747. Roast Carrot with Dukkah Soup

Not too long ago, I had a dukka cooking spree, where I made the spice blend and cooked various things applying it (see: chicken, lebna, cheese log, and roses), proving that it is in fact much more than just an accent in a dish. Likewise in this soup.

746. Chinese Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the perfect multipurpose soup. Down with the flu? This is your answer. Fancy something aromatically Asian? Look no further. On a diet? This is not only healthy, but also really low on calories. Cold from the freezing weather? This will warm you right up.

745. Broccoli Cheddar Soup

I realize this is the second broccoli soup on the blog.  The original broccoli cream soup is pretty fantastic, but who can resist a cheddar-broccoli soup especially in these dreary day? Especially if it's accompanied by some puffed cheese straws.

744. Puffed Cheese Straws

Cheesy puffed pastry straws were a popular snack when I was a kid, but we always bought them packaged. I admit, they did have an amazing crunch and crispiness that just is not as easily achieved at home as it is in the factory. However, home-made lends itself to a plethora of flavorings.

743. Mansaf

This month's  MENA Cooking Club challenge is Jordan, hosted by Cheap Ethnic Eatz.. Previous months include: Algeria, Bahrain, Djiboui, Egypt, and Iraq. Jordan is a neighbor bordering Iraq, and while it is true that the Iraqi influence is obvious especially in the capital Amman, it is Palestine that has the final say in ruling Jordan, as a good half of its citizens are in fact Palestinian, including their queen (and coincidentally their national dish, the Mansaf).

742. Festive Filipino Sweet Macaroni Salad

I have had my fair share of dabbling in international arenas here and there, yet I have never met a community so committed to laughter, celebration, and having fun as much as the Filipinos. I was introduced to the macaroni "salad," which is in fact a form of sweet or dessert for me, by a true Filipino eager to celebrate their new year.

741. Olive Cheese Bread Buns

These cheesy, salty bread loaves/buns were off the chart delicious.
Given some love and plenty of rest time, there is nothing quite like a happy freshly baked loaf of bread. Add lots and lots of cheese and some green olives... off the charts I say.

740. Portugese Peri-Peri Roast Chicken

I'm kind of proud of my roast chicken repertoire. Roast chicken is the most heart-warming, caring, thing to make for a family, not to mention simple and so cozy. Here are a couple of favorites: salt roast chicken, ugly-delicious Milk, Greek, Spanish, French, Thai, Chinese Teriyaki, and now Portuguese. And that's not even mentioning Arab roast chicken variations, including: Yogurt, Sumac, Dukkah, and Zaatar.

739. Balsamic Dressed Salad

This is more of a recipe for the balsamic dressing than it is for the salad. Four unique and magical ingredients are whisked to form an out-of-this-world salad dressing that really doesn't need more than a few crisp lettuce leaves to be showcased.

738. Iraqi Dill Kubba

If you find yourself a real fan of Iraqi fava-dill rice and kubba halab, this kubba is a dream come true.
It is quite simply everybody's beloved kubba halab, with a twist. The incorporation of fresh dill in the crust achieves phenomenal results.