Chicken Tikka Masala.

Hello everybody.

No escape from cooking today I guess,though I was confused what to do after grocery shopping,I bought many vegetables and stuff so I have many options.

After family discussions I decided to do this recipe sent to me by my friend’s niece Hanin whom I saw the other day and everybody in her family recommended it, so chicken masala it is,since I have all ingredients which is the most important thing,sometimes I do cancel the whole dish cause one ingredient is missing,don’t you?

This is an Indian recipe of course,most Indian food is usually hot and spicy,well today I made it medium so that all can eat with comfort,it turned out very delicious and easy.

Ingredients and method:

* 2 large chicken breasts ( original recipe says thighs but nobody in my family loves them,but breasts were good also),cut to big chunks.

* marinate for chicken:

* 1 cup yogurt.

* ginger garlic paste ( 1 tablespoon fresh ginger with 3 cloves garlic pressed or finely chopped together)

* 1 tsp salt.

* 1/2 tsp pepper.

* marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes or overnight if you can.

*Sauce:

* 2 tablespoons olive oil.

* 2 tablespoons butter.

*1/3 cup ginger garlic paste.

* 2 hot peppers (didn’t have any so I used hot dried chili )

* 2 tablespoons tomato paste.

* 1 tablespoons gram masala spices ( Indian spices bought ready or homemade by mixing special spices including : 2 tablespoons cumin seeds,2 tablespoons coriander seeds,1 tsp pepper seeds,2 tsp cardamon seeds,1 tsp cloves,1 tsp fennel seeds,1 cinnamon stick,3 bay leaves,1/2 tsp fenugreek (حلبه) ,pinch of nutmeg. you roast all seeds except nutmeg very well then grind then to fine powder and add nutmeg)

* 2 tsp paprika.

* 8 small tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes.

* 1 1/2 tsp salt.

* 1-2 cups water.

* 1/2 cup heavy cream.

* minced fresh cilantro for garnish.

* cooked rice or naan bread for serving.

* making sauce and cooking:

* heat oil and butter then add ginger garlic paste and stir,then add hot peppers.

* add tomato paste and cook till brownish then add masala,paprika and saute for 3 minutes.

* add tomatoes,saltand water and simmer till sauce is thickened,you may need more water if it dries.

* meanwhile grill the chicken in some hot oil,try to shake excess marinate .

* cook till golden on all sides.

* now blend the sauce with hand mixer or blender.

* add chicken pieces to sauce and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

* add cream and stir then at the end add chopped coriander.

* serve with rice or bread.

Very tasty savory dish,not a piece left ,thank you dear Hanin,now it’s officially Hanin’s Chicken in my cook book 🙂

Quinoa Seeds.

Hello everybody. Today as a change of usual breakfast or lunch outings,which is almost the most frequent entertainment for Ammany housewives, we were invited to an event done by “Gift Center” for the famous Eves Saint Laurent brand,a nice lecture introducing new products and a brief make up lesson,very nice and informative, we even went home with special gifts,thank you dear Nadia for the invitation,we really had a good time <3

Went back home to make lunch as quick as possible cause I took my time after the event finished testing makeup and perfumes so I was late ,I guess women forget themselves in such places don’t you agree?

Anyway I prepared ingredients to make chicken quesadilas before I left and made a new super easy quick recipe done with the loaf you buy from bakery (we call it Ramadan loaf ) then you add on it multiple kinds of cheeses ( kashkaval,halloum and white cheese) plus two spoons of labaneh,then toast it in the oven till golden. Thank you dear Maysoon for the savior dish.

Now for the quinoa part,these seeds are becoming famous cause of proven great benefits and healthy nutrients it contains,it’s now wildly used in salads and many other recipes.

Quinoa is considered a super food,it looks a lot like burghul we all know,but it must be cooked in a good amount of water then drained and used either in cold or warm dishes,it’s known to be rich in proteins,iron and fibers. I wanted to try it since my Facebook friend Mary sent me her beautiful cook book.

Here in Jordan you can find it in big stores only not in small supermarkets,last night I bought a small bag to try it ,well it tastes good,very much like burghul as I mentioned. I made a regular salad with grilled halloum,sun dried tomatoes and roasted almonds on top and added cooked quinoa seeds with it,really good, a chance for the kids to eat something nutritious.

Turned out a nice late lunch,all gone except for the loaf,kept it for dinner with a cup of tea 🙂

Chicken with Lemon Olives Sauce

Hello everybody.

Hot and dusty Saturday,many errands and shopping today,I even started cooking very late!

last night I took out my cookbook to search for something new and easy to do,sometimes you feel you’re bored from all the things you cook and need a change or twist,I found this old recipe that I’ve never tried but as usual I always write down anything I feel will taste good,you can tell from the ingredients sometimes whether they fit together or not.

Honestly it was a success,I have my dear friend Reham as a witness,you can ask her 🙂

It’s a very simple chicken with lemon sauce and olives and I made some sauteed veggies on the side,really delicious.

Ingredients and method:

* boneless pounded chicken breasts.

* bread crumbs and flour seasoned with salt,pepper and oregano.

* lemon slices and lemon juice.

* half cup pitted green olives.

* some butter and olive oil.

* coat chicken with mixed flour and crumbs.

*saute them in olive oil and butter on both sides till almost done.

* remove from pan,then add some more flour and butter ( about 2 tablespoons) in the same pan you sauteed the chicken,add lemon slices and juice (about half of a lemon) and the pitted olives.

*add one cup of hot water and stir well till sauce is creamy and homogeneous.

* before serving add sauce to chicken breasts and simmer for 10-15 minutes

* as for veggies I sliced them,added some olive oil,salt,pepper and left them to simmer till done.

Hope you try it and taste how good it is 🙂

Gardening !

Hello everybody,hope you’re enjoying your weekend.

Today is gardening Friday, it’s a ritual each year to go to plant nurseries and remodel our garden,we’re even late this year,so today is the day.Started early in the morning and just finished planting now,not me of course, I’m only my hubbies helper,to be honest I never planted anything and lived so I gave up long time ago!! all credit goes to Abu Khalil for sure <3.

At lunch time we crashed at my mother-in law,she already made roasted chicken and potatoes and I quickly made pasta with white cheese,pesto sauce and parsley as a side dish.

As a reward after a long hot day working outside I made a dish of Banana Split but without cream, only ice cream,bananas,biscuits,fruit salad and chocolate syrup.

Lovely day,but work is yet not finished,we’re continuing tomorrow Insha’Allah.

Msakhan ( مسخن)

Hello everybody.

Today’s lunch is a very traditional dish,Mediterranean and specifically Palestinian to be exact, it’s very common in big lunch or dinner invitations, usually done in olive harvest and oil production season,when it’s still fresh.

To be honest I’m not an expert in doing it, not a dish that I do often, my late grandma used to do it a lot,my mom now also,so I usually go to Mom’s eat it !! but today I did it upon my youngest son request,so msakhan it is.

Ingredients and media:

* whole chicken.

* 4-5 big onions.

* summaq.

* special taboun bread (خبز طابون)

* olive oil.

* spices used in chicken cooking like cinnamon sticks,cardamom,pepper corns,bay leaf and salt and pepper definitely.

* clean and rub chicken with lemon,salt and cinnamon then cook it with all spices and boiled water till tender.

* chop onions finely then cook them in a generous amount of olive oil ( actually I do use vegetable oil with the olive to lighten it a bit,this is optional of course).

* when onions are done add summaq and a bit of chicken broth and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes.

* before serving,cut bread to halves or quarters then dip the ends in onion mix and arrange on a wide oven tray next to each other.

* add onions on each peace of bread,try not to add too much oil with it.

*sprinkle with toasted pine nuts.

* add another layer of bread then spread chicken pieces on top, I dip each peace with remaining oil onion mix.

* sprinle all with summaq and some of the chicken broth then bake for 20-30 minutes and roast chicken at the end.

*always serve it with rich fresh yogurt !

I know many people may do it in a different way or better way let’s say,but it was very tasty and everybody loved it 🙂

Chicken Liver.

Hello everybody, hope you’re enjoying your weekend so far.

Today we stayed guessing what to eat for lunch till 2 p.m,then my hubby volunteered to make us chicken liver, it’s his specialty, I never did it before.

As for me I made potatoes in a different way, saw this recipe yesterday on Pinterest,they were good but as always not all food photos on the net turn out the same shape, don’t know why this always happens !!

Ingredients and method:

Chicken Liver:

* 1/2 kg chicken liver.

* 2 sliced onions.

* chili green pepper.

* olive oil,salt,pepper and pomegranate sauce.

* saute onions and peppers in heated oil,then add livers and stir.

* add salt and pepper then leave to simmer on low heat till dine ( 30-40 minutes)

* when done turn off heat and add one big spoon pomegranate sauce and stir all together.

* Potatoes:

* medium sized potatoes.

* 3-4 garlic cloves.

* olive oil and butter.

* salt and pepper.

* mash garlic and saute in some oil then add salt and pepper.

* slice potatoes thinly but not till the end ( keep it all together from the bottom)

* pour garlic and oil on top then add a cube of butter.

* bake for 45-50 minutes till crispy from outside.

I also made sauteed flat mushrooms with garlic and lemon and french fries for the boys, nice late meal. Thank you dear hubby for the yummy liver,really good and tasty 🙂

this is the original photo,see what I mean?

Leftover Makeover :)

Hello everybody.

Last day of this long weekend, woke up ready for work, I have an order of Date Rolls to deliver by noon, big thank you to my best friend who came to help me <3.

As for lunch plans I still have lots of meat and chicken from last night’s BBQ,plus a bit of every kind of salad. A makeover to the meat and kebab will make them even more tender and juicy,I simply added some chopped onions and summaq , bit of water and drizzle of oil, then heat them on very low heat till onions are softened.

I lined the Kebabs and potatoes on a foil paper added some water and heated them in the oven.

It was a miniature lunch comparing to last night’s feast but very tasty 🙂

Chicken with Sesame and Oregano.

Happy Labor Day everybody. Though Moms deserve this holiday cause they’re on call 24/7 , but it does seem hard to take a day off doing absolutely nothing, don’t you agree?

I have a pack of Knorr ready chicken sesame and oregano seasoning, been in my pantry for a while,so I bought 2 packs of chicken thighs marinated them since morning.

Ingredients and method:

* chicken thighs or whole chicken.

* 1 pack knorr sesame oregano seasoning.

* extra sesame seeds,oregano and lemon juice.

* few cloves of garlic.

* olive oil.

* marinate chicken in all ingredients as long as you can.s

* roast them in a medium heated oven in a baking bag or wrap them in foil paper as you wish

. * I made plain basmati rice with peas and carrots and potato salad on the side. Really tasty,extra sesame and oregano added to the flavor, highly recommended 🙂 Wish you all a nice long weekend .

Chicken Burgers.

Hello everybody. As every Friday what to eat for lunch is always a problem.

I was about to tell the boys to order food cause I was busy helping my brother moving his stuff to his new house. Can’t believe my little bro getting married this week. I’m so excited ♡♥♡♥.

Back to lunch plans, found out I do have time to cook when done, kids said burgers, decided to make chicken not beef this time for a change. Also I made hot potatoes as a side dish, will try new kind of mixed spices i bought last Saturday.

Ingredients and method:

* 3 big boneless chicken breasts finely chopped.

* 1 chili pepper.

* 1 green pepper.

* 2 cloves garlic.

*1 small onion.

* 1/2 cup bread crumbs.

* 1/2 cup milk.

* salt and pepper.

* mix all ingredients very well in food processor .

* wet your hand with water and form round balls, cover them with bread crumbs and flat them to burgers.

* keep in fridge to harden for 1 hour.

* grill them or roast in the oven till golden.

* serve with veggies and cheese.

Potatoes were good but kids said spices I usually use are tastier, these have too much curry.

Rice with Vegetables (Banan’s Rice)

Hello everybody.

Today I had the honor to cook for my big brother’s office colleagues. Each one of them hosts lunch each Sunday so I volunteered to cook in his turn. They’re a group of 20-24 plus the boss is coming today from abroad. Feedback was great thank God ♡
Though I ran a bit out of time and I think rice needed a bit more cooking
Well my bro sent me this photo in less than an hour after I delivered food.

Wiped out he wrote !!!!!

I got this rice recipe from our dear neighbor when I was a newlywed. Been doing it a lot specially when I have guests..that’s why it became my specialty Banan’s Rice my cousins always say.
I also made caramelized kebab sandwiches with tahini sauce and spiced potatoes. Dessert was basic orange cake and jam biscuits (مبروشه ).
I will post ingredients without specifying amounts cause today I cooked for a big crowd, you can measure according to number of people you’re cooking for. I’m ready for any question of course if anyone needs help.

Ingredients and method:
* large boned chicken pieces.
* basmati rice.
* vegetables include: peas, carrots, mushrooms, peppers and onions.
* raisins.
* almonds and pine nuts.
* ghee or margarine.
* curry powder, salt, pepper, paprika.
* bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom for chicken broth.

* first you clean and wash chicken pieces very well.
* make broth from wings backs and necks of chicken by boiling them with salt, pepper, all spice, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf plus 1 big spoon curry powder. When done sieve and use broth for cooking rice.
* add same seasoning to breasts and drumsticks with some olive oil and chopped onions and put in a medium heated oven for 2 hours or till tender and golden..also sprinkle them with curry and paprika.

* now prepare veggies, saute them alternatively ( except onions) with ghee starting with carrots then adding others always sprinkle with curry then add raisins last thing. You can add maggi cube with them, gives a really good flavor but for those who don’t like it add salt and spices. Leave to simmer on low heat.
* in another pan saute sliced onions in ghee then add a bit of broth and leave to simmer till tender.
* wash rice and season it with salt, pepper, all spice and curry powder.
* add to onions, mix all together then add broth till covering rice by 1 inch.
* cook rice and when almost all broth absorbed pour it over vegetables then leave all to cook together on very low heat till rice is done.
* you may need to add a bit more broth or water.
* roast almonds and pine nuts for decoration.
* upon serving turn vegetables and rice pan upside down in a big wide serving tray.
* arrange chicken pieces on top.
* decorate with almonds and pine nuts.

I know this might be a difficult dish with many steps but it’s always worth the hardship. ♡♥

always a success.

all veggies are sprinkled curry.

steps to cook the rice.

enjoy.

What to cook today?

day by day cooking ideas

chicken

Chicken Tikka Masala.

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Quinoa Seeds.

Like this:

Chicken with Lemon Olives Sauce

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Gardening !

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Msakhan ( مسخن)

Like this:

Chicken Liver.

Like this:

Leftover Makeover :)

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Chicken with Sesame and Oregano.

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Chicken Burgers.

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Rice with Vegetables (Banan’s Rice)

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