Roya TV Interview.

Hello everybody.

BIG day yesterday,I think I’ll mark it as a turning point or new start for something different,not sure what it’ll be but I was really happy and very emotional from the huge amount of loving and cheering comments specially from my family and friends, my dearest friends took me out to celebrate my, as everybody assured me, first TV interview.

I was interviewed on Donya Ya donya morning show/ Roya TV ,talked about my blog, how it started and grew and about my future plans. Had to admit I was very nervous at first but it all went smoothly and the beautiful anchor was very nice and natural.

Thank you again to all family members,friends,followers and members of group banancooking for your support.

Well all this doesn’t mean I didn’t cook,my son just arrived from Berlin after a month absence and of course cooked his most favorite dish stuffed courgettes,made some stuffed vine leaves and string beans in olive oil .

here’s the link of yesterday’s interview:

today’s lunch.

new additions to my fridge magnets !

Appetizer Platter.

Hello everybody.

After yesterday’s big breakfast I went shopping to prepare for dinner,our dear friends Salam and Flora came to dinner last night with sweet adorable baby Mariam,lovely evening and food.

I made a big appetizers platter similar to the one we ate last week at Bonita Restaurant,well it was close enough but not as perfect. It contained avocados with tomatoes,smoked salmon with cream cheese dill filling on a bed of rocca, frilled chicken with pesto sauce on top and grilled eggplants ant tomatoes with cheese in between or as they name it eggplant tower.

Salad was Rocca with pomegranate seeds,walnuts and cheese, main dish was grilled steaks with lemon thyme butter on top and baked potatoes and veggies on the side.

Dessert was an extremely rich delicious Velvet Cake done by my lovely guest ( homemade from scratch), you’re right Flora tasted even better today, thank you my dear <3

table setting.

Fish Fillet with Tahini sauce.

Hello everybody.

Usual Saturday! took out some fish fillet from the freezer before going shopping, been waiting to do this recipe for a while thought today will be good cause weather is cool so fish will be convenient.

Ingredients and method:

* 1 kg fish fillet cut to large pieces.

* 1 large thinly sliced onion.

* sliced colored peppers.

*salt,pepper,cumin and lemon juice.

* tahini sauce.

* heat some olive oil in a large pan then season fish and coat with some flour and grill on both sides till golden.

* add onions then peppers,simmer till all are tender.

* before serving add tahini and simmer for another 15-20 minutes on low heat.

Well that’s it,super easy healthy dish right? Thank you dear Rana for the recipe.

Lemon Thyme Butter Steaks and Pumpkin Carrot Risotto.

Hello everybody.

Didn’t know what to cook today then I took out an old book I have Dinner Beef and went through the recipes , decided at last to do this one since school ends early today so I have time to grill the steaks just before lunch.

The seasoned butter used in this dish can be stored in the freezer for various others like grilled chicken or fish,really tasty.

Ingredients and method:

*Steak with lemon thyme butter:

* pounded beef steaks.

* 4 large potatoes cut to wedges.

* 2 red onions cut to wedges.

* 1 lemon cut to wedges ( unpeeled)

* some olive oil.

* fresh thyme.

For the butter:

* 3-4 tablespoons soft butter.

* 1 crushed clove garlic.

* 2 tsp grated lemon rind.

* 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme.

* Make the lemon thyme butter by mixing all ingredients and wrapping them then freeze till you’re done cooking.

* mix potato wedges with onions,lemon,thyme ,oil,salt and pepper then bake uncovered in a hot oven till potatoes are done and crisp.

* just before serving,grill seasoned steaks on high heat on both sides till done then add a slice of the lemon butter on top of each steak and leave to melt.

* Pumpkin Carrot Risotto.

* 1 cup coarsely chopped pumpkin.

* 2 large chopped carrots.

* 4 cups chicken stock.

* 1 small chopped onion.

* 1 1/2 cups rice.

* 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.

* 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

* saute carrots and pumpkins till soft in the butter and oil then remove from pan.

* add the onions and saute also till soft then add washed rice.

* stir in 1 cup of hot stock ,cook and stir till liquid is absorbed.

* continue adding stock in batches till rice is soft.

* gently stir in pumpkins,carrots and Parmesan.

* total cooking time should be about 30 minutes or till rice is done.

Note: you must be careful when cooking risotto not to leave water dry and you must cook it just before you serve it cause if left for a while it’ll be gooey .

A very tasty rich lunch to be honest,kids and hubby loved it 🙂

lemon thyme butter.

butter roll.

added some mushrooms also.

photos in cookbook.

Crunchy Courgettes.

Hello everybody.

I saw this recipe on Pinterest last week,got some courgettes the to try it. turned out really good,healthy light appetizer can be an alternative to fried or heavy dishes.you simply cut them,dip them in egg white then coat with breadcrumbs and bake till crunchy,you can add pepper,chili,oregano and salt of course to the crumbs as seasoning.

Well lunch was okra in the oven,couldn’t resist not buying those lovely small green okra yesterday,always be sure that fresh vegetables when in season make the best dishes 🙂

When I was done cooking my husband called to tell me his friends are coming at night,so I baked a simple orange cake with syrup on top and small buns ( pizza dough recipe) with some oregano and dry basil, then filled them with different kinds of cheese and labaneh.

orange cake with syrup.

My hubby got me these cloths from Safeway,one for the roller and one to roll dough on,very useful , I liked them a lot <3

Small Lunch Gathering :)

Hello everybody.

My dear cousins coming from Irbid today , though they insisted that they’ll only pass by for coffee but I ignored the thought and promised to make a small easy lunch, we really had a great time specially with the company of the sweetest baby ever Mira,such an angel <3

I made steak with mushrooms peppers and gravy sauce with mashed potatoes on the side,some eggplant dip and green salad.

Dessert was simple cake with swirled blueberries on top,really good with coffee after lunch.

matabbal.

isn’t she adorable?

White Beans.

Hello everybody.

Though it’s supposed to be still Summer you can feel a cold crisp wind specially at night so a wintry meal won’t be too hot to eat today.

I posted this dish earlier in February,as I said then didn’t think I’ll do it till next year,but seems Winter is coming very early , plus it’s a favorite of my husband and youngest son. It’s really good with green peppers and onions.

As for the diet I’m on, I ate a small cup of rice with some beans and one piece of meat,fair enough I guess !!

Eggplants with Kibbeh (Iraqi dish)

Hello everybody.

Since I have a loads of eggplants,tomatoes and peppers my husband got from the farm,had to make something with them right?

I learned this dish from my sister in-law,it’s an Iraqi recipe resembles a lot moussaka but using special kind of flat kibbeh with eggplants and tomatoes instead of usual minced meat,really good and tasty.(كبه تبسي ) the name of the dish is تبسي باذنجان.

Ingredients and method:

* flat meat stuffed kibbeh ( the ones I found today were small usually they use bigger wider ones) you can find it in most store called ( كبه تبسي)

* fried or roasted eggplant slices.

* peeled sliced tomatoes.

* sliced sweet peppers.

* sliced onions.

* chopped parsley for decoration.

* tomato and pomegranate sauce (دبس رمان)

* salt,pepper and all spices.

* boil kibbeh if not cooked before freezing in a some water till it softens a bit.

* add eggplants on top .

* add tomatoes,peppers and onions.

* dissolve 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce and a tsp of pomegranate sauce in 2 cups water then pour them over layers.

* season with salt and pepper.

* leave to simmer or in the oven till all done ( approximately 1 hour).

* serve alone

with rice or pitta bread.

The Lebanese House/ Um Khalil <3

Hello everybody.

After calling most of Amman Lebanese restaurant and failing to find a free table for lunch we decided to head north to Jerash to the Lebanese Restaurant or as it’s famous name Um Khalil, though called also to check but luckily a table