entry is a sesame seed crusted sourdough boule.

1837. Honey Almond Butter

There are already two almond butter recipes on this blog, so a third seems superfluous, however it is a valuable addition worthy of sharing.

1836. Purslane Burghul

I posted a Palestinian purslane dish not too long ago, and this Syrian version with burghul used up the last of my frozen summer bounty.

1835. Egyptian Rice Muamar

Egyptian rice muamar is of course using Egyptian short gran rice, but what makes it truly special is the all the components are baked in a clay pot. The other thing that makes it special, are the components themselves.

1834. The Best Hot Chocolate

This is the end-all and be-all of all hot chocolate recipes. Once you try this one, there is no going back to the powdered cocoa versions. 

1833. Sujuk Cheese Danish Pastries

Very convenient, tasty, and quick to make, especially with a ready-rolled sheet of puff pastry, these savory danishes come together in no time. 

1832. Chocolate Sourdough Boule

Experimenting further with my sourdough, this chocolate sourdough boule was bound to happen. As happy as I was, I wasn't sure hot to use it up.

1831. Warm Mortadella and Olive Buns

The essence of this sandwich is that it is quick, easy, accessible, and delicious.

1830. Chili Garlic Oil

For the past couple of years, chili garlic oil has been the "it" condiment. Simple to make, packs a punch of flavor, and can enhance just about any savory dish.

1829. Khfeefi Kleicha

Khfeefi is just Kleicha without the filling, shaped into disks and dunked into tea. It might havebeen created out of the necessity to use up extra dough when making kheicha, but it is so beloved that sometimes we make it just to make it. 

1828. Chicken Mushroom Dill Soup

We served this soup on repeat during Ramadan. The convenience of packaged soup, elevated with the additions of fresh ingredients. 

1827. Rice Paper Cheese Croissant

I intentionally skip most "trends" on social media but food-related trends catch my attention. So far, a few have been great hots, and others, great flops. This is one of the more unexpected ones, a croissant made from rice paper. I opted for a savory cheese version, and might try the sweet counterpart at some point.

1826. Zaatar and Cheese Saj Parcels

This is a quick yet delicious savory breakfast pastry that is done in minutes. Zaatar and cheese is a classic flavor combination which you cannot go wrong with.

1825. Palestinian Purslane Appetizer

Purslane is dismissed as a weed since it so resiliently grows between crop and even between bricks. This "weed" which we are being prompted to discard is one of the most nutrient dense and medicinal foods you can find.

1824. Freekeh Casserole

Freekeh is an ancient Mesopotamian grain that has made it to our modern-day superfood lists. It is simply a wheat grain, but the following makes all the difference: it is harvested while still green, and it is smoked.

1823. Seaweed Roasted Cashew

A salty and sweet snack that tastes delicious. Seaweed is not only rich in iron, but it interestingly also helps to stabilize female hormones.

1822. Puffed Nutella Bananas

The food scene has exploded, which might be a good thing, were it not for the clickbait problem. Many quick and attractive food videos are spamming our feeds, and when implemented, the recipe is a flop. Not a great introduction to these puffed nutella bananas, but a reality that needs to have light shed on it. 

1821. Leftover Chicken Sandwich

Roast chicken is best the day it is made. The best use if leftover roast chicken is in a sandwich.

1820. Turkish Liver and Rice

This Turkish liver is rice is one of those dishes I can never say no to if it's available on the menu. Interestingly, it is a "fast food" sold in carts as a common street food.

1819. Twix and Arabic Coffee

I am sharing a breakdown of one of the IYKYK things. If you know, you know, but if you don't how are you supposed to know? So, twix and Arabic coffee. Together, they make for the best combo. Almost addictive. Totally unsuitable for formal company. Want to know more?

1818. Warm Cabbage Salad

Roast cabbage is a wonderful way to transform this humble vegetable. While we might be used to a crunch and vibrant cabbage salad or coleslaw in the summer, a warm roasted cabbage salad with delicious cashew tahini dressing is a great version for the winter. 

1817. Sourdough Zaatar Focaccia

It was a matter of time before a sourdough focaccia made it to the blog. Actually, there was one before this, but here is the new and improved version.

1816. Buckwheat Granola

This is the first time I use buckwheat. Although coming from wheat, it has many health benefits that I preferred making an oat-less granola just to let it shine.

