100. Zaatar Cheese Snails - Halazon

For my 100th post, I just had to post a decidedly Arab recipe in honor of the region's clouded magnificance. Cookies and brownies are delightful, but Arab recipes are just more...wholesome.

99. Chocolate Truffle Cakes

There are times when an intense craving for Mars bar may overtake a person... Dense, fudgy, chocolately, satisfying! So these little chocolate truffle cakes are my home-made alternative to Mars bars.

98. Turkey-Bacon Wrapped Chicken

This is another chicken-sage combo, but so very different than the roasted sage chicken!
Only three ingredients are assembled and seared in a little oil to created this easy quick lunch or dinner chicken.

97. Sage Roast Chicken

I have presented a roasted chicken recipe once before (roast chicken with vegetables), and I have also mentioned that variations in a roasted chicken recipe are almost endless. Well, today I have included one of the simplest ever roasted chicken recipes.

96. Chickpea Salad

Canned food is so undervalued. A well-stocked pantry, paired with a few staple fresh produce, can surprise you in their outcome. Canned chickpeas are great. No need for overnight soaking, nor hours of boiling.
Simply open the can, drain, rinse, and you're ready to go.

95. Savory Lamb Baklava

This is basically a meat pie, made with fillo pastry, and cut in a way similar to the sweet nut baklawa.
It is much lighter than a traditional meat pie, which might contain a cream based sauce or beschamel which renders it more suitable for colder days.

94. Greek Spinach Fillo Pie Rolls

Spanakopita is a very popular Greek spinach pie, which can take many shapes and forms. It may be made into large rolls, served one per person, or smaller rolls, or as a regular flat pie.

93. French Macarons

I have been wanting to make dainty delicate French macarons for the longest time, but kept putting it off because of how complicated and intimidating all the recipes I read are.

92. Pistachio Ice Cream

Pistachio ice cream is a beautiful change from the traditional chocolate and vanilla flavors.
I adapted this recipe from chow, but they roasted their nuts (which lessens the color), and I soaked them in boiled water. Since the nuts were soaked in boiled water for a while, their nutty crunch is not as harsh as an un-soaked nut.
It doesn't have the bright green color of store-bought ice cream because there is no food coloring in it.
All in all, I liked the result just as it is, but that doesn't prevent you from experimenting with more flavors... like adding some rose water or orange blossom water.
Note that this recipe uses 6 egg yolks, so I have a delicious French macaron recipe coming up that uses the remaining 6 egg whites!!

Ingredients:

1 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup whipping cream

2 cups whole milk

6 large egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Method:

Pour boiled water over the pistachios to cover, let soak 20 minutes, drain, cool.

Combine pistachios, sugar, and salt in a food processor and process until pistachios are medium ground, about 15 seconds.

Combine cream, milk, and pistachio mixture in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat (12 to 15 minutes).

Prepare an ice water bath by filling a bowl halfway with ice and water; set aside.

Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks and almond extract in a large bowl until smooth, foamy, and light in color, about 3 minutes. Slowly pour about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly.

Pour the egg-milk mixture back into the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until custard coats the spoon, about 3 minutes. (When you draw your finger across the spoon, it should make a mark through the custard, which should not run back in on itself.)

Pour the custard into a large clean bowl and place over the ice bath to chill, about 15 minutes. Once the ice cream base is lukewarm, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill completely, at least 3 hours or up to 12 hours.

Once the base is thoroughly chilled, freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

 صحة و عافية

 

91. Squash Mucver (Turkish Courgette Patties)

Squash mucver, courgette patties, and zucchini fritters all indicate the same thing. These are actually really popular in the Mediterranean region, especially in Greece and Turkey.