Author: Banan Gharaibeh

Fruit Cheesecake Cookie Cups and Apple Cinnamon Rolls.

Hello everybody.

I’m so excited today cause me and my friends are invited to a special early dinner at our lovely neighbor’s house and she’s making a traditional Carcissian dish called chips and basta, I’ll write you details about it later tonight.

As usual I told her dessert is on me, I wanted to do something new, colorful and lively so after a bit of searching did these cute kind of tarts and since I have some apples in the fruit basket is did some apple wheels or rolls.

Ingredients and method of fruit tarts :

* 3/4 cup butter.
* 1 cup sugar.
* 1 egg.
* 1 tsp vanilla.
*  2 cups flour.
* 1/2 tsp baking soda.
* 1/2 tsp baking powder.
* 2 tsp cornstarch.

For the filling :
* 1 pack cream cheese.
* 1/2 cup icing sugar.
* 2 tablespoons cream.( قشطه)

* mixed fruits for topping.

* beat butter and sugar till creamy then add all other ingredients till you have a thick dough.
* in a cupcake pan add a spoonful in each paper then press well with higher edges ( this quantity made 24 cups)
* bake in a medium heated oven for 10-15 minutes.
* remove and leave to cool.
* meanwhile beat cream cheese with sugar and cream then top over each cupcake.
* decorate with fruits as you look like.

As for the apple wheels, I did same dough for cinnamon rolls or Nutella tree, the added brown sugar and cinnamon to a rectangular spread-ed dough, lined up sliced apples the rolled and baked them.

Hope our host will like them,I’m sure we’ll have fun and eat delicious food.

 

wpid-wp-1427808973847.jpeg lovely outcome.

wpid-wp-1427809041166.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427809057835.jpeg wpid-wp-1427809029041.jpeg wpid-wp-1427809017590.jpeg   apple rolls.

wpid-wp-1427808983336.jpeg wpid-wp-1427809005505.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427809074883.jpeg wpid-wp-1427808999086.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427808991075.jpeg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Style Tuna Sandwiches.

Hello everybody.

Every time I decide to stay home and relax in end up working too much or doing multiple things at the same time.

First thing when I entered the kitchen this morning I realized I have one very ripe avocado and one lonely eggplant so made a dip (mashed with some lemon juice,tahini,yogurt and salt)   and baba ghanouj ( chopped grilled eggplants with diced tomatoes,peppers and some mints then topped with pomegranate sauce)

Then the daily question of what to cook started nagging in my mind, then decided to do a new sandwich style my cousin posted last night with shredded chicken but I made it with tuna, turned out really good, kids loved it.

Secret ingredient is the crunchy sandwich bread or crust done by cutting edges of toast  then soaking each couple together in whisked eggs then coating all with breadcrumbs.  I let them cool in the fridge so as to hold better then deep fried till crunchy, when cooled open and fill with any stuffing you like, today is added tuna with corn,capers, relish, mustard, mayonnaise and green onions,served with fries and big mixed salad.

Another task for today was making fresh pesto before basil turns black and a fresh fruit cocktail from new honey from Ghor, oranges, pineapple and bananas, really refreshing after all this.

 

wpid-wp-1427724805747.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427729696109.jpeg wpid-wp-1427729703838.jpeg

 

 

wpid-wp-1427724814840.jpeg guacamole dip with tomatoes,chili,dried mints and olive oil on top.

wpid-wp-1427724827238.jpeg  baba ghanouj بابا غنوج

wpid-wp-1427724841568.jpeg mixed salad with everything in .

wpid-wp-1427724857679.jpeg fresh pesto.

wpid-wp-1427724862878.jpeg fresh oranges and new honey.

wpid-wp-1427724833542.jpeg colorful table!

wpid-wp-1427724873704.jpeg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cream Cheese and Strawberry Jam Cake.

Hello everybody.

I also did this beautiful cake today but didn’t want to mix both chicken and cake in the same post, better to keep sweet lovely things together.

Got the recipe from a new cookbook my cousin gave to me the other day,it’s really informative and today is my start up in discovering its contents.
A really easy simple cake, great with coffee or tea.
Ingredients and method :
* 1 package cream cheese.
* 1/2 cup butter.
* 1 cup sugar.
* 2 eggs.
* 1/4 cup milk.
* 1 tsp baking powder.
* 1/2 tsp baking soda.
* 1/2 tsp vanilla.

* 1 3/4 cups flour.
* 1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry jam.

* beat cream cheese and butter till soft then add up all other ingredients consequently except jam.