1815. Simple Seared Seabass Fillets

I would happily dine on these delicious seabass fillets two or even three times a week. There is zero "fishiness" to them, the flavor is just beyond, and paired with some potatoes or rice or even pasta, make for a wholesome and satisfying meal.

1814. Quick Walnut Baklava

Same concept as the feta filo parcels in the last post, but here is a sweet version that is essentially the easiest baklawa you will ever make. 

1813. Quick Feta Filo Parcel

I'm all about quick and easy recipes of late. A long list of ingredients or a complicated method have me go a 180 degree heel-spin. So when I saw this non-recipe recipe in both savory (feta cheese) and sweet (walnut cinnamon, coming soon) versions, I was immediately on board. 

Best of MCW (1701-1800)

Welcome to the 18th installment of the Best Of series for MCW, where for every 100 recipes posted, I do a round up of the absolute hits we loved and ended up making over and over again. Sandwiches and sides take center stage here, but the six main dishes are each something I would be happy to have on a weekly basis. I do tend to organize my round-ups as if I was walking through a day chronologically, meaning we start at breakfast options, then explore snacking ideas, before tackling main meals and moving on to dessert as the end. Today, in honor of our brotherhood with Palestine, we start the segment with a simple Palestinian spread, consisting of crispy zaatar bread, lemony brined olives, and tangy lebna drenched on olive oil.

1811. Cottage Cheese Chocolate Pudding

Cottage cheese is back, and the make over is real. Specifically, blending the cheese completely transforms it. Exploiting its naturally bland nature, it can swing sweet or savory.

1810. Cottage Cheese Scrambled Eggs

Cottage cheese has gotten a makeover. It used to be known as this 90's diet food, ultra bland and ultra boring. One of the most prominent makeovers is cottage cheese scrambled eggs, which just ups the protein so efficiently. 

1809. Pistachio Knefeh Chocolate

This trend had me at pistachio paste. I had to wait for months before pistachio paste was available again at the supermarket because everybody went mad for this so it is always selling out. All it is, is a mixture of toasted knefeh pastry coated in pistachio paste and encased in chocolate. 

1808. Instant Iced Coffee

Another summer, another iced coffee; and why not? Simple accessible ingredients thrown together even in a rushed morning and sipped on a hot morning can just about make your day. 

1807. Caesar Salad on Escalope

 

This is more of a concept than a recipe, and a great one for a wholesome and satisfying lunch at that. 

1806. Qamr Al Deen Roll Ups

There came a moment when mega-sour fruit roll ups were all the rage, and I certainly do not tend to jump on every bandwagon, but it is interesting the trends they come up with. A happy coincidence was that I had some apricot leather, qamr al deen, and fresh pomegranate available, and an optional drizzle of pomegranate molasses for some extra tartness.  

1805. Pistachio Biscuit Log

It is strange that pistachio is all the rage right now, because it is a classic ingredient that undeniably elevates any savory or sweet dish. Another undeniable fact is that a proper pistachio paste is a true pleasure and an indulgent luxury. This is used here is a very simple manner: as a lazy cake. 

1804. Express Relish Sandwich

Don't knock it till you try it. I saw someone make this using mostly local ingredients as their go-to breakfast or snack so I gave it a go and I enjoyed it very much especially with the added relish. 

1803. Peach Frangipane Tartlettes

Frangipane is a fancy yet really easy sweet almond concoction that works in many pastries, from almond croissant, to fully-fledged tarts. Obviously, they also form a pretty epic flavor bomb when paired with fruit.

1802. Easy Savory Filo Bake

The solution to a delicious filo pie without all the brushing of butter and laborious layers in the shred up the pastry and stir it right in the filling. Sounds drastic, but really works well. This is a savory vegetable filo bake, with classic flavors that work well together: feta, courgette, and dill. 

1801. Lemon Posset

This lemon posset is a quick and easy summer recipe that can be poured in individual ramekins or hollowed lemon halves cut lengthwise for a pretty presentation.

1800. Honey Chili Haloomi Salad

A new salad presentation is always welcome on my table. Salad is something that can range from a few leaves dressed with vinegar, to a full meat with all food groups in it.

1799. Zaatar Omelette

When "trends" first became noticeable, I was irked and refused to contribute. With time, the trends became better and more irresistible, and now I have quite the repertoire of tried and true trendy internet recipe. This is one such recipe.