Sandy's Kitchen

Home Made Cream of Mushroom Soup

2012-02-10T10:39:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1.30 g (1.25 oz)Butter
2.Half diced onion
3.1.5 tbsp Flour
4.100g (3.5oz) of sliced white mushroom
5.1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
6.1.5 cups of water
7.6 oz of heavy cream (you can use milk instead) – heated in the microwave.
8.8 oz of chicken stock
9.Salt and pepper

How to Prepare:

1.Melt the butter on low heat.
2.Add the onion, parsley and the mushroom slices. Stir them in the butter for 5 minutes without getting them to color.
3.When the onion gets soft, add the flour and mix it in well.
4.Add the milk and the chicken stock and stir well.
5.Season with salt and pepper.
6.Cook for 25 minutes and stir occasionally
7.After it gets cooked and is creamy, blend the soup in the blender until no lumps left.
8.Taste and season as desired.

Chicken-Tahini Dip

2012-02-05T08:44:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

- One piece of Chicken Breast
- 3 tablespoons of ground Sesame
- 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
- 1 small piece of crushed garlic
- One squeezed lemon
- Salt

How to Prepare:

- Boil the chicken breast with some salt and pepper, skimming the froth as it appears, for about 45 minutes.
- Shred the chicken breast into small pieces.
- Mix the ground sesame with the yogurt, crushed garlic, the lemon and a pinch of salt together till thick and creamy.
- Mix the shredded chicken with the tahini sauce.

How to make Queso dip for football :)

2012-02-05T08:37:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

-1/2 block of pasteurized cheese - Mild Mexican Velveeta(8 oz)
-1/2 block of the original pasteurized cheese (I used Kraft Chedder Cheese)8 Oz
-8 oz of chunky no bean chili (Mild)

How to Prepare:

-Using a crock pot, start warming on low.
-Cut the cheese blocks into pieces to make it melt faster.
-Add the chili and turn the crock pot onto medium.
-Let it cook for about 2 hours stirring every now and then (Remember each crock pot is different. You might need to turn it down to low so it doesn’t burn on the edges).
-Take it out and blend it in a blender

Now you can serve it with some chips.

Buffalo Wings

2012-02-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

- Chicken Wings
- Half a stick of Butter (4 OZ)
- 4 tbs of Hot Sauce
- Few drips of Tabasco
- 1/2 tsp of Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 tsp of Garlic Powder
- Pinch of Salt
- One tbs of White vinegar

How to Prepare:

-Put the butter with the hot sauce, a few drips of tabasco sauce, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and white vinegar on medium heat and whisk to melt the butter.
-Once you see it start bubbling on the sides, turn it off and let it sit on the side.
-Deep fry your chicken wings or oven fry (your Choice)
-Put the wings in a bowl and pour some of the sauce on top of them then cover them with a plate and shake for a few minutes.
-You can serve them as is or you can let them dry by putting them in the oven after you turn it off for 10 minutes.

Spinach and Bacon Salad

2012-02-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

- Bag of fresh baby spinach
- Bacon
- Feta Cheese
- Red Onion
- Olive Oil and Vinegar

How to Prepare:

- Clean the spinach and dry well.
- Fry the bacon and cut into small pieces.
- Add the bacon, sliced onion and feta to the spinach and mix.
- For dressing, you may add some olive oil and vinegar.

Easy and Tasty!

Easy Salmon Recipe

2012-02-02T10:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredient:

- 2 Pieces of Salmon
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lemon
- Black Olive
- Parsley
- Mushroom

How to Prepare:

- Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper then add the chopped parsley and sliced black olive on top of one piece.

- Put the other piece on top of it and tie them together using clean threads.

- Slice the lemon into circular slices and put them on top of the salmon and some on the sides.

- Throw some mushroom around the salmon pieces in the Pyrex sheet and bake at 400F/250C for 45 minutes until the salmon is well cooked.

- Remove the lemon pieces and serve.

Day in the Desert.

2012-01-31T08:41:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from New years eve 2009/2010 in Qatar, we decided to spend the new years eve in the desert where we went desert camping, dune bashing, and had a camp fire with some friends. What a way to welcome the new year!

Caesar Dressing...YUMMY

2012-01-31T04:48:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup olive oil.
- 3 minced garlic cloves.
- 1 tbsp Anchovy paste.
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard.
- 1/2 tsp Worcheshire sauce.
- 1/4 cup lemon juice.
- 1 whole egg (you can skip this one if you want).

How to Prepare:
In case you want it to be thick, follow the same way as the mayonnaise recipe then add the rest of the ingredients and keep blending till it gets thick and solid.
Another way is to put all the ingredients at once in the blender and blend. It won't be as thick but still tasty.
Refrigerate in a jar and you will have it for at least 3 days, more if you don't use the egg.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

2012-01-21T22:30:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1. Spaghetti (Pasta of your choice)
2. One pound of ground meat
3. 1/2 Cup of bread crumbs
4. One Egg
5. 4 large Tomatoes
6. One cup of diced onion
7. 2 Gloves of diced garlic
8. Salt and Pepper
9. One tablespoon of olive oil
10. Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Using a large pot, boil some water with salt and olive oil then add the spaghetti and let it boil for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, beat the egg and add to the ground meat with bread crumbs, salt, pepper and onion.

3. Assemble the meat mixture into balls.

4. Boil the tomatoes for 5 to 7 minutes. Peel the skin and then crush into a sauce.

5. Heat the vegetable oil and brown the balls, flipping them every few minutes until all brown.

6. Fry the garlic in a saucepan until blond then add the tomato sauce with some salt and pepper, then add the balls to the sauce. Once t starts to boil, lower the flame and let it simmer until the sauce gets thick.

7. Add the meatballs and sauce on top of the spaghetti and serve.

Home-made Hash Brown

2012-01-13T00:20:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1- 4 Potatoes
2- 1/3 cup of flour
3- One beaten Egg
4- One tablespoon of Butter
5- One teaspoon of Salt
6- Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:

- Shred the potatoes and place them in a bowl. Add salt, flour, egg and butter to the potatoes and mix all together.

- Spread the potatoes on foil evenly.

- Using your hands, squeeze some until the water is out and fry them in vegetbale oil on both sides until light brown.

Bread n' Milk (مغطوطة)

2012-01-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1. Two Cups of Flour
2. One tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
3. Pinch of Salt
4. One Tablespoon of Yeast
5. One Cup of Warm Water
6. Two tablespoons of fennel powder
7. One tablespoon of Sugar
7. Milk
8. Butter

How to Prepare;

1. Put the flour in a bowl (preferably plastic).

2. Add the vegetable oil, fennel powder, sugar and salt to the flour.

3. Mix the yeast in a cup of warm water. Mix until the yeast dissolves.

4. Add the water and yeast mix into the bowl.

5. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients in the bowl together.

6. Start kneading the dough until it turns into one piece of sticky dough.

7. Warm the dough by covering the bowl towels and/or blanket. The dough must get to 85F. Keep covered for 20 minutes. It is now ready to use.

8. Cut the dough into pieces and flatten each piece to be about 4 inch round circles and 1/4 inch thick.

9. Bake in the oven at 400F/ 250C for about 30 minutes.

10. Warm some milk in a pot then dip each bread piece in it and top with some butter as desired.

Enjoy

Mac and Cheese

2012-01-02T03:45:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

- 3 Tbsp of butter
- 3 Tbsp of flour
- 1 Tbsp of dry mustard powder
- 1 Bay leave
- 1 Tsp of salt
- 3 Cups of milk
- 1 Beaten egg
- 2 Cups of shredded cheddar cheese
- One bag of desired pasta
For Topping:
- 1 Cup of bread crumbs
- 4 Tbsp of melted butter

How to Prepare:

Melt the butter then add the flour and Whisk for 2-3 minutes until you reach blond color.

Add while whisking continuously the mustard powder, salt and the bay leave.

Slowly, pour the milk into the mixture while whisking until it gets thick.

Remove the bay leave.

Add 1-2 table spoons of the milk mixture to the egg and keep beating with a fork then add to the mixture.

Add 3/4 of the cheese leaving the 1/4 for topping.

Mix the boiled macaroni with the mixture then top it with the rest of the cheese.

Mix the bread crumbs With the melted butter and add to the top of the cheese.

Bake in the oven at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls

2012-01-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

- 4 ¼ cups of flour
- 1 ¼ cup of milk
- 1 tbsp of yeast
- ¼ cup of melted butter
- ¼ cup of sugar
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 egg
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon

How to Prepare:

Start with warming the milk in the microwave for about 45 minutes, then add the yeast to the milk and stir well to activate the yeast.
Using a large bowl add the flour, sugar, salt and the melted butter and stir all together.
Add the milk/yeast mix to the bowl and knead all together for few minutes then add the egg and keep kneading until it forms dough. (P.S. if the dough is little sticky add ¼ cup of flour)
Place the dough in another bowl after greasing it and cover it so the dough gets warm and rises. (this will take about 30 minutes to rise).
Sprinkle flour on a clean surface to flatten the dough.
Roll the dough until it becomes a circle shape and ½ cm thick.
Brush the dough with melted butter leaving a ¼ of an inch on the top without butter.
Sprinkle brown sugar, normal sugar and ground cinnamon on the dough evenly as desired.
Start rolling the dough from bottom to the top similar to rolling a cigar :)
Cut the roll into a ¼ of inch thick slices.
Grease an oven sheet and place the slices on it leaving a small space between rolls.
Let it rest for about 30 minutes then bake it at 350 F for 30 minutes.

Icing the rolls:

Whisk ½ cup of powdered sugar with half and half until it becomes a thick paste.

Home-made Corn Bread

2012-01-01T06:17:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

- One cup of corn meal (or corn flour)
- One cup of all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup of sugar
- ½ cup of melted unsalted butter
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- ½ tsp of salt
- One cup of milk (butter milk)

How to Prepare:

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and the melted butter.
Add the 2 eggs, baking soda, salt and the butter milk and whisk until all the ingredients are mixed well.
Add the corn meal and mix it in using a spatula until it is all mixed, then add the flour and stir (P.S. don’t over mix the flour).
Grease a 9 inch oven sheet and then pour the mixture in and spread it out evenly.
Bake at 375 F for about 30 minutes.
Let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

French Salad

2012-01-01T03:50:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Lettuce, Tomato, Cucumber, Asparagus, Palmito, Baby Sweet Corn

Palmito: Heart of palm, also called palm heart, can offer several health benefits including increased dietary fiber. The vegetable is also low in fat and cholesterol and a good source of protein, potassium, vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc Palm hearts can be kept refrigerated in a non metal container in its own liquid for no more than a week before spoiling.

Dressing: Either olive oil or Ranch dressing

Moutabal

2012-01-01T03:25:00.000-08:00

I realized that i didn't have a Moutabal recipe on my blog when a friend asked me for the recipe. How on earth did i miss posting such an incredible dish???

Ingredients:

- 1 Large Eggplant
- 3 Tbsp of Tahini (Ground Sesame)
- 2 Tbsp of Plain Yogurt
- 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Garlic Minced.
- Salt

How to Prepare:

First, we need to bake the eggplant. Preheat the oven to 400 f then place the eggplant directly on the rack(i put a tray full of water on the lower rack to catch anything that may drip from the eggplant).
Bake the eggplant for about 35 minutes then let it rest till it cools down and then peel it.
Or you can put it on the top of the stove and flip it until it gets soft in all sides.

Second, Crush the eggplant with a fork, then add lemon, tahini, yogurt, salt and garlic to the eggplant and mix. If you would like it to be more smooth, you can blend it. (personally i like it chunky)

Easy.. you can top it with some parsley or pomegranate for presentation.

Chocolate Fudge Brownie

2012-01-01T03:01:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

•½ cup of white flour
•2 eggs, lightly beaten
•¾ cup butter, melted
•6 tbsp cocoa
•1 cup light brown sugar
•½ tsp vanilla extract
•¼ cup of water
•½ cup of vegetable oil

How to Prepare:

1. Preheat Oven 350F. Grease a Pyrex sheet or cake pan with some butter then add some flour to the bottom.

2. Beat together the eggs, water, vegetable oil, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl.

3. Mix it along with cocoa mixture

4. Sift over the flour and fold it along with the mixture.

5. Pour this mixture into the sheet

6. Bake for 20-35 minutes until risen. It will still look soft and wet but it will cook further while cooling. Let it sit until cool.

Apple Pie

2012-01-01T01:57:00.000-08:00

Apple pie crust Ingredients:

- 2 ½ cups of all purpose flour
- 1 tbs of sugar
- 1 tsp of salt
- 2 sticks of unsalted frozen butter (8oz)
- 5 to 6 tbs of cold water (ice water)

How to make:

Cut the butter into 1/2 inch of cubes and froze it for about one hour.

Using a food processor, add the flour, the sugar, salt and frozen butter and pulse short pulses about 6 to 8 pulses

While the machine is running add a table spoon of ice water at a time until mixture just begins to clump together

Take the dough out of the processor and kneed it in a ball shape then place it in a bowl.

Place the dough in the fridge for about 2 hours before flattening

P.S. This will make a 10 inches of bottom and 10 inches of top crust.

Filling Ingredients:

- 6 cups of thinly sliced firm pealed apples
- 2 tbs of flour
- ¼ tsp of Salt
- ¾ cups Sugar
- ¾ tsp of Ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp of Nutmeg
- 1 tbs of Lemon juice

How to make the pie:

Take the crust out of the fridge and let it sit for about 15 minutes.

Cut the crust into 2 equal pieces

Sprinkle flour on a clean surface and start rolling the dough (Make sure to turn the dough one side every time you roll)

Keep rolling until it is 1/4 inch thick.

Place the crust into a 8 inch pie dish (Preferable glass)

Mix all the filling ingredients together and add them into the pie dish then place the other crust on top of the filling.

Pinch top and bottom of dough rounds firmly together then fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with a fork.

Cut 4 slits on top of the crust. Each is about 2 inches in length.

Bake it in the oven at 425f for about 40-45 minuts

Let it sit for about 2 hours before serving.

Rice and Chicken

2011-11-26T02:00:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1- One cup of Rice
2- One Chicken Breast
3- One cup of Peas
4- One cup of dices Carrots
5- Diced Peppers (Sweet Red, Grean, Orange and Yellow)
6- Diced Onions
7- Salt
8- One cube of Chicken Buillion

How to Prepare:

1- Boil the chicken until well cooked with some salt and ground pepper in the water removing the froth as it appears. (Save the water to use when cooking the rice)

2- Using a large pot, melt some butter and stir the onion until soft.

3- Add the carrots, peppers and peas to the pot and stir for few minutes.

4- Add the rice and the water from the chicken (for one cup of rice add 2 cups of water) with some salt and the buillion.

5- Lower the flame as the water starts boiling and cover the pot.

6- Once the water dries, turn off the flame and let it rest for few minutes.

7- Shred the chicken and add it on top of the rice.

8- As desired, you can add some pine nuts on top of the chicken after sauteeing them with some butter.

Enjoy :)

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe/ Aubergine Parmigiana

2011-10-31T04:17:00.000-07:00

A classic Italian dish, this features blissfully tender sliced eggplants layered with melting mozzarella, fresh parmesan and a good home-made tomato sauce

Ingredients

- 2 lbs (about 2 large) eggplants
- Salt and Pepper
- 3 whole peeled tomatoes
- Finley Chopped onion
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- Olive oil
- 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
- Mozzarella cheese, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds
- Grated high quality Parmesan cheese
- 1 packed cup fresh basil leaves

How to prepare:

1. Cut eggplants lengthwise into 1/4 inch slices. Arrange one layer in the bottom of a large colander and sprinkle evenly with salt. Repeat with remaining eggplant, salting, until all eggplant is in the colander and let drain for 20 minutes. Rinse with cold water.

2. While the eggplant is draining, prepare tomato sauce. Crush the tomato until it gets saucy. Pre-heat some vegetable oil and sauté the onion and garlic then add the tomato sauce with some salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil then heat and simmer for few minutes until it gets a little thick. Add the basil leaves and stir.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 200 C/400F

4. Place the eggplant slices in a non-stick pan and brush them with olive oil then place in the oven for 10-15 minutes until they get soft.

5. Place the eggplants in a greased Pyrex sheet and then add the mozzarella, the tomato sauce and the parmesan mixed with the breadcrumbs on top of them accordingly.

6. Bake for about 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

7. Serve with some pasta and side salad if desired.

How to Mayonnaise??

2011-08-12T18:09:00.000-07:00

I'm telling you Homemade Mayonnaise is the real deal. Try it and you won't buy any Mayonnaise from the supermarket.
Ingredients:

-2 eggs yolk (Free range is preferable).
- 1 cup olive oil.
- Tea spoon lemon juice.

How to prepare:
In a blender, put the egg yolks and the lemon, start the blender on slow (this means SLOW
), then add the olive oil at first drop by drop. Once you have added about 1/4 cup of olive oil and the mixture looks thick you can start to pour the oil in a very thin line till the end. *This really has to be done slowly at first!

After adding the oil, add Mustard, more lemon, salt and pepper. By adding garlic instead of the mustard, you will have a garlic sauce (in this case use the whole egg), which is very delicious with grilled chicken, Kabab, Shawarma, even french fries (insert joke about the French and their mayonnaise).

A tip: if you want bacon-flavored mayonnaise (!): collect the oil left over from frying some bacon (as much as desired). You can be creative in how much olive oil you replace with the bacon grease.

If you have trouble at first, don't worry, your mayonnaise will get better with more practice. That's why I recommend using less-expensive olive oil for your first attempt.

Comment if you have any questions or tips!

Cairo, Egypt

2011-05-18T14:04:00.000-07:00

A friend and co-worker of mine invited me last spring to go visit Cairo, Egypt with her. I had a few days off and I'd always wanted to see the pyramids. So I went and I can say that it was a really overwhelming experience and I really enjoyed my time there. You absolutely must try and visit if you can.

The streets are insanely busy, people crossing the high ways while cars are going more than 70mph. (It made me a little nervous.) Also, expect being hassled in tourist areas, however Egyptian people are friendly and respectful so if you say "no thanks" they will leave you alone- but move to target some other tourist!

I had the chance to visit a few places in a short period of time. I visited the pyramids (Al Giza), Cairo Tower, The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, Salah Al Din Citadel, and Khan Al Khalili.

I ate kushari in a shop that definitely wasn't one of the cleanest in the street, but it was very good. I also had fool wa ta`ameia (beans and flafel) in a restaurant called Felfela, which is inexpensive and delicious.

At night we took a cruise boat on the Nile and they asked my friends and me to drive the boat, as you can see in the photo above. I also was the only person who got to dance with the belly dancer, it was a great night. The next day we went to a bar at the four season hotel and had some drinks and food. It was a fun but small trip. It left me feeling tired though from walking all day long.

Eggplant dish, middle eastern style Moussaka, or Sheikh al muhshi.

2011-05-17T21:43:00.000-07:00

So I did this vegetarian dish the other day for dinner and my man said, "no way I'm gonna eat it, it's eggplant and radishes!" I just asked him to have one bite for me, so he agreed and he kept on going bite after bite saying it's not bad- then it's not bad at all, hhmmmm the radish is so tasty with it....

Ingredients:

- 2 Eggplants

- 1 medium onion cut into strips

- 2 cloves of garlic

- 1 can of diced tomatoes

- Half teaspoon of Allspice

- 1 teaspoon of ground coriander

- Butter or any frying oil you prefer

- Salt

How to prepare:

First method:

Peel the eggplant and cut it into cubes around 2-2.5 inches thick.

Meanwhile, heat some frying oil (your choice) on medium heat in a pan.

Add the eggplant and saute or fry until they are light brown.

Remove the eggplant from the pan and place them over a kitchen towel to absorb the oil.

In a pot, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat, then add the onion.

After 2 minutes add the garlic (for an easy way to peel the garlic cloves, put the clove on a flat surface and hit it with the bottom of your palm). Leave the garlic to cook with the onions for an extra two minutes.

Next add the diced tomatoes, salt, allspice and coriander to the garlic and onions.

Bring the mix to a boil then add the eggplant. Cover and lower the heat to low and cook until the eggplant is done (around 20 minutes) and the sauce is thick.

Serve cold with radishes. It tastes great with radish and if you want you can sprinkle some grated cheese.

If you don't like to fry the eggplant because of all the oil they absorb, you can use this other method to cook which is just as good as the first method:

In a pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil on medium heat.

Add the onion and garlic, cook until they are soft (around 3-4 minutes, oh the smell is amazing!).

Then add the diced tomatoes, salt, coriander, allspice and bring to a boil, then add the eggplants cubes, cover the pot, lower the heat and cook until it's done. Enjoy!

Rome Italy

2011-03-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

Some of the photos that I took from my visit to Rome, Italy last summer. While uploading these photos, I felt like I wanted to go back, but maybe next time to Milan.

Tuna salad my way

2011-02-27T11:11:00.000-08:00

I was looking to make a quick and fresh lunch, filled with protein and low-carbs. I used what I had in my fridge (very simple ingredients) and came up with this delicious salad. It takes 10-minutes to prepare at most.

Ingredients:

- 1 Can of tuna (I used albacore in water).
- 1 Medium tomato, cut in half-inch cubes.
- 2 stalks green onion, chopped into small pieces.
- Half-bulb of fennel, thinly sliced.
- Handful of Roquette or Arugula.
- Lettuce (Romaine is best).
- 4 teaspoons olive oil.
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
- Pinch of sea salt.

How to Prepare:
- Prepare the tuna by draining the water out of the can, and place the tuna in a bowl.
- Add the tomato, green onion, fennel, and the roquette over the tuna and mix.
- In a separate bowl whisk the olive oil, lemon juice and salt together, then add the mixture to the tuna.
- Serve the salad with the lettuce leaves on the side. You can fill the lettuce leaves with the salad, making small "boats".

Scrambled eggs with mint and garlic

2011-02-18T18:10:00.000-08:00

This scrambled egg recipe is one of my favorites! It's simple, fast, healthy, and delicious. My father used to make this for my siblings and me all the time. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 gloves of garlic, sliced.
1 egg
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
Salt

How to Prepare:
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat with a whisk, then add the salt and the mint.
- Heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat, then add the garlic for 2 min or until the garlic softens and has a light brown color.
- Add the egg to the pan and scramble with the other ingredients.
- Once the eggs are done, serve with pita bread (or any bread of your choice) and sliced tomato.

Doha

2011-02-15T17:42:00.000-08:00

I'm currently living and working in Doha, Qatar. It's quite a different part of the world I can tell you for sure: life runs at a slow pace, but has a few interesting places to visit, plenty of events, it's affordable and easy to travel to from other parts of the world. As far as the weather goes... I have declared defeat against the boiling summer heat! Besides that, the winter is mild and pleasant.

Meat Patties

2010-03-26T22:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1.One pound of Chop Meat
2.One Cup of Bulgur
3.Ground Mint
4.Ground Red Pepper
5.Salt & Pepper
6.Diced Onion
7.One tablespoon of flour
8.Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Soak the bulgur in water for about 2 hours.

2. Mix the chop meat with the bulgur well until it is like a dough.

3. Add the diced onion, ground mint, ground red pepper, the flour, salt and pepper to the chop meat/bulgur and mix well.

4. Pre heat the oven to 350F/200C.

5. Make the meat into a patty shape and place on an oven sheet after spreading some vegetable oil on it.

6. Bake the meat patties until well done, flipping them to cook both sides.

Enjoy!

Fish

2010-03-16T23:25:00.000-07:00

Easy, Tasty fish recipe.. ( Reem's Recipe)

Ingredients:

1.Fish (White fish like baas or trout)
2.Onion
3.Garlic
4.Tomatoes
5.Red Pepper
6.Green Pepper
7.Ground Coriander
8.Nuts
9. Olive Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Dice the onion, the garlic, the red pepper, the green pepper, and the tomatoes into small pieces.

2. Crush the nuts into small pieces.

3. Using a frying pan, add two tablespoons of olive oil with all the ingredients except the fish and stir on a medium heat for about 5-7 minutes until they get soft.

4. Fish should be clean.

5. Put the fish in a casserole sheet or Pyrex and stuff it with the previous mixture.

6. Add a little bit of olive oil on the top of it and cover it with Aluminum foil and put it in the oven for 20 minutes (350F/250C).

7. Take the sheet out and leave it covered for few minutes then uncover it and put it back in the oven and broil the top for few minutes.

Tasty!

White beans Stew or Chili (In Arabic "Fasolia hab") فاصوليا حب

2010-03-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

Ingredients (serving for three):

1. One Can of White Beans (or Red beans)
2. 1/4 Pound of Chop Meat
3. Half Diced Onion
4. Four Pieces of Garlic
5. Tomato Paste (Hunts)
6. Salt & Pepper
7. One Squeezed Lemon
8. Coriander Pepper
9. Vegetable Oil
10. Half teaspoon of Chili Powder
11. Water

How to Prepare :

1. Using a medium-sized pot, put a teaspoon of vegetable oil and heat it on a medium flame then add the onion and stir until it gets soft then add the cut garlic and stir for a few seconds.

3. Add the chop meat to the pot and cook until it is all brown.

4. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the chop meat and stir.

5. Add the ground coriander to the chop meat and stir for a few seconds.

6. Add the white beans to the chop meat and mix.

7. Dissolve a cooking spoon of the tomato paste (or as desired) in 2 cups of warm water and add it to the pot.

8. Cover the beans and the chop meat with the tomato paste and water until all covered.

9. Add the chili powder.

10. Cook for about 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is thick.

11. Turn off the flame and add the squeezed lemon and mix.

Serve with Rice.

Enjoy!

Fried Kebbeh (In Arabic "Kebbeh Maklieh")

2010-02-01T10:37:00.001-08:00

Ingredients for Kebbeh:

1.2 Cups of tiny Bulgur
2.300g or 1/3LB of Processed Meat
3.Chopped Onion
4.Salt and Pepper

Ingredients for Stuffing:

1.1/4LB of Chop Meat
2.Chopped Onion
3.Salt and Pepper
4.Pine Nuts

How to prepare the Stuffing:

1. Melt 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a sauce pan.

2. Add the diced Onion and stir until golden brown.

3. Add the chop meat and stir until brown.

4. Add a dash of salt and pepper and stir for 30 seconds.

5. Add the pine nuts to the chop meat and stir for a few minutes.

How to prepare the Kebbeh:

1. Using a medium bowl, soak the Bulgur for 2 hours in cold water. Remove and drain. Also, remove excess water by squeezing the bulgur.

2. Using a food processor, process the bulgur until it becomes doughy.

3. Place it into a medium bowl and combine with the chop meat, chopped onion, salt and pepper.

4. Mix it together until it is stuck together. You can slowly add some water during mixing if needed.

Shaping the kebbeh:

1. Take an egg sized amount of the mixture and form into a ball. With your finger, poke a hole in the ball, making a space for filling. Add the filling and pinch the top to seal the ball. You can then shape it into a point, or football shape, or leave as a ball.

2. Fry in 350 degree oil on stove top or in deep fryer for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Tip:

Kebbeh can be store in the freezer in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3months. It does not need to be fried before freezing. You can always fry it before serving.

Enjoy!

Grape Leaves- (In Arabic "Yalanji") يالنجي

2010-01-28T08:41:00.000-08:00

In Lebanon it is called warak inab bel zeit. It is a very delicious and healthy appetizer dish.

Ingredients:

1. White Rice - 1 Cup
2. Grape Leaves - 28 (You can find a jar at Whole Foods or a local speciality shop)
3. One Bushel of Italian Parsley
4. Diced Tomatoes
5. Diced Onion
6. One tablespoon of Olive Oil
7. Salt and Pepper
8. One teaspoon of Ground Mint
9. Chicken Bullion (one piece)
10. Lemon Juice (half squeezed lemon)

How to Prepare:

1. Put the grape leaves in a pot with cold water for 10 minutes (this gets rid of the salt)

2. Take a Small Pot and mix in the rice, the diced onion, the diced tomatoes, the diced parsley, the mint,the olive oil, salt and pepper.

3. Take a spoonful of the mixture and place on one grape leave. Then, wrap the grape leave, making sure that it fully wrap so that no stuffing will fall out. Do this with each grape leaf.

4. Get a new pot and cover the bottom of it with a plain grape leaf so the stuffed grape leaves will not get stuck to the metallic pot when cooking.

5. Place all of the stuffed grape leaves in the pot. You should stack each one next to each other, extremely close. There should be no spaces.

6. Place a dish above the grape leaves, with a water filled bowl on top of it, to help keep the stuffed grape leaves together.

7. Add water to the pot still it covers all of the grape leaves and a half inch above it.

8. Add a pinch of salt to the pot.

9. Turn on the burner to medium heat. When it starts to boil, add the chicken bouillon and lower the flame to low for 60 minutes.

10. Once cooked, add the lemon to the pot and let sit for 5 minutes.

You serve this dish cold.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Eggs Roll (Fillet) - فيليه

2010-01-15T11:08:00.001-08:00

I will teach you today how to prepare an easy, tasty meal.

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. One Chicken Breast
2. 6 Hard-boiled Eggs
3. One raw Egg
4. Salt & Pepper
5. Two tablespoons of Bread Crumbs (Kaak)
6. Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Using a food processor, blend the chicken breasts until it is blended.

2. Mix the blended chicken with the raw egg, salt, pepper, and bread crumbs.

3. Wrap the chicken around the hard-boiled eggs after peeling. Make sure that the chicken covers all of the egg.

4. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan then fry the chicken/egg rolls until golden brown.

P.S. You can serve it with some french fries. Enjoy!

Party Appetizers

2010-01-01T09:21:00.000-08:00

Have a nice and easy party appetizers that gives your dinner a nice flavor and a pretty presentation.

Ingredients:

1.Normal white bread
2.Cucumbers slices
3.Turkey slices
4.Chedder Cheese (or any kind of cheese you prefer)
5.Tooth picks

Ingredients:

1.Normal White Bread
2.Cherry Tomatoes
3.Chicken Mortadella Slices
4.Cheese your choice
5.Tooth Picks

Brown Lentils and Pasta حراق اصبعه

2009-12-29T07:35:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1.One and a Half Cups of Brown Lentils.
2.Tagliatelle Pasta
3.Two Onions
4.One Bushel of Green Coriander
5.Half Cup of Lemon
6.One-Third Cup of Olive Oil
7.Two Tablespoons of Pomegranate Juice
8.One Crushed Garlic Piece
9.Salt & Pepper
10.Two Liters of Water

How to Prepare:

1. Clean and drain the brown lentils.

2. Boil the lentils in two liters of water for about 90 minutes until the lentils are fully cooked.

3. Add the lemon, pomegranate juice, olive oil, and salt & pepper to the lentils and mix together.

4. Take the onions and slice them. Fry them with vegetable oil until they become red.

5. Add half of the onions to the lentils and save the other half for decoration.

6. Cut the green coriander into small pieces.

7. Add the crushed garlic to the coriander. Fry both together using vegetable oil.

8. Add half of the coriander and garlic to the brown lentils and save the other half for decoration.

9. Boil the pasta until it is ready.

10. Add the pasta to the brown lentils and cook it on a medium flame for about 15 minutes.

11. Put in a bowl and add for decoration the remaining onion and coriander/garlic.

You may serve hot or cold. Enjoy!

Galaxy Cake غالاكسي

2009-12-27T08:47:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1.170g of Dairy Cream
2.One teaspoon of Vanilla powder
2.Two tablespoons of sugar
3.300g of Butter
4.Two tablespoons of Hershey Cocoa
5.Two packs of Graham Crackers
6.Whipped topping Mix
7.Half cup of cold Milk
8.One bar of Galaxy Chocolate or any preferred kind

How to Prepare:

1. Mix using the Electic mixer the dairy cream with the sugar, the butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder(butter must be soft).

2. Add the Hershey cocoa to the mixture and continue mixing until it blends.

3. Break the graham crackers into small pieces then mix them well with the previous mixture.

4. Mix the whipped topping mix using the electric mixer with the milk and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder.

5. Using a Pyrex sheet, spread the graham crackers mixture and then add the whipped cream on the top of it.

6. Using a cheese grater, grate the chocolate bar spreading it on top of the whipped cream.

7. Place the Pyrex sheet in the fridge for about 2 hours then serve.

Enjoy!!!

Kishk كشك

2009-12-26T04:44:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1. Two cups of Kishk(made of Bulgur and yogurt)
2. One Chicken Breast
3. Half Diced Onion
4. Salt and Pepper
5. Hot water

How to Prepare:

1. Soak 2 cups of Kishk Balls into 4 cups of boiling water until kishk balls break up into little pieces and mix with the water.

2. Drain the white water into a bowl and add hot water to the Kishk cup by cup until all the kishk becomes bulgur.

3. Cut the chicken breast into pieces.

4. Using a large pot, add one cookingspoon of vegetable oil to fry the onion and the chicken breast.

4. Add the white water to the chicken with some salt and pepper and cook until it gets thicker.

Enjoy!

Mohammara محمرة

2009-12-26T04:24:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1.Two Tomatoes
2.Half Onion
3.Vegetable Oil
4.One tablespoon of Sweet Red Pepper
5.One teaspoon of Hot Red Pepper
6.Salt and Pepper
7.Half cup of Bread Crumbs (Crushed Kaak)
8.Half Cup of Crushed Almonds

How to Prepare:

1. Boil the tomatoes for 5 to 7 minutes. Peel the skin and then crush into a sauce.

2. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil into a medium-sized saucepan and put on the burner at medium flame.

3. Add the onion and cook until golden yellow.

4. Add the crushed tomato to the pan and add a dash of salt & pepper to the mixture.

5. Cook until the sauce is thicker

6. Add the sweet red pepper and the hot red pepper to the tomato sauce.

7. Add the crushed bread crumbs and the crushed almonds and mix.

Stuffed Cabbage

2009-12-09T11:07:00.000-08:00

Ingredients,

1. White Rice - 1 Cup
2. Chop Meat - 1/4 Pound
3. One Cabbage (2.2LB)
4. Butter - 1/2 Table Spoon
5. Vegetable Oil - 1/5 Cup
6. Salt&Pepper
7. One teaspoon of Ground Mint
8.One Crushed Garlic
9. Lemon Juice (one squeezed lemon)

How to Prepare:

1.Take the cabbage leaves leaf by leaf taking out the hard side.

2.Boil some water then soak the cabbage leaves one by one for few minutes until the leaf gets soft.

3. Take a Small Pot and put in the unboiled rice and raw chop meat. Add pepper and salt.

4. Using a saucepan, mix the butter and vegetable oil. Do this until the pan become warm and stop.

5. Pour the oil and butter into the small pot with the rice and chop meat. Then, you should mix all of the contents together.

6. Take a spoonful of the chop meat and rice and place on one Cabbage leaf. Then, wrap the cabbage leaf.

7. Using a medium pot, cover the bottom of it with the hard part of the cabbage.

8. Place all of the stuffed cabbages in the pot. You should stack each one next to each other, extremely close. There should be no spaces.

8. Place a dish above the stuffed cabbage, with a water filled bowl on top of it to help keep the stuffed cabbage together.

9. Add water to the pot untill it covers all of the cabbage leaves and one inch above it.

10. Add one tablespoon of the ground mint and the diced garlic to the vegetable oil and stir until the garlic is light brown.

10. On a medium heat, place the pot and when it starts to boil flavor it with garlic, mint and vegetable oil and then lower the flame to a low flame.

11. After half an hour of cooking it add the squeezed lemon and cook for half an hour.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Chicken ("Dajaj Mahshi" In Arabic) دجاجة محشية

2009-11-26T21:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas Time...the traditional dish in the Middle East is stuffed chicken for Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Ingredients for two:

1.Whole Chicken (1.5 Lbs)
2.One cup of Rice
3.Ground beef
4.Almonds
5.Pine Nuts
6.Olive Oil
7.Salt and Pepper

How to Prepare:

1. Clean the inside of the chicken with salt and water to get rid of the blood. Then place it on a tray to dry.

2. Soak the almonds in hot water for 15 minutes to peel easily.

3. To prepare the stuffing, use a medium pot, fry the peeled almonds, the pine nuts, and the ground beef with some vegetable oil or butter until the beef is cooked and then add a dash of salt and pepper and stir for few minutes.

4. Add to the pot one cup of rice and one cup of water and bring it to a boil. When it starts to boil, lower the flame and cover for about 10 minutes till the water dries.

5. Put the ground beef and rice on the side until it cools down.

6. Sew one side of the chicken. Stuff the inside of the chicken with the stuffing. Also, place a small layer of the stuffing under the skin, making sure that the skin stays loose so it does not rip off.

7. Sew the other side and tie the legs together and cover the chicken a stocking (women's stockings...yes you read it right).

8. Place the chicken in a large pot with water and boil for an hour to an hour and a half. Place salt, pepper, cinnamon, and bay leaves in the pot. Make sure to skim the froth as it appears.

9. After it is boiled, take it out of the stocking and place on a baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil. Lightly brush the chicken also. Bake in the oven for around 20 minutes until it becomes red.

Now it is ready to be served! Enjoy! Happy Holidays...

Yogurt and Meat Sauce with Rice ('Shakrieh" In Arabic) شاكرية

2009-11-02T21:59:00.000-08:00

A famous dish in the Middle East. It is called also Laban Imou in Lebanon.

Ingredients :

1.Four cups of Plain Yogurt
2.Half Pound of Stew Beef(Cubed)
3.Half Onion ( Slices)
4.Salt&Pepper
5.One Egg
6.Water

How to Prepare:

1. Using a medium pot, pour some water in the pot and add to it the beef cubes, the onion slices, and a dash of salt & pepper and bring it to a boil while skimming the froth as it appears, Let it boil for about 20-30 minutes until the beef get cooked.

3. Meanwhile, using a large pot pour the yogurt in the pot and mix it well with one egg and one cup of cold water then bring it to a boil with constant stirring.

4.When the yogurt starts to boil, Add the beef cubes, the onion, and hot water to the yogurt and cook it on a low flame until the yogurt gets thicker.

5. Serve it with Rice.

Enjoy!

Meat Pie ("Sfeeha" In Arabic) صفيحة

2009-10-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today we will learn how to make "the Pizza of the Middle East".

Ingredients:

1.Half pound of Chop Meat (or Ground Turkey)
2.One Diced Tomato
3.Half Diced Onion
4.One Diced Bushel of Italian Parsley
5.Salt & Pepper
6.Pomegranate Juice
7.Two cups of Flour
8.One cup of warm water
9.One tablespoon of Yeast
10.Two tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
11.Olive Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Put the flour in bowl (preferably plastic).

2. Add the vegetable oil and salt to the flour.

3. Mix the yeast in the cup of warm water. Do this until the yeast dissolves.

4. Add the water and yeast mix into the bowl.

5. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients in the bowl together.

6. Start kneading the dough until it turns into one piece of sticky dough.

7. Warm the dough by covering the bowl towels and/or blanket. The dough must get to 85F. Keep covered for 20 minutes. It is now ready to use.

8. Mix the chop meat with the tomato, onion, and parsley, then add a dash of salt and pepper.

9. Add one teaspoon of pomegranate juice and one teaspoon of olive oilto the mixture.

10. Squeeze the mixture until all dry so it doesn't get the dough wet.

11. Take a small piece of the dough. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough (put some flour on the rolling pin and surface so the dough does not stick) and flatten into a circle.

12. Add a tablespoon of the mixture over the dough and spread it evenly leaving a quarter inch on the edges.

13. Pre-Heat the oven to a 450F/250C.

14. Place the pies on a baking sheet after greasing the sheet with some vegetable oil to prevent them from sticking.

15. Bake the meat pies for about 15 minutes.

16. Serve them with some Tzatziki (yogurt & Cucumber) sauce.

Enjoy!

Yogurt Sauce and Meet Dumplings (In Arabic "Sheesh Burak") شيش برك

2009-10-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for the Dumplings:

1.One cup of Flour.
2.Two tablespoons of Vegetable oil.
3.Half cup of warm water.
4.Salt & Pepper.
5.Quarter pound of Chop Meat.
6.Half small diced Onion.

Ingredients for the Sauce:

1.Four cups of Plain Yogurt.
2.Half cup of Rice.
3.One cup of cold water.
4.Four cups of hot water.
5.One blended egg.
6.Two cloves of diced Garlic.
7.Ground Mint.

How to Prepare the Dumplings:

1. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow. Add the chop meat and cook till brown.

2. Add a dash of salt & pepper to the chop meat. Stir for 30 seconds.

3. Now for the dough, put the flour in bowl (preferably plastic).

4. Add the vegetable oil and salt to the flour.

5. Add the water and yeast mix into the bowl.

6. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients in the bowl together.

7. Start kneading the dough until it turns into one piece of sticky dough.

8. Take a small piece of the dough. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough (put some flour on the rolling pin and surface so the dough does not stick) and flatten into an oval shape.

9. Put one teaspoon of the chop meat in the dough and roll it to a half-circle shape and press well on the edges to close, then bring the far endings together and press well till they get stuck together (as shown in the picture).

10. Using a frying pan, Fry the dumplings until it is all golden brown.

How to Prepare the Yogurt Dip:

1. Mix the yogurt with the rice, the egg, and the cold water until all blended well.

2. Put the mixture in a pan and put it in the stove while stirring continuously until it starts to boil.

3. When it starts to boil, add the four cups of hot water and lower the flame and let it cook until the rice is ready about 25-30 minutes.

4. For flavoring the yogurt sauce, use a sauce pan to heat some vegetable oil.

5. Add one tablespoon of the ground mint and the diced garlic to the vegetable oil and stir until the garlic is light brown.

6. When the yogurt sauce and the rice is all cooked, turn off the flame and flavor it with garlic, mint and vegetable oil.

7. Let is sit for one minute then serve it.

8. When eating add 2 or 3 of the to a bowl of yogurt sauce and eat.

Bon Appetite!

Yogurt Sauce (Tzatziki Sauce) سلطة الخيار و اللبن

2009-10-06T15:17:00.000-07:00

Yogurt Sauce or Tzatziki Sauce is a greek dipping sauce usually served with stuffed grape leaves or any potato dish.

Ingredients:

1. Yogurt

2. One Cucumber

3. One Piece of Smashed Garlic

4. Mint (One Teaspoon)

5. Salt

How to Prepare:

1. Cut Cucumber in small squared slices.

2. Mix in the cucumber with the yogurt.

3. Add 1/4 cup of cold water to the mix.

4. Mix in the garlic, salt, and mint.

5. Stir until it is blended.

Enjoy!

Chicken Rosto روستو الدجاج

2009-09-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

An easy, tasty, fast meal.

Ingredients:

1.Chicken Breast.
2.Long Slices of Onion.
3.Sliced Mushroom.
4.One Cooking Spoon of Tomato Paste or Tomato Sauce.
5.Salt & Pepper.
6.Olive Oil.
7.Garlic.
9.Ground Coriender.
10.One tablespoon of Flour.

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken breast into small pieces.

2. Using a medium-sized pot, heat for a few seconds one tablespoon of olive oil.

3. Add the onion slices to the pot and stir for one minute, then add the chicken slices and stir until cooked.

4. Cover the pot and lower the flame and let it cook for few minutes until the onion gets soft then add some mushroom to it.

5. Add the garlic, ground coriender and the flour.

6. Add the tomato paste with two cups of warm water to the chicken and stir well (or using tomato sauce as desired).

7. When the water starts to boil, lower the flame and let it cook until the tomato sauce gets thick.

8. Serve it with rice.

Chicken Sandwich صندويش الدجاج

2009-09-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

Easy, Tasty Meal.

Ingredients (for 3 sandwiches):

1.Two Chicken Breasts
2.Green Onion
3.Onion Slices
4.One teaspoon on Ground Sumac
5.One Cube of Chicken bullion
6.Vegetable Oil
7.Salt and Pepper
8.Olive Oil
9.Tortilla Bread or Pita Bread

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips and boil it with water until cooked while skimming the froth as it appears.

2. Add salt and pepper to the chicken and let it boil for 2 minutes (you can add some cinnamon, bay leaves, and cloves if desired).

3. Cut the green onion and the white onion into strips.

4. Using a sauce pan, Put some vegetable oil with the onion strips and stir on a medium heat for about 7-8 minutes.

5. Add the chicken slices to the pan and stir for about 2 minutes.

6. Add the chicken bullion cube and the ground sumac and stir for about 2 minutes.

7. Turn off the flame and add one teaspoon of olive oil and mix.

8. Put some of the chicken over tortilla/pita bread and wrap it.

9. Using a Pyrex sheet put the wraps in it after brushing them with some olive oil.

10. Pre-heat the oven to 450F/250C. Then put the sheet in the oven and let it bake for about 5-7 minutes until the bread become crunchy.

Enjoy!

Fattet Hummus (Chickpeas Dish) فتة الحمص

2009-09-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

One of the most famous dishes in the Levant. It is usually eaten as an appetizer before the main meal or as a breakfast.

Ingredients:

1.One cup of Chickpeas
2.Water
3.One cup of Ground Sesame
4.One cup of Plain Yogurt
5.Pita Bread
6.Half squeezed Lemon
7.Salt
8.Almonds and Pine Nuts
9.One crushed clove of Garlic
10.Parsley

How to prepare:

1. Boil the chickpeas with water for about half an hour (keep the water).

2. Cut the pita bread into pieces and put it in the oven at 350F until crunchy.

3. Mix the ground sesame with the yogurt, garlic, salt, lemon, and one cup of the water you saved from boiling the chickpeas.

4. Using a Pyrex sheet put the pita pieces and add to it half of the boiled chickpeas then half of the ground sesame/yogurt mixture.

5. Add the other half of the boiled chickpeas to the Pyrex sheet and then the other half of the Ground sesame/yogurt mixture.

6. Using a sauce pan, fry the almonds and the pine nuts in sizzling butter or vegetable oil (as desired) until they are golden brown and add it to the Pyrex sheet.

7. For presentation add some parsley.

8. This dish is served hot.

Enjoy!

Fatoush Salad سلطة الفتوش

2009-08-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

A very famous salad in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan

Ingredients ( serving for two):

1- Tomatoes
2- Cucumber
3- lettuce
4- Baby Arugula
5- Lemon
6- Olive Oil
7- Pomegranate Juice
8- Ground Sumac (you can find it in the Mediterranean markets)
9- Salt
10- Pita Bread or Tortilla

How to prepare:

1- Cut one large tomato into small squared pieces and place in it a bowl.

2- Cut the cucumber into small squared pieces and add it to the bowl.

3- Dice the lettuce and add it to the bowl.

4- Add the baby arugula to the bowl.

5- Add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of ground sumac to the vegetables.

6- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the bowl.

7- Add a half teaspoon of the pomegranate juice to the vegetables.

8- Now add one squeezed lemon to the bowl and stir will till mixed

9- Tear the pita bread into small squared one inch pieces and fry them in vegetable oil till they appear to be light orange.

10- Add the fried pita over the salad as you eat.

Arabic Salad السلطة العربية

2009-08-27T11:29:00.001-07:00

Arabic Salad is also called Lebanese salad.

Ingredients:

1. One Tomato
2. 1/2 Cucumber
3. A bushel of Lettuce
4. One cup of Artichoke Hearts
5. Salt
6. One tablespoon of Olive Oil
7. One squeezed Lemon
8. One teaspoon of Ground Mint

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the tomato, the cucumber and the lettuce into small one inch squares, and place them in a salad bowl.

2. Add the artichoke hearts to the bowl.

3. Add the Olive oil, the salt, the mint and the lemon to the bowl and mix.

Now you are ready to have a unique and delicious lunch

Enjoy!

Chop Meat & Mushroom اللحم والفطر

2009-08-27T11:29:00.000-07:00

Chop meat & Mushroom.

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 Pound of Chop Meat
2. 6 Pieces of Mushroom (the whole piece)
3. Salt & Pepper
4. 1/3 Diced Onion
5. Butter
6. One Squeezed Lemon

How to Prepare:

1. Melt 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a sauce pan.

2. Add the diced Onion and stir until golden brown.

3. Add the chop meat and stir until brown.

4. Add a dash of salt and pepper and stir for 30 seconds.

5. Add the mushroom after cutting them into small pieces.

6. Stir the chop meat with the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes.

7. Place them in a plate and add the lemon.

Mint Potato (Side Dish) بطاطا بالثوم والنعنع

2009-08-27T11:27:00.000-07:00

Side Dish #3 - Mint Potato

Ingredients:

1. One Potato
2. Olive Oil
3. One Crushed Piece of Garlic
4. Ground Mint
5. Salt

How to Prepare:

1. Peel the potato.

2. Cut potato into small half-inch squares.

3. Bowl the potato in water until ready.

4. Place the cooked potato in a bowl.

5. Stir the crushed garlic with olive oil and add it to the potato.

6. Add a dash of salt to the potato and stir.

7. Add the ground mint to the potato, spreading it all over the potato.

You can also just cut the pototoes in quarters without peeling and place them in an oven trey and add some salt and olive oil to them and bake them in the oven 450F/250C
it is so delicious

Cheesy Pasta (Side Dish) معكرونة بالجبنة

2009-08-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Side Dish #2 - Cheesy Pasta

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 Box of Rotini Pasta
2. Pit less Olives
3. Shredded Mozzarella
4. Chicken Bouillon
5. One Diced Green Pepper
6. Butter

How to Prepare:

1. Boil Pasta with some olive oil and salt to prevent the pasta from sticking.

2. Place pasta in medium-sized pot once finished.

3. Cut the olives in slices and place in the bowl with the pasta. Also, place the green pepper in it.

4. Add one tablespoon of butter to the bowl.

5. Add one cup of water with the chicken bouillon.

6. Stir on a medium-flame for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame.

7. Add the shredded mozzarella to pasta and mix into the pasta

Chicken, Spaghetti, and Pesto Sauce المعكرونة بالدجاج والبستو

2009-08-25T15:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients(Serving for two):

1.Two Chicken Breasts
2.Half Pack of Spaghetti
3.One Large Tomato
4.One cooking spoon of Pesto Sauce
5.One tablespoon of Olive Oil
6.Salt and Pepper
7.Shredded Mozzarella or any desired type of Cheese

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into slices horizontally and add salt and pepper to the slices.

2. Using a baking sheet, spread the Olive oil on it and then place the chicken slices on it.

3. Cut the tomato into slices horizontally and put them over the chicken slices.

4. Pre-heat the oven to 450F and then put the baking sheet in it and bake for 25 minutes.

5. After 25 minutes of baking the chicken, add the shredded mozzarella over it - as much as desired - and bake for about 5 minutes until the mozzarella melts.

6. While baking the chicken, cook the spaghetti in a pot with boiling water, salt, and olive oil to prevent the spaghetti from sticking.

7. Once the spaghetti is cooked, mix in a bowl with the pesto sauce.

8. When eating, put some of the pasta in a dish and add the chicken piece with the tomato over it and enjoy.

Bon Appetite!

Bulgur and Chickpeas ("Bourghol bil Hommous" In Arabic) برغل بالحمص

2009-08-24T17:52:00.000-07:00

Our dish today is a Middle Eastern specialty.

Ingredients:

1.One cup of Boiled Chickpeas
2.One cup of Bulgur
3.One cup and a half of Water
4.One Chicken Breast
5.Salt & Pepper
6.Half cup of Olive Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken breast into slices and boil it with a dash of salt and pepper until cooked. Skim the froth as it appears on the surface of the boiling water.

2. Add the Chickpeas to the chicken and let it boil with it for 5 to 10 minutes (save the water and the chickpeas).

3. Using a medium pot, add the bulgur and the water with the chickpeas till it covers the bulgur and an inch above it.

4. When the water starts to boil, lower the flame to a low flame and let it cook for about 10-15 minutes until the water disappear.

3. Add the olive oil to the bulgur and the chickpeas and mix.

4. Place the bulgur and the chickpeas in a plate and on the top of it add the chicken slices with some Pine nuts and almonds if desired.

Bon Appetite!

Frozen Chocolate Graham Crackers ( Succès ) سوكسي

2009-08-22T18:55:00.000-07:00

Summertime! What's better than a delicious frozen treat besides ice cream?

Ingredients:

1.One cup of Milk
2.One cup of Sugar
3.Four tablespoons of Butter Or 2 Ounces
4.3 Packs of Graham Crackers
5.One cup of Hershey Cocoa Powder

How to Prepare:

1. Using a medium sauce pan on a medium flame, mix the sugar, milk, and the butter until the milk becomes warm and all the sugar and butter melts.

2.Turn of the flame then add the cocoa powder to the milk/butter and mix until the cocoa blends in.

3. Break the crackers into small pieces and mix them thoroughly with the mixture.

4. Using Reynold's wrap, spread some of the mixture horizontally on a piece of the wrap and roll it into a roller shape ( as seen in the picture )

5. Place each after rolling into the freezer until frozen.

6. Open the wrap and cut it into small pieces before serving.

Enjoy! Trust me you will.

The Dough (For Pizza & Fatayer) العجينة

2009-08-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

You want to make pizza dough at home from scratch and impress you friends and family? If the answer is yes, then follow me.

Ingredients:

1. Two Cups of Flour
2. Two tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
3. Pinch of Salt
4. One Tablespoon of Yeast
5. One Cup of Warm Water

How to make the Dough:

1. Put the flour in bowl (preferably plastic).

2. Add the vegetable oil and salt to the flour.

3. Mix the yeast in the cup of warm water. Do this until the yeast dissolves.

4. Add the water and yeast mix into the bowl.

5. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients in the bowl together.

6. Start kneading the dough until it turns into one piece of sticky dough.

7. Warm the dough by covering the bowl towels and/or blanket. The dough must get to 85F. Keep covered for 20 minutes. It is now ready to use.

Rice أرز

2009-08-22T18:32:00.000-07:00

We will Teach you today how to make Arabic Rice!

Ingredients:

1. One cup of Rice
2. One piece of Chicken Bullion
3. One tablespoon of Cut Noodles
4. Water
5. Salt & Pepper
6. Vegetable Oil or Butter

How to Prepare the Rice:

1. In a medium-sized pot, put a half teaspoon of vegetable oil or a half teaspoon of butter as desired.

2. Put the flame on medium and when the butter is melted, add the cut noodles and stir until light brown.

3. Add the rice to the pot and mix with the noodles.

4. Add two cups of water to the rice.

5. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the water.

6. Add the chicken bullion and mix all together.

7. When the water starts to boil, put the flame on low and cover the pot.

8. Cook until the water dries (about 20 minutes).

Enjoy!

Falafel (Chickpeas Patties) & Tahini Sauce فلافل

2009-08-22T06:56:00.000-07:00

Falafel is a very famous dish in the Middle East. It is served as an appetizer or mezza with tahini sauce or as a main dish wrapped by pita bread with some lettuce and tomatoes.

Ingredients for Falafel:

1.One cup of Chickpeas
2.Half diced Onion
3.One diced Clove of Garlic
4.1/2 teaspoon of Cumin
5.1/2 teaspoon of Ground Coriander
6.1/2 teaspoon of Black Pepper
7.Salt
8.2 Tablespoons of Flour
9.Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Mash the chickpeas in a bowl and cover it with water and let it rest for about 30 minutes or until it becomes like a dough.

2. Add to the mashed chickpeas the diced garlic and onion and mix all together.

3. Add the cumin, ground coriander, black pepper, and a dash of salt to the chickpeas mix.

4. Add the flour to the mixture and mix all together.

5. Make small round balls of the mixture and flatten slightly, then fry them in a deep hot vegetable oil until golden brown for about 5 minutes.

Tahini Sauce:

1.Three tablespoons of Ground Sesame
2.Two tablespoons of Plain Yogurt
3.One crushed clove of Garlic
4.Half squeezed Lemon
5.Salt

Mix all the ingredients together...

Enjoy!

Tabbouleh ( Fine Salad ) تبولة

2009-08-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

Tabbouleh is a famous dish in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. This salad is usually eaten in the Middle East with small lettuce leaves or fresh grape leaves.

Ingredients(Serving for Two):
1.One Bushel of Parsley
2.One Large Tomato
3.One Cucumber
4.Half cup of Bulgur (Wheat)
5.One squeezed Lemon
6.One Cooking Spoon of Olive Oil
7.Salt
8.Onion

How to Prepare:
1. Wash the bulgur in a deep cup by filling it with water and gently pouring out the water.
2. Leave the bulgur to soak in cold water for 30 minutes.
3. Chop the parsley into very small pieces and clean it with cold water.
4. Dice the tomato and the cucumber finely and add it to a salad bowl with the parsley.
5. Squeeze the bulgur between your hands to press out the water and mix with the vegetables.
6. Chop some onion - as much as desired - and add it to the bowl.
7. Add a dash of salt, the lemon, and the Olive oil to the bowl and mix all together.

Tip: You can serve it with some french fries and fried eggplant slices and some Hummus.

Bon Appetite!

Brown Lentil Soup ("Keddabat in Arabic") كدابات

2009-08-20T07:08:00.000-07:00

A very healthy Lebanese, Syrian dish.

Ingredients:

1.One cup of Brown Lentils
2.1/2 cup of Bulgur "wheat"(you can find it in wholefood or any mediterranean shop)
3.One tablespoon of Flour
4.Salt
5.Water
6.2 Diced Garlic
7.One teaspoon of Ground Mint
8.Ground Coriander
9.Celery (as much as desired)

How to prepare:

1. Mix the Bulgur with the flour, salt, and water until all hold together like dough, then roll it into small 1/2 inch balls.

2. Boil the brown lentils with water until cooked about 30 minutes, then add the celery to it.

3. Add the Bulgur rolls to the boiled lentils and let it boil for about 15 minutes until the water gets thick.

4. Using a sauce pan, fry the diced garlic with one tablespoon of vegetable oil until the garlic gets light brown then add the ground mint and the ground coriander to the pan and stir for one minute.

5. Add the garlic/mint/coriander to the lentils and Bulgur rolls and let it cook for about 10 minutes.

P.S: You can prepare it without the Bulgur Balls if desired..

Enjoy!!!

Rice & chick peas, Lemon Sauce ( "Riz bil Hammod" In Arabic ) الارز بالحامض

2009-08-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

Our Dish today is a very famous Lebanese dish... Hope you like it.

Ingredients(serving for two):

1.One Cup of Rice.
2.One tablespoon of Cut Noodles.
3.One Chicken Breast.
4.Four Cloves of Garlic.
5.One Cup of Chick Peas (ready to serve).
6.One teaspoon of Flour.
7.One Egg Yolk.
8.One squeezed Lemon.
9.Salt and Pepper.

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken breast into small one inch squared Pieces.

2. Boil the chicken pieces in a large cooking pot until it is cooked for about 15 to 20 minutes and skim the froth as it appears.

3. Meanwhile, Using a medium pot (preferable Teflon) and put one teaspoon of vegetable oil heat it.

4. Add the cut noodles to the Teflon pot and stir until light brown.

5. Add the rice to the pot and mix all together.

6. Add two cups of the chicken water to the rice.

7. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the water.

8. When the water starts to boil, lower the flame and cover the pot and let it cook for about 20 minutes until the water disappears.

9. Using a sauce pan, Heat one teaspoon of vegetable oil then add the garlic - after cutting it into small pieces - to the pan and stir for about one minute.

10. Add the flour to the garlic with quarter cup of water and stir for few second until mixed and then add it to the chicken and water.

11. Add the chick peas, lemon, and a dash of salt and pepper to the chicken and water and cook for few minutes.

12. Mix some rice with some of the sauce in a bowl when eating.

Enjoy!

Fatteh Dajaj ( Chicken, Rice, & Yogurt sauce ) فتة الدجاج

2009-08-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

A very famous Syrian/Lebanese dish.

Ingredients:

1.Two Chicken Breasts
2.One cup of Rice
3.Three cups of Plain Yogurt
4.Salt & Pepper
5.One large piece of Arabic Pita Bread (or Tortilla)
6.One tablespoon of Cut Noodles
7.Vegetable Oil
8.Two crushed Cloves of Garlic
9.Water

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into small one-inch squared pieces.

2. Place water and chicken in a large pot, Bring to boil and skim the froth as it appears.

3. When the chicken is cooked, remove it (p.s. save the water)and slice it into small pieces.

4. Using a medium pot (preferrable Teflon) and put one teaspoon of vegetable oil heat it.

5. Add the cut noodles to the Teflon pot and stir until light brown.

6. Add the rice and the chicken pieces to the pot and mix all together.

7. Add two cups of the chicken water (you saved from boiling the chicken) to the rice.

8. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the water.

9. When the water starts to boil, lower the flame and cover the pot and let it cook for about 20 minutes until the water disappears.

10. Meanwhile, place 3 cups of vegetable oil in a frying pan and heat it.

11. Slice the pita bread into small squared pieces and fry it in the oil until light brown.

12. Place the fried pita bread in a Pyrex sheet to cover the bottom of it.

13. Now Place the chicken and rice on top of the pita bread.

14. Mix the yogurt and the crushed garlic together and pour it over the rice in the Pyrex.

15. If desired, you can fry some chop meat with salt and pepper until brown and add it to the top of the yogurt.

Enjoy! You will love it!

Stuffed Zucchini and Yogurt Sauce ( "kousa mehshi bi laben" In Arabic) كوسا محشي باللبن

2009-08-05T09:09:00.000-07:00

Stuffed Zucchini is originally a famous Syrian dish. It is also made in Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Libya. This dish is served hot as a main course. In Syria this dish is flavored with mint and garlic.

Ingredients:

1.6 Pieces of Zucchini
2.4 Cups of Plain Yogurt
3.One Cup and a half of Rice
4.1/4 Pound of Chop Meat
5.Salt & Pepper
6.Vegetable Oil
7.2 cloves of Diced Garlic
8.Ground Mint
9.One Egg

How to prepare:

1. Cut the stem of the zucchini, hollow, and remove the guts of the zucchini.

2. Put rice and chop meat in a pot, adding a pinch of salt & 1.4 teaspoon of pepper.

3. Warm two cooking spoons of vegetable oil in a medium-sized pan. Once warm, add to the pot with rice and chop meat.

4. Stir pot until all mixed.

5. Take the zucchini and stuff them with rice and chop meat mixture, making sure that you only stuff 1/2 of the zucchini so it does not come out during cooking.

6. Using a cooking pot, pour water in the pot and add to it the stuffed zucchini and bring it to a boil and skim froth as it appears, le it boil for about 15 minutes,.

7. Meanwhile, using a large pot pour the yogurt in the pot and mix it well with one egg and bring it to a boil with constant stirring.

8. When the yogurt starts to boil, Add the stuffed zucchini and hot water to the yogurt and cook it on a low flame for about 45 minutes.

9. A few minutes before it is done, Use a sauce pan to heat some vegetable oil.

10. Add one tablespoon of the ground mint and the diced garlic to the vegetable oil and stir until the garlic is light brown.

11. When the stuffed zucchini is cooked after 45 minutes, turn off the flame and flavor it with garlic, mint and vegetable oil.

12. Let it sit for one minute then serve it.

Bon appetite!

Homemade Lasagna لازانيا

2009-07-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

What about lasagna!! A homemade Lasagna :) Let's do it.

Ingredients:

1.A box of Lasagna
2.1/3 Pound of Chop Meat
3.Tomato paste ("hunts")
4.Salt & Pepper
5.2 Cups of Milk
6.4 Spoons of Flour
7.Shredded Mozzarella
8.Mushroom
How to Prepare:

1. Using a large pan, boil some water in it adding a dash of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking.

2. When the water boils, Put the lasagna in the pot and let it boil for about 10 minutes.

3. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow.

4. Add the chop meat to the pan and cook until brown.

5. Add a dash of salt & pepper and continue cooking for 30 seconds.

6. Mix one cooking spoon of the tomato paste with one cup of warm water into the frying pan with the chop meat. Stir until the paste is dissolved and watery. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

7. Mix the milk and flour into a pot until blended.

8. Put the milk and flour on the burner at a medium flame and continuously stir with an egg beater for 5-6 minutes until it becomes creamy.

9. Using a Pyrex sheet, coat the bottom and sides of the sheet with milk/flour mixture.

10. Place one layer of lasagna over the mixture, covering the entire bottom and sides.

11. Over this layer, put some of the chop meat and sauce over half of the layer and the other half should be covered with the milk/flour mixture.

12. Over the chop meat and sauce put some mushrooms and over the milk/flour mixture put mozzarella (as in the picture)

13. Place another layer of lasagna over the chop meat and milk.

14. Repeat steps 11 and 12 but alternative which side has the milk and chop meat.

15. When finished, add a layer of lasagna over the last layer of chop meat and milk, coating it with the milk/flour and add some mozzarella.

16. Pre-heat the over to 425F/250C.

17. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Bundt Cake كاتو بالشوكولا

2009-07-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

Craving for some sweets? What is better than home made bundt cake?

Ingredients:

1.One cup of Milk
2.Three Eggs
3.One and a half cup of Sugar
4.Half stick of Butter
5.Three cups of Flour
6.French Vanilla Blend
7.Two teaspoons of Baking soda Powder
8.Cocoa (Hershey's Cocoa)

How to Prepare:

1. Using a medium cooking pot, Mix the sugar, the milk, and the butter on a medium flame until warm, not hot, while stirring continuously.

2. Using another medium pot preferably plastic, Beat the eggs and the french vanilla with an electric mixer for about one minute.

3. Add the milk, butter, and sugar mixture to the plastic pot and mix all together with the e-mixer until all blended together.

4. Add the flour and the baking soda powder to the pot and continue mixing with the mixer until all mixed together.

5. Add the Hershey's cocoa (as much as desired)to the pot and mix with the mixer until all is mixed.

6. Using a bundt cake pot, Grease the sides with butter and flour to prevent sticking.

7. Pour the mixture into the bundt cake pot.

8. Pre-heat the oven to 450F/250C.

9. Bake the cake for about 25-30 minutes.

10. If you desire, you may add vanilla frosting to the cake.

Enjoyyyyyyy

Potato Slices, Chop Meat & Tomato Sauce البطاطا مع صلصة البندورة

2009-07-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

Interested in making an easy dinner for Sunday night? This is the one for you.

Ingredients (Serving Size for Two):

1. 2 HUGE Potatoes
2. 2 Tomatoes
3. Chop meat
4. Half Onion
5. Salt & Pepper
6. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

How to Prepare:

1. Peel the Potatoes.

2. Cut the potato in horizontal slices 1/4 inch thick.

3. Fry the potato slices in vegetable oil until cooked.

4. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow. Add the chop meat and cook till brown.

5. Add a dash of salt & pepper to the chop meat. Stir for 30 seconds.

6. Boil the two tomatoes for 5 to 7 minutes. Then, peal the skin off the tomatoes and crush until in a sauce.

7. Place half of the potato slices on Pyrex Glass Sheet.

8. Add the chop meat on top of the potatoes .

9. Add the tomato sauce on top of the chop meat.

10. Add shredded mozzarella (as much as desired) to the top of the tomato sauce.

11. Add the rest of the potato slices on top of it.

12. Add some more mozzarella on top of the potatoes ( as much as desired).

13. Pre-heat over to 450F/250C.

14. Place the Pyrex glass sheet in the oven and bake the potatoes for 10 minutes.

Enjoy! You will not be disappointed.

Spinach Stew & Chicken -- Rice السبانخ مع الدجاج

2009-07-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

Are you ready for some tasty spinach and chicken? Tonight, we will make a spinach stew with chicken and rice. It will not disappoint.

Ingredients for the Spinach Stew (Serving for Two):

1. Two Bushels of Spinach
2. Half-diced Onion
3. Three Pieces of Diced Garlic
4. One Chicken Breast
5. Salt & Pepper
6. Ground Coriander Pepper
7. One Squeezed Lemon
8. Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the spinach into pieces and clean it.

2. Cut the chicken into one-inch squared pieces.

3. Using a large pot, heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil.

4. Add onion to the large pot and cook until a little soft.

5. Add the chicken to the pot and stir until cooked.

6. Add salt & pepper, garlic, and coriander to the chicken and stir for 30 seconds.

7. Add the spinach to the pot and stir.

8. Cook for about 20 minutes on a low flame.

9. Turn off the flame and add the squeezed lemon.

The Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

1. One cup of Rice
2. One piece of Chicken Bullion
3. One tablespoon of Cut Noodles
4. Water
5. Salt & Pepper
6. Vegetable Oil or Butter

How to Prepare the Rice:

1. In a medium-sized pot, put a half teaspoon of vegetable oil or a half teaspoon of butter as desired.

2. Put the flame on medium and when the butter is melted, add the cut noodles and stir until light brown.

3. Add the rice to the pot and mix with the noodles.

4. Add two cups of water to the rice.

5. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the water.

6. Add the chicken bullion and mix all together.

7. When the water starts to boil, put the flame on low and cover the pot.

8. Cook until the water dries (about 20 minutes).

Enjoy!

Shepherds Pie ("kebbeh batata" in Arabic) كبة البطاطا

2009-07-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

It was been a while! We are back from vacation and ready to cook again. Today, we will make a tasty English/Irish dish which is also famous in the Middle East. It is Shepherds Pie.

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. Four Potatoes
2. Two Eggs
3. 3/4 cup of crushed bread sticks
4. Salt & Pepper
5. 1/2 Pound of Chopmeat
6. Half-diced Onion
7. Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Boil the potatoes until soft.

2. Meanwhile, using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden brown.

3. Add chopmeat to saucepan, cook until all brown.

4. Add dash of salt & pepper to the chopmeat. Stir everything for a few seconds.

5. The potatoes should be soft now. Smash the potatoes until they are mashed in a bowl.

6. Add eggs, salt & pepper, and crushed bread stick to the mashed potatoes.

7. Mix everything in the bowl together.

8. Using a baking sheet, take half of the mixture and spread it out on a baking sheet.

9. Add the chopmeat above this layer.

10. Add the other half of the potato mixture over the chopmeat (to cover it all of course!)

11. Warm one tablespoon of vegetable oil and add above the pie.

12. Pre-heat to 450F/250C.

13. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Burger My Way الهامبرغر العربي

2009-06-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to my way burger that you can do at home easily.

Ingredients (Four Burgers):

1. Four Burger Buns
2. 1/4 Pound of Chop Meat
3. Lettuce
4. Tomato
5. French Fries
6. Mayonnaise
7. Ketchup
8. Salt & Pepper
9. Burger seasoning (you can find it in any supermarket)
10.Crispy Bread sticks ("kaak")

How to Prepare:

1. Crush one bread stick (two teaspoons of kaak) or you can use two teaspoons of crushed toast.

2. Place the chop meat in a bowl and add the crushed bread stick to the bowl.

3. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the bowl.

4. Add half teaspoon of burger seasoning to the bowl and mix all together.

5. Make the mixture into a burger Pattie about 3 to 4 inches in diameter and a 1/4 inch thick.

6. Pre-heat your George Foreman grill (or you can use a Teflon pan and cook it as you desire using butter).

7. Place the burger patties in the grill and cook until ready.

8. Hollow out the bottom of the burger bun.

9. Cut the lettuce into small pieces and add one tablespoon of mayonnaise to it and mix.

10. Place the lettuce and the mayo on the hollowed part of the bun.

11. Place one horizontal slice of the tomato above the lettuce.

12. Place the french fries above the tomato and add some ketchup.

13. Place the burger Pattie on the fries and close the bun.

Now it is ready! Believe me this is goooood.

Green Beans & Chicken ("Fasoliah") in Arabic-- Rice مطبق الفاصوليا الخضرة

2009-06-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

Tired of boiling green beans and eating it as a side dish? If so, we are going to turn it into a delicious main dish.

The Green Beans& Chicken Recipe

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. One Pound of Green Beans
2. One Chicken Breast
3. One Onion
4. Vegetable Oil
5. Salt & Pepper
6. Two cups of Water

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the green beans into small pieces (inch and a half long), then cut the pieces in half.

2. Cut the chicken breast into small one inch squares.

3. Using a large pot, add one tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat it on a medium flame.

4. Add to the pot a half-diced onion and stir until golden brown.

5. Add the chicken pieces to the onion and stir.

6. Add a dash of salt & pepper to the chicken and stir until cooked.

7. Add the green beans to the pot and stir for few minutes.

8. Add the water to the pot and a little bit of salt and pepper.

9. Cut the other half of the onion into four pieces and add them to the green beans.

10. When the water starts to boil, lower the flame and cover the pot.

11. Cook for about 90 minutes checking every now and then, adding water when it dries so not to burn it.

The Rice Recipe

Ingredients:

1. One cup of Rice
2. One piece of Chicken Bullion
3. One tablespoon of Cut Noodles
4. Water
5. Salt & Pepper
6. Vegetable Oil or Butter

How to Prepare the Rice:

1. In a medium-sized pot, put a half teaspoon of vegetable oil or a half teaspoon of butter as desired.

2. Put the flame on medium and when the butter is melted, add the cut noodles and stir until light brown.

3. Add the rice to the pot and mix with the noodles.

4. Add two cups of water to the rice.

5. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the water.

6. Add the chicken bullion and mix all together.

7. When the water starts to boil, put the flame on low and cover the pot.

8. Cook until the water dries (about 20 minutes).

Enjoy! This meal will not disappoint

Eggs & Mushroom مطبق البيض و الفطر

2009-06-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

Tired of the turkey sandwich everyday for lunch? OK, Let's prepare an easy and tasty lunch today

Dish #1: Eggs & Mushroom.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Eggs, 2. 5 Pieces of Mushroom, 3. Salt, 4. Butter, 5 one squeezed lemon

How to prepare:

1. Melt 1/2 teaspoon of butter in a sauce pan.

2. Break two eggs into the sauce pan and stir till scrambled.

3. Add a dash of salt.

4. Cut the mushroom into small pieces.

5. Add the mushroom to the eggs and stir for 3 minutes.

6. Place the eggs and the mushroom in a plate, then add the lemon.

You can serve it with some of the side dishes and salad

Eggplant Mozzarella الباذنجان مع جبن القشقوان

2009-05-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

Hungry? You want something fast but at the same time tasty? If your answer is YES, then we have something for you.

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. One Large Eggplant
2. Two Tomatoes
3. 1/3 pound of Chop Meat
4. Shredded Mozzarella
5. Salt & Pepper
6. Two Cups of Vegetable Oil
7. Half Diced Onion

How to Prepare:

1. Slice the Eggplant into slices that 1/4 of an inch thick.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan.

3. Fry the slices until they are golden brown.

4. Boil the tomatoes for 5 to 7 minutes. Peel the skin and then crush into a sauce.

5. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow.

6. Add the chop meat to the pan and cook until brown.

7. Add a dash of salt & pepper and continue cooking for 30 seconds.

8. Using a Pyrex Sheet, place half of the eggplant slices on the bottom.

9. Add chop meat over the slices.

10. Add shredded mozzarella as desired.

11. Add the tomato sauce.

12. Add the remaining slices to the dish.

13. Add some mozzarella cheese as desired.

14. Pre-heat the oven to 450F/250C.

15. Place the sheet in the oven and cook for 10 minutes in the oven.

You are now ready to serve it. It will not disappoint.

Baby Okra & Rice ( "bamieh" in Arabic) البامية

2009-05-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Our dish today is an Arabic dish. This meal is well known in the Levant area. So let us learn how to prepare it.

Ingredients (serving for three):

1. One bag of Baby Okra (you can find it in the Mediterranean shops)
2. 1/4 Pound of Chop Meat
3. Four Pieces of Garlic
4. Tomato Paste (Hunts)
5. Salt & Pepper
6. One Squeezed Lemon
7. Coriander Pepper
8. Vegetable Oil
9. One cup of Rice
10. One piece of Chicken Bullion
11. One tablespoon of Cut Noodles
12. Water

How to Prepare the Okra:

1. Using a frying pan, fry the baby okra in vegetable oil until dark green.

2. Using a medium-sized pot, put a teaspoon of vegetable oil and heat it on a medium flame then add the cut garlic and stir for a few seconds.

3. Add the chop meat to the pot and cook until it is all brown.

4. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the chop meat and stir.

5. Add the ground coriander to the chop meat and stir for a few seconds.

6. Add the fried okra to the chop meat and mix.

7. Dissolve a cooking spoon of the tomato paste in 2 cups of warm water and add it to the pot.

8. Cover the okra and the chop meat with the tomato paste and water until all covered.

9. Cook for about 25 minutes or until the sauce is thick.

10. Turn off the flame and add the squeezed lemon and mix.

How to Prepare the Rice:

1. In a medium-sized pot, put a half teaspoon of vegetable oil or a half teaspoon of butter as desired.

2. Put the flame on medium and when the butter is melted, add the cut noodles and stir until light brown.

3. Add the rice to the pot and mix with the noodles.

4. Add two cups of water to the rice.

5. Add a dash of salt and pepper to the water.

6. Add the chicken bullion and mix all together.

7. When the water starts to boil, put the flame on low and cover the pot.

8. Cook until the water dries (about 20 minutes).

Now it is ready to serve

Enjoy!!

Lentil Soup ( "Shorbet Addas" In Arabic) شوربة العدس

2009-05-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

Have a craving for some soup? Well tonight, we are going to make the most famous Arab Soup, especially in Syria and Lebanon. It is "Lentil Soup".

Ingredients (Serving for 4):

1. One Cup of Red Lentils (You can find it in Whole Foods)
2. Half Cup of Rice
3. Half Diced Onion
4. Vegetable Oil
5. Salt
6. Hot Water

How to Prepare:

1. Put a half-teaspoon of Vegetable Oil in a big pot.

2. Place the diced onion in the pot and fry until it become a little soft (not until golden brown).

3. Put the Red Lentils and the rice mixed together in the pot.

4. Add water to the pot until it covers the rice and lentils.

5. Cover the pot with its' top and keep it on a medium flame until the water begins to dry up.

6. Add 6 cups of hot water to the pot and stir.

7. Add one teaspoon of salt to the pot and stir.

8. Cook for 25 minutes.

Enjoy! You can also serve it with French Fries and fried pita bread. Very delicious!

Spagetti with Tomato Sauce & Chop Meat المعكرونة بصلصة البندورة

2009-05-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

It is a long weekend. You don't feel like grilling some burgers and dogs because you have to do it all day on Monday. So let us prepare a simple, yet delicious meal. Everyone loves spaghetti, right? So let us cook up a really taste pot for you.

Ingredients (Serving for Two):

1. Box of Spaghetti
2. 1/2 Pound of Chop Meat
3. Hunts Tomato Paste (Why what else would we use?)
4. Half Diced Onion
5. Two Diced Pieces of Garlic
6. Salt & Pepper
7. Olive Oil
8. One Cup of Water

How to Prepare:

1. Boil the water with some olive oil and salt to prevent the spaghetti from sticking.

2. Add the spaghetti to the water and boil it for 10 minutes.

3. Place The spaghetti in medium-sized pot once finished.

4. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow.

5. Add the garlic and stir for 5 seconds, then add the chop meat to the pan and cook until brown.

6. Add a dash of salt & pepper and continue cooking for 30 seconds.

7. Mix one cooking spoon of the tomato paste with one cup of warm water into the frying pan with the chop meat. Stir until the paste is dissolved and watery. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.

8. Put the spaghetti on your dish and add the sauce mixture. You can also add some Parmesan cheese to it.

You are now ready to eat. Don't forget you glass of wine!

Enjoy!

Chicken Nuggets دجاج الناغيت

2009-05-20T16:50:00.000-07:00

Good Afternoon Everybody! Tonight, we will make a very, delicious meal. If you like chicken, this is the meal for you. It is fried but it does not disappoint. Once in a while, it is a great treat.

Ingredients:

1. Two Pieces of Chicken Breast
2. One Egg
3. One Teaspoon of Baking Soda Powder
4. One Cup of Flower
5. Half Cup of Water
6. Two Teaspoons of Mustard
7. One Piece of Crushed Garlic
8. Salt & Pepper

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into inch-squares.

2. Place the chicken squares in a medium-sized bowl.

3. Break the egg in the bowl with the chicken.

4. Put the flour, baking soda powder, mustard, water, garlic, a dash of salt, and a dash of pepper in the bowl.

5. Mix everything together.

6. Place the bowl in the fridge for 24 hours. (YOU HAVE TO DO THIS A DAY BEFORE SERVING!!!)

7. After 24 hours, place each piece of chicken surrounded by the mixture in a frying pan of hot vegetable oil.

8. Cook the chicken mixture until golden brown.

Now you are ready to eat one of the most tastiest chicken nuggets on the planet. You can serve it with french fries or corn. Also, you can eat it like a sandwich with tortilla bread. Enjoy!

Meat Wraps ("Sambosek") السمبوسك

2009-05-19T16:56:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we will show you how to make one more type of Fatayer. This time it will be a meat wrap. It is a nice dish that you can also eat as an appetizer

Ingredients for Dough:

1. Two Cups of Flour
2. Two tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
3. Pinch of Salt
4. One Cup of Warm Water

How to make the Dough:

1. Put the flour in bowl (preferably plastic).

2. Add the vegetable oil and salt to the flour.

3. Add the water to the bowl.

4. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients in the bowl together.

5. Start kneading the dough until it turns into one piece of sticky dough.

6. Warm the dough by covering the bowl towels and/or blanket. The dough must get to 85F. Keep covered for 20 minutes. It is now ready to use.

Ingredients for the Chop Meat:

1. 1/2 Pound of Chop Meat
2. 1/2 Diced Onion
3. Salt & Pepper

How to Prepare:

1. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow.

2. Add the chop meat to the pan and cook until brown.

3. Add a dash of salt & pepper and continue cooking for 30 seconds.

How To Prepare the Meat Wrap:

1. Using a rolling pin, flatten a piece of dough until it is a 2 inch in diameter.

2. Place a tablespoon of meat on the dough.

3. Wrap the dough around the meat in a half circle. Then, make sure that the edges are closed (You can use a fork to push on the edges to make sure it is fully closed).

4. Pre-heat vegetable oil in a big pan until hot.

5. Fry the wraps until golden brown.

Now you are done. Enjoy!

Stuffed Mushroom (Side Dish) الفطر المحشي

2009-05-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

Tonight, we will try to prepare some side dishes. They are easy to prepare and they complement a great meal.

Side Dish #1 - Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

1. 12 mushrooms (take off the stems)
2. 1/4 Lbs of Chop Meat
3. Shredded Mozzarella
4. Salt & Pepper
5. 1/4 Diced Onion
6. Olive Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow.

2. Add the chop meat to the pan and cook until brown.

3. Add a dash of salt & pepper and continue cooking for 30 seconds.

4. Place some olive oil on a baking sheet and spread on the entire sheet.

5. Place the mushrooms on the baking sheet.

6. Stuff the mushrooms with the chop meat.

7. Add Mozzarella on top of the mushroom.

8. Pre-heat the oven to 450F/250C.

9. Bake the mushrooms for 7 to 10 minutes.

Enjoy your sides! You will not be upset!

Pizza البيتزا

2009-05-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday night and what is better than a pizza and a beer? Nothing! And what is better than that is a home-made pizza with a secret home-made Italian sauce.

Ingredients for Pizza Dough:
1. Two Cups of Flour
2. Two tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
3. Pinch of Salt
4. One Tablespoon of Yeast
5. One Cup of Warm Water

How to make the Dough:
1. Put the flour in bowl (preferably plastic).
2. Add the vegetable oil and salt to the flour.
3. Mix the yeast in the cup of warm water. Do this until the yeast dissolves.
4. Add the water and yeast mix into the bowl.
5. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients in the bowl together.
6. Start kneading the dough until it turns into one piece of sticky dough, about 10min.
7. Warm the dough by covering the bowl towels and/or blanket. The dough must get to 85F. Keep covered for 30 minutes. It is now ready to use.

Ingredients for Pizza Sauce:
1. Two Tomatoes
2. One Piece of Diced Garlic
3. Half-Diced Onion
4. 1/4 Green Pepper Diced
5. Pepper & Salt
6. One Teaspoon Ground Thyme
7. Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:
1. Boil the tomatoes for 5 to 7 minutes. Peel the skin and then crush into a sauce.
2. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to medium-sized saucepan and put on burner at medium flame.
3. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden yellow.
4. Add the crushed tomato to the pan and add a dash of salt & pepper to the mixture.
5. Add the diced green pepper.
6. Cook until the sauce is thick.
7. Turn off the flame and add the ground thyme and mix.

Ingredients for Pizza:
1. Shredded Mozzarella
2. Sliced Mushroom
3. 8 Pieces of Italian Mortadella (Cut in 1/3rds)

How to Prepare the Pizza:
1. Spread the dough on the sheet (spread the dough less for a thicker crust.).
2. Spread the tomato sauce on the dough.
3. Add the mortadella and mushroom on the top of sauce.
4. Sprinkle the Mozzarella on the top of the pizzas.
5. Pre-heat oven to 425F/250C.
6. Bake the pizza for 7 to 10 minutes.

You are now ready to eat the pizza! Enjoy it! It makes a great end to a great weekend!

Stuffed Potato محشي البطاطا

2009-05-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Potato is one of the most delicious vegetables. You can bake it, fry it, boil it...stuff it. It is endless what you can do with a Potato. Today, I will introduce you to one way that we can eat Potato.

Ingredients (Serving Size for Two):

1. 2 HUGE Potatoes
2. 2 Tomatoes
3. Chop meat
4. Half Onion
5. Salt & Pepper
6. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

How to Prepare:

1. Peel the Potatoes. Cut each Potato in half-horizontally.

2. Hollow out the inside of each half of the potato (as seen in the picture).

3. Fry the hollowed out potatoes in vegetable oil until cooked.

4. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow. Add the chop meat and cook till brown.

5. Add a dash of salt & pepper to the chop meat. Stir for 30 seconds.

6. Boil the two tomatoes for 5 to 7 minutes. Then, peal the skin off the tomatoes and crush until in a sauce.

7. Stuff the potatoes with the chop meat. Place them on Pyrex Glass Sheet.

8. Add the tomato sauce on top of the potato.

9. Add shredded mozzarella (as much as desired) to the top of the potatoes.

10. Pre-heat over to 450F/250C.

11. Place the Pyrex glass sheet in the oven and bake the potatoes for 10 minutes.

P.S. You can also fry the guts of the potato and add it to the sauce.

Enjoy! You will not be disappointed.

Cheese Fatayer فطاير الجبن

2009-05-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

Today, we will introduce you to another type of Fatayer. Yesterday, we started with Spinach so today we will cheese it up. We will learn how to make Cheese Fatayer. We use the same method to make the dough for the Spinach Fatayer, but I will write it again for your benefit.

Ingredients for Dough (this will give you 6 pieces of Fatayer):

1. One Cup of Flour
2. One Spoon of Olive Oil
3. Pinch of Salt
4. One Tablespoon of Yeast
5. Half Cup of Warm Water

How to make the Dough:

1. Put the flour in bowl (preferably plastic).

2. Add the olive oil and salt to the flour.

3. Mix the yeast in the half cup of warm water. Do this until the yeast dissolves.

4. Add the water and yeast mix into the bowl.

5. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients in the bowl together.

6. Start kneading the dough until it turns into one piece of sticky dough.

7. Warm the dough by covering the bowl towels and/or blanket. The dough must get to 85F. Keep covered for 20 minutes. It is now ready to use.

Ingredients for the Cheese Stuffing (Serving Size for Two People):

1. 1/2 Pound of Feta Cheese
2. One Egg
3. One Bushel of Parsley (Dice it)

How to Prepare:

1. Grade the cheese.
2. Add the diced parsley to the cheese.
3. Add the egg to the cheese.
4. Mix all together.

How to Prepare the Cheese Fatayer:

1. Take a small piece of the dough. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough (put some flour on the rolling pin and surface so the dough does not stick) and flatten into an oval shape.

2. Raise the sides of the dough with your fingers so that you can make an edge around the outside (like a small canoe).

3. Stuff the cheese onto the top of the dough.

4. Repeat until the dough and cheese stuffing is finished.

5. Put some vegetable oil on a oven sheet. Spread it over the surface.

6. Place the Fatayer on an oven sheet.

7. Pre-heat oven to 450F/250C.

8. Put it in the oven for 10 minutes. Once the base of the cheese Fatayer are red, turn off.

We are now ready to eat this "cheesy treat." Enjoy!

Spinach Triangles ("Spinach Fatayer") فطاير السبانخ

2009-05-13T17:04:00.000-07:00

One of the most famous sides in the Mediterranean are "Fatayer." Today, we will introduce you to Spinach Fatayer, which is one type of Fatayer. We will learn how to make other types later on.

Ingredients for Dough (this will give you 6 pieces of Fatayer):

1. One Cup of Flour
2. One Spoon of Olive Oil
3. Pinch of Salt
4. One Tablespoon of Yeast
5. Half Cup of Warm Water

How to make the Dough:

1. Put the flour in bowl (preferably plastic).

2. Add the olive oil and salt to the flour.

3. Mix the yeast in the half cup of warm water. Do this until the yeast dissolves.

4. Add the water and yeast mix into the bowl.

5. Using your hand, mix all the ingredients in the bowl together.

6. Start kneading the dough until it turns into one piece of sticky dough.

7. Warm the dough by covering the bowl towels and/or blanket. The dough must get to 85F. Keep covered for 20 minutes. It is now ready to use.

Ingredients for the Spinach (Serving Size for Two):

1. One Bushel of Spinach
2. Half Tablespoon of Olive Oil
3. Pinch of Salt & Pepper
4. Half Tablespoon of Sumac
5. Half Diced Onion
6. Half Teaspoon of Pomegranate Juice
7. Half Cup of Crushed Almond

How to Prepare the Spinach:

1. Cut the Spinach into small pieces.

2. Rinse Spinach in water very thoroughly.

3. Drain the Spinach.

4. Mix the Spinach in a bowl with your hands for 30 seconds.

5. Add the olive oil, salt, pepper, sumac, onion, pomegranate juice, and the almond to the spinach.

6. Mix the bowl with all the ingredients.

Now, We start to prepare the Fatayer.

How to Prepare:

1. Take a small piece of the dough. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough (put some flour on the rolling pin and surface so the dough does not stick) in a circular shape - about two inches in circumference.

2. Take one tablespoon of the Spinach mixture and place in the middle of the dough.

3. Wrap the dough around the Spinach mixture in a "triangle shape."

4. Repeat this until all of the materials are done.

5. Put some vegetable oil on a oven sheet. Spread it over the surface.

6. Place the triangles on an oven sheet.

7. Pre-heat oven to 450F/250C.

8. Put it in the oven for 10 minutes and flip over for another 10 minutes. Once the triangles are red, turn off.

You are now ready to eat. Enjoy! This meal does not disappoint. You can have it with soup or you can have it for lunch.

Chicken N' Potato الدجاج و البطاطا

2009-05-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

Let us have something with Chicken today. Chicken is one of the healthiest food that you can eat. Today, we will make an easy, tasty meal that will liven up your chicken.

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. Chicken Breast
2. Two Large Potatoes
3. Salt & Pepper
4. Olive Oil
5. 1 Crushed Piece of Garlic
6. Two Lemons

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken into small pieces.

2. Put a pinch of salt and pepper on the chicken, then adding a tablespoon of olive oil. Mix it all together.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 450F/250C.

4. Put the chicken in an oven sheet. Spread the chicken over the surface and bake it in the oven until it is all cooked.

5. Cut the Potatoes into small, one inch squares. Add salt to the potatoes.

6. Fry the Potatoes in vegetable oil.

7. Put the Potatoes in the oven sheet with the cooked chicken.

8. Squeeze the lemon and mix with the crushed garlic. You should then add a 1/4 cup of water to the lemon/garlic mix.

9. Pour the mixture into the oven sheet equally over the chicken/potato.

10. Put back in the oven for about 10 minutes.

It is done. Chicken will never taste the same ever again after this. You can eat it either with a fork or pita bread.

Zucchini Boat الكوسا باللحم و الصلصة البيضاء

2009-05-11T16:11:00.000-07:00

The Mediterranean is a large body of water. To go from Athens to Venice, one must take a boat. In the spirit of our favorite body of water, we introduce you to a delicious treat we call "Zucchini Boat." It is quite easy to prepare and tasty to eat.

Ingredients (Serving for Two):

1. 3 Large Zucchini
2. 1/4 Pound of Chop Meat
3. 1 Cup of Milk
4. 2 Tablespoons of Flour
5. Half Onion
6. Salt & Pepper
7. Shredded Mozzarella

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the Zucchini in half vertically.

2. Hollow out the inside of the cut Zucchinis, leaving a small layer (As shown in the picture).

3. Fry the cut Zucchinis in vegetable oil for two to three minutes. Note that we just want to cook the Zucchini and not fully fry it.

4. Using a saucepan, fry the onion until golden yellow. Then, add the chop meat and cook until brown. Add salt & pepper to it and stir for one minute.

5. Mix the milk and flour into a small pot. Stir while cold. Then, put it on the stove and stir continuously on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes until it gets creamy.

6. Place the half-cut Zucchinis on an oven sheet. Fill them with the chop meat.

7. Pour the creamy mixture on top of the meat.

8. Add the shredded mozzarella as much as desired.

9. Place in the oven and cook for 10 minutes in the oven at 450F/250C

You will not be disappointed tonight as you take our Zucchini boat for a ride in your tummy.

Hummus حمص

2009-05-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

Hummus, who doesn't love Hummus? Let's make home-made Hummus

Ingredients:

1- 2 Cans of Chick peas or 2 cups of hard chick peas
2- 3 tablespoons of ground Sesame
3- 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
4- 1 small piece of crushed garlic
5- One squeezed lemon
6- Salt

How to prepare:

1-If not using canned chick peas then drain the soaked chick peas, place in a pot and add three times the amount of water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Boil vigorously for about 10 minutes, turn the heat down, cover the saucepan and simmer until the chick peas are very soft- approx 1 hour. Drain liquid off and reserve.

2- Mix the ground sesame with the yogurt, crushed garlic, the lemon and a pinch of salt together till thick and creamy.

3- Blend the chick peas with the mixture in an electronic blender till thick and creamy.

You can add whatever you like to your hummus (ie. red pepper, sun dried tomatoes or just add some cumin and olive oil).

You can serve the salad and the hummus with some French fries, olives, and some cheese

Enjoy..

Shish Tawook شيش طاووق

2009-05-09T12:42:00.001-07:00

It is the weekend. You are in the mood for a BBQ. Perhaps a Mediterranean BBQ? Today, we will introduce you to the Shish Tawook. The most famous BBQ in the Middle East. Shish is good! Don't forget to have some cold beer with it.

Ingredients (Serving for two people):

1. 2 Large Chicken Breasts
2. One Tablespoon of driedThyme.
3. Half Teaspoon of Coriander.
4. Garlic
5. One Tablespoon of Apple Vinegar
6. One tablespoon of Tomato Paste.
7. Half Cup of Vegetable Oil

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the chicken breasts into small, inch-squares and place in a bowl.

2. Add salt to the chicken squares and stir in the bowl.

3. Add the Thyme, Coriander, and two small pieces of crushed garlic to the chicken. Stir in the bowl until mixed.

4. Add the tomato paste and the vegetable oil into the chicken bowl. Mix it all together now.

5. Let the bowl sit in the refrigerator for 6 hours (Hint: You can also prepare the day before depending on how early you would like to eat.)

6. After sitting for 6 hours, you want to place 5 to 6 pieces on a kebab stick (As shown in the picture).

7. Put on grill and begin to grill it.

It is now ready to eat. You can else grill some vegetables on a kebab stick. For example, you can grill tomatoes, mushrooms, pepper, and onion.

Stuffed Eggplant ( "Mehshi Bathenjan" in Arabic) محشي الباذنجان

2009-05-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

Today, we are going to make stuffed eggplant. It might take some time to prepare, but I guarantee that the effort is worth it. It is one of my favorite dishes.

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. 6 Eggplants
2. 1.5 Cups of Rice
3. 1/4 Lb of Chop Meat
4. Vegetable Oil
5. Salt & Pepper
6. 3 Tomatoes
7. Half Onion

How to Prepare:

1. Cut the stem of the eggplant and hollow remove the guts of the eggplant (as shown in the pictures).

2. Put rice and chop meat in a pot, adding a pinch of salt & 1.4 teaspoon of pepper.

3. Warm two cooking spoons of vegetable oil in a medium-sized pan. Once warm, add to the pot with rice and chop meat.

4. Stir pot until all mixed (as shown in the picture).

5. Take the eggplants and stuff them with rice and chopmeat mixture, making sure that you only stuff 3/4 of the eggplant so it does not come out during cooking.

6. Boil the tomatos for 7 minutes, then peal, and smash into a sauce.

7. Take another pot and add a tablespoon of vegetable oil, when warm add the diced onion. Cook until golden brown.

8. Add tomatos sauce to the pot with onion.

9. Put the stuffed eggplant in this pot.

10. Put a small dish (ie. bread plate; depends on size of pot) above the stufffed eggplant in the pot - this prevents the rice from coming out of the eggplant.

11. Add water until it is a half inch above the plate and then add a pinch of salt and some pepper.

12. Cook on a medium flame. When the water starts to boil, lower the flame. Cook for about 45 to 60 minutes.

Now we are ready to eat! Alot of effort but an amazing taste!

Spaghetti Gratin الغراتان

2009-05-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

Bonjour Mes Amies! Today, we will head to Southern France for a delicious French/Italian hybrid called Spaghetti Gratin.

Tired of simple pasta dishes? Try this delicious meal!

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. Spaghetti - Half Box
2. 1/2 Pound ground beef
3. Half Onion
4. Crushed Bread Sticks("Kaak" in Arabic - - You can find it in Mediterranean shops) or Crush Toast
5. Two Cups of Milk
6. 4 Table spoons of Flour
7. Salt & Pepper

How to Prepare:

1. Boil water for spaghetti, adding a pinch of salt and sprinkle of olive oil to prevent the spaghetti from sticking.

2. While the water is boiling, fry the diced onion in a sauce pan until golden brown. Then add the chop meat and cook until brown, adding a pinch of salt & pepper.

3. Now we have to prepare the gratin sauce. Mix the milk and flour into a pot until blended.

4. Put the milk and flour on the burner at a medium flame and continuously stir with an egg beater for 5-6 minutes until it becomes creamy.

5. Take a glass Pyrex oven sheet and take a cooking brush and spread a light/paste of butter on the Pyrex class to prevent the spaghetti from sticking.

6. Sprinkle some of the crushed bread sticks all over the butter, creating a layer over the butter.

7. Take half the cooked spaghetti and spread it out evenly on the oven sheet.

8. Spread out all of the chop meat over the spaghetti.

9. Add the rest of the spaghetti over the meat evenly.

10. Add the gratin sauce over the spaghetti evenly.

11. Sprinkle the rest of the crushed bread sticks on the top of the sauce.

12. Pre-heat the oven to 425F/230C for 5 minutes and then put the dish into the oven.

13. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

14. Take it out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Now it is time for you to serve. Get ready for a great meal!

Broccoli Is Fun! البوركولي مع صلصة البندورة

2009-05-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

Why do we only eat Broccoli as a side? Why are we not more adventurous with it and use it as our main course?

Today is your lucky day. You are going to fall in love with Broccoli again! Broccoli is so healthy and it can help make your immune system stronger. Let me show you how you can turn it into your main dish.

I'm going to show you how to make Broccoli Stew.

Ingredients (Service size for two):

1. Two Bushels of Broccoli
2. 1/2 Pound of Chop Meat
3. Half Onion
4. Pepper & Salt
5. 3 small pieces of Garlic
6. 3 large Tomatoes
7. Tomato Paste (Hunts Paste as usual)
8. 1/4 tablespoon of Butter (or Vegetable Oil)

How to Prepare:

1. Boil the tomatoes in a medium-sized pot for 5-7 minutes. After this, peel the skin off using a small knife (because it is so hot...can't use your hands) and crush them until it is in a liquid/sauce firm (You could buy normal tomato sauce at the store but real tomatoes are much healthier and cheaper!).

2. Melt Butter into a large cooking pot.

3. When the butter is melted, add diced onion and stir until golden brown.

4. Add garlic into the pot and stir for one minute.

5. Add Chop Meat to the pot and stir until cooked.

6. Add salt and pepper and stir for one minute.

7. Add the tomato sauce to the pot and stir for one minute.

8. Add broccoli (which at this point should have been cut into small pieces) to the pot.

9. Melt one large cooking spoonful of the Hunt's tomato paste in two cups of warm water and mix it together. Then add it to the pot.

10. Stir the ingredients together and cook it for 30-40 minutes on a low flame.

You are now ready for a great, healthy meal. You can it with a fork or take some Pita bread and eat it with the bread.

Cannaloni Wrapsكانيلوني

2009-05-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

You feel like some Italian in you today? Well, then I got the dish for you. Today, we are going to make Cannaloni Wraps. This is an ancient Mediterranean recipe from Roman times. It will melt right in your mouth.

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. One Cup of Milk
2. One Cup of Flour
3. One Egg
4. Chop Meat - 1/2 Pound
5. Half an Onion
6. 1/2 Cup of Chopped Mushrooms
7. Shredded Mozarella Cheese
8. Tomato Paste (Hunts Tomato Paste Preferred)
9. Salt & Black Pepper

How to Prepare:

1. Mix the flour, milk, and egg in a bowl with an egg beater still the mixture is blended. Let this sit for at least 5 minutes.

2. While letting the mixture sit, spray Pam and/or melt small tablespoon of butter in a teflon sauce pan.

3. Dice the Onion into small pieces and put in the saucepan when the butter is melted.

4. Stir onion and butter until onion turns yellow-brown.

5. Add to pan chopmeat and keep stirring for 15 minutes or until the meat is brown.

6. Add a dash of salt or pepper to the saucepan and mix for 3 minutes.

7. Add Mushroom to the saucepan and stir for two minutes. The Chop meat is now ready. Put it off to the side for a few minutes.

8. Warm a medium teflon saucepan to prepare the wrap for the meat.

9. Use a large cooking spoon to take some of the milk/flour/egg mixture onto the saucepan. You will use one scoop at a time.

10. After placing one scoop of the mixture on the saucepan, spread it out on the saucepan into a thin circular/tortilla shape. For a more in-depth look at this, watch the video down below.

11. After 30 seconds, flip over the mixture to make the other side cooked.

12. After it is a little red on both sides, remove it from the saucepan and put it on the side.

13. Repeat steps 9-12 until there is no more mixture.

14. After finishing the wraps, take a spoonful of the chopmeat and place it on the wrap and roll into a wrap.

15. Place each wrap into a Pyrex oven sheet.

16. Mix half a cup of warm water with two tablespoons of the Hunts Sauce and mix until is blended.

17. Pour the sauce on top of the wraps, spreading it out evenly over the over sheet.

18. Put the shredded mozarella on top of the sauce and wraps, using as much as desired.

19. Place in the oven and heat for about 15 minutes in an oven that has been pre-heated to 425 F/230 C.

Now it is ready to serve. I suggest that wash it down with a nice white wine or Peroni Beer from the Hills of Tuscany.

Stuffed Grape Leaves ("Waraq Inab" - Arabic)ورق عنب

2009-05-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

"Waraq Inab" is Arabic for Grape Leaves. You probably had this tasty treat in a local Lebanese or Greek restaurant. But I guarantee you that it will never taste the same after following my recipe. This is a great, healthy meal that does not disappoint. You can also serve it with a yogurt and cucumber sauce.

Ingredients (Serving for two):

1. White Rice - 1 Cup

2. Chop Meat - 1/4 Pound

3. Grape Leaves - 28 (You can find a jar at Whole Foods or a local speciality shop)

4. Butter - 1/2 Table Spoon

5. Vegetable Oil - 1/5 Cup

6. Pepper

7. Salt

8. Chicken Bullion (one piece)

9. Lemon Juice (half squeezed lemon)

How to Prepare:

1. Put the grape leaves in a pot with cold water for 10 minutes (this gets rid of the salt)

2. Take a Small Pot and put in the unboiled rice and raw chop meat. Add black pepper and salt.

3. Using a saucepan, mix the butter and vegetable oil. Do this until the pan become warm and stop.

4. Pour the oil and butter into the small pot with the rice and chop meat. Then, you should mix all of the contents together.

5. Take a spoonful of the chop meat and rice and place on one grape leave. Then, wrap the grape leave, making sure that it fully wrap so that no rice or chop meat will fall out. Do this with each grape leaf.

6. Get a new pot and cover the bottom of it with a plain grape leaf so the stuffed grape leaves will not get stuck to the metallic pot when cooking.

7. Place all of the stuffed grape leaves in the pot. You should stack each one next to each other, extremely close. There should be no spaces.

8. Place a dish above the grape leaves, with a water filled bowl on top of it to help keep the stuffed grape leaves together.

9. Add water to the pot still it covers all of the grape leaves and a half inch above it.

10. Add a pinch of salt to the pot.

11. Turn on the burner to medium heat. When it starts to boil, add the chicken bouillon and lower the flame to low for 60 minutes.

12. Once cooked, add the lemon to the pot and let sit for 5 minutes.

You are now ready to eat a great meal!

Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

1. Yogurt

2. One Cucumber

3. One Piece of Smashed Garlic

4. Mint (One Teaspoon)

5. Salt

How to Prepare:

1. Cut Cucumber in small squared slices.

2. Mix in the cucumber with the yogurt.

3. Add 1/4 cup of cold water to the mix.

4. Mix in the garlic, salt, and mint.

5. Stir until it is blended.

You are now ready to eat! Remember: You can dip the Grape Leaves in the Yogurt Sauce!!! I'm so hungry now. See you tomorrow.

- - Sandy :)