1011. Potato and Meat Empanadas

I opted to call these fried pastry delights after the latino empanada versus the Arab samosa, because of the filling. Cooked lamb or beef mince is stirred into some coarsely mashed potato and stuffed in a dough pocket, before being fried.

1010. Zaatar Caesar Salad

Zaatar caesar salad was something I came across a picture of on social media. I haven't been able to get it out of my mind, not have I been able to find a recipe for it, so I decided to experiment. Conclusion: success! I avoided anchovies in the dressing since people tend to get squirmish at the thought, plus if the dressing were to stay overnight, the fishy smell and taste would be overwhelming.

1009. Penne Arrabiata

Penne arrabiata is not an Arab dish, but a famous Roman one referring to the spiciness of the pasta. The most prominent flavors are the tomato, garlic, and chili, but it is the generosity of the Italian herbs that really makes it stand out: oregano, thyme, and basil.

1008. Muhammara

Muhammara literally translates to "the reddened one." It is an amazing mezze that is fragrant, pungent, and bold. Despite it commonly accompanying other mezzes like hummus, tabboula, and kubba on both Arab and Turkish tables alike, it is somewhat less popular than the rest, despite rivaling each one of them in its flavor.

1007. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

The ingredient list is actually short were it not for the spices. Sugars, butter, flour and an egg with a healthy dose of pure pumpkin puree are mixed with the perfect Autumnal spices and flavorings. After a brief refrigeration stint, the cookies are baked into a soft chewy bites.

1006. Filo Meat Pie

This filo meat pie is very similar to my lamb baklava of years ago, but differs in terms of spicing. A cooked beef minces is sandwiched between layers of buttery flakey filo pastry, and baked in a milk and egg mixture to yield a pie that is both crispy and moist.

1005. Cheesy Garlic Baguette

Sometimes, shortcuts are the best way to go. I usually prefer making something as wholly as I can home-made. So I have made garlic bread from scratch before, but using a bought baguette is much faster.

1004. Pesto Baked Pasta

While pasta is one of my favorite foods in almost all the forms it comes in, I do have a tendency to make a baked dish out of it. Boiling up a batch of pasta, coating it in some pesto and cheese is great. Adding some whisked eggs and cream and baking it off? A whole new level of great.

Time and Again, Part 1

Having over a thousand recipes archived on MCW, I thought it was high time I share a list of recipes I find myself making time and again. These recipes are reflective of my personal favorites, as well as family and friends' favorites, ranging from the basic breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to afternoon teas, snacks, and beyond. Unable to restrict myself to a limit, I will be posting a series of there favorites in separate posts containing 20 to 25 recipes each. Here is part 1:

1002: Knafa Cones

There is a huge market for modern takes on traditional classics. Take the Rangina for example: it is the most basic ancient Bedouin dessert made from ghee-fried flour with dates stirred in. It not comes in all shapes and forms, from a prickled ananas shape, to single-serve in Arabic coffee cups complete with a dried rose bud. Same goes for the knafa: it still comes in the traditional thin and wide disk, but caterers and sweet shops are playing around with the presentation to appeal to their customer base.