* batter  should be a bit thick.
* grease and medium sized oven pan.leave then add batter.
* add jam in small spoonfuls on top then swirl gently with a knife to create a marble effect.
* bake in a medium heated oven for 30-40 minutes.

Very tasty try it.

wpid-wp-1427650654435.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427650581466.jpeg wpid-wp-1427650600574.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427650611492.jpeg wpid-wp-1427650629068.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427650638072.jpeg wpid-wp-1427650647451.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427650573449.jpeg

Chicken in Salt Crust.

Hello everybody.
After a discussion the other day between members of my group about fish in salt crust, I did a quick research and found out that it can be done with chicken as well, so today was my first trial.

I also did a layered veggie pot containing pumpkin, eggplants and potatoes with sweet peppers and tomatoes on top and full of herbs. Only cooked on low heat then drizzled with olive oil and roasted.

Ingredients and method of chicken :
* 1 whole chicken.
* onion,garlic, oregano, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and rosemary for stuffing the chicken.
* butter.
* for the dough you’ll need :
* 1 3/4 cups salt.
* 4  1/2 cups flour.
* tsp of oregano and mixed herbs.
* 1 cup water.
* mix all dough ingredients till easy to handle and stiff, you may need a bit more water.
* clean and dry chicken well then stuff inside with all stuffing mentioned ( you can change or add anything you like)
* rub butter, pepper and all spice all over chicken,or you can put butter in between flesh and skin.

* cover chicken with dough and seal completely very good.
* bake in a medium heated oven for 2 hours.
* crack open the crust and serve.
Note: crust must be discarded not eaten cause it’s too salty.

 

wpid-wp-1427649487898.jpeg peeled crust.

wpid-wp-1427649469177.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427649459196.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427649444938.jpeg wpid-wp-1427649433991.jpeg chicken all wrapped.

wpid-wp-1427649401565.jpeg final look after baking.

wpid-wp-1427649423439.jpeg layered veggies.

wpid-wp-1427649408601.jpeg wpid-wp-1427649487898.jpeg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pineapple Roca Salad.

Hello everybody.
Long full day, lots of things to do and places to go, end was a sudden visit from my mother in-law’s cousins, and lovely group but a shame I don’t have any dessert or cakes,but we really had a great time.

Lunch today was a variety of many delicious dishes:
* Asparagus soup.
* Pineapple roca salad with dried cranberries, walnuts and a lemon, oil, salt balsamic vinaigrette.
* Cute Caprese salad.
* Green fava beans with garlic and coriander.

All very fresh and yummy.

 

wpid-wp-1427568743793.jpeg colorful table !

wpid-wp-1427568776503.jpeg wpid-wp-1427568760693.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427568787991.jpeg lovely easy Caprese.

wpid-wp-1427568796263.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427568803190.jpeg  wpid-wp-1427568809006.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427568818595.jpeg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lovely Authentic Gifts.

Hello everybody.
Nothing feels better than a genuine real gift right from the source and these past couple of days were full of them thank God.

When my mother in-law asked me what to bring you from Beirut told her nothing but an original bottle of pure rose water from the famous shop Al-Hallab, you can smell the fresh roses once you pop the cork, really different than commercial ones,and as usual she got us a box of plain pistachio filled marzipan or lozina as they call it,my favorites.

Another original thing is Chinese tea brought by my sister who’s here on vacation from China, again it’s much more fresh and aromatic than ones in stores and perfect with green mint and few drops of rosewater,couldn’t be happier.
Thank you lovely ladies for the good stuff

wpid-wp-1427468168768.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427468148372.jpeg simply the best.

wpid-wp-1427468160777.jpeg  green tea with mint and rosewater.

Asparagus Pie.

Hello everybody.

End of a very busy week at last, hope weekend will be relatively relaxing, though till now too much is scheduled already.
Well lunch today was an open buffet as I call it,all leftovers in the fridge but I did a small side dish cause I have these freshly picked asparagus so it’s a shame not to do something with them, so I picked this recipe from Pinterest ,easy and quick and luckily I have all ingredients.

Ingredients and method :
* 1 pack puff pastry.
* 2 tablespoons labaneh or sour cream.
* 1 tsp mustard.
* 1 egg.
* 1 cup grated cheese ( any kind that melts).
* asparagus.
* Salt, pepper and a bit of nutmeg.

* when pastry is tender roll it to a rectangle shape then put it in a rectangular oven pan.leave sides up a little.
* bake in a medium heated oven for 20 minutes or till it’s golden from bottom.
* mix half of the cheese, egg, labaneh and mustard well then add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
* spread mixture over half baked pastry then line up the asparagus after cutting the hard stems.
* sprinkle rest of cheese on top then bake again for 15 minutes then roast top till golden.
Serve hot as a side dish with any roasted beef or chicken.

 

wpid-wp-1427388373645.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427388336543.jpeg simple ingredients once asparagus is around.

wpid-wp-1427388368699.jpeg yummy indeed.

 

 

Flakes Chocolate Dessert.

Hello everybody.
So excited today my baby sister is coming home for vacation, can’t believe it’s been a year!  I’m sure it’ll be an eventful spring.

We’ll be having dinner at Mom’s, menu is stuffed vine leaves, beef roast with veggies done by my sister and I made fatoush, pasta salad and Flake chocolate dessert that I did once in Ramadan, just realized that I promised to post this recipe back then and haven’t done so till now, sorry.

Ingredients and method :
* 12 pieces Last Vache qui Rie cheese.
* 1 pack whipping cream.
* 1 pack cream.
* 1 pack plain biscuits.
* 4 pieces flakes.
* some milk.

* beat cheese and creams very well till smooth, you may add some milk if mixture is too thick.
* in a deep Pyrex or serving dish arrange biscuits and soak them with some milk.
* add half cream mixture then sprinkle half the flakes.
* repeat for another layer then decorate top with crushed Flakes.
* keep in fridge to cool for 3-4 hours.

Very easy and yummy, will post dinner details tomorrow,going to airport now :mrgreen:

 

wpid-wp-1427284486774.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427284478706.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427284472616.jpeg

 

Spinach Gnocchi.

Hello everybody.

Warm sunny day,I just love these days, though chilli at night but at least you can enjoy a beautiful day.
Lunch was Italian style except the rice which was the Iranian recipe, it’s becoming our kind of rice these days.

Did meatballs the way my cousin Rita always do them, with parmesan,breadcrumbs, eggs,nutmeg, salt and pepper then after cooling them in the fridge they’re dipped directly in boiling tomato sauce, really yummy.

Another new side dish was Spinach Gnocchi, and tasty different kind of appetizer. To tell you the truth is did once maybe a couple of years ago but it was a failure then, today I did it with patience and it turned out just perfect.

Ingredients and method :
* 4 cups of spinach, cut washed and squeezed till all excess water is out.
* 1 1/2 cups ricotta or white cheese.
* 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
* 1 egg.
* 1/2 tsp nutmeg.
* 1 tsp salt and pepper.
* 2 big tablespoons flour.
* some butter and one clove garlic.

* squeeze spinach very well then add all ingredients except butter.
* roll mixture into egg shape.
* roll gnocchi in flour and leave in fridge for a while.
* cook gnocchi in boiling water uncovered till they float on top.
* remove slowly then arrange in an ovenproof pan with butter and garlic then sprinkle with parmesan and mazorella cheese, cook for few minutes till cheese melts.
Buon Apatito as they say in Italian.

wpid-wp-1427219647574.jpeg perfect end result.

wpid-wp-1427219665771.jpeg I used our white cheese instead of ricotta.

wpid-wp-1427219742563.jpeg wpid-wp-1427219680352.jpegwpid-wp-1427219772607.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427219695387.jpeg  gnocchi before adding the cheese.

wpid-wp-1427219710269.jpegwpid-wp-1427219702124.jpeg meatballs and Iranian rice.

wpid-wp-1427219779723.jpeg photo in cook book.

wpid-wp-1427219806333.jpeg and these are mine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pesto Pasta and Ceazar Salad.

Hello everybody.

Upon my son’s request today’s lunch was on his favorite dishes, pesto pasta with chicken, mushroom and cream. Easiest thing to do specially if you have an outing.

On the side and made a big bowl of Ceazar salad, yummy and fresh goes along with the warm sunny day.

wpid-wp-1427131358774.jpeg wpid-wp-1427131341822.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427131366736.jpeg  Fresh pesto done and cooked at the same time,amazing !

wpid-wp-1427131376289.jpeg dessert was a piece of yesterday’s cake !

Best thing that happened to me today is receiving a big beautiful greeting card on the occasion of Mother’s day from my best friend’s lovely beautiful daughter Ward, though I don’t have a daughter of my own but I really love all my friends’ beautiful young ladies as mine, thank you loving Whardo,you’re the sunshine of my life.

wpid-wp-1427131399280.jpeg wpid-wp-1427131389993.jpeg

wpid-wp-1427131394170.jpeg I will keep cooking,promise 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

%d bloggers like this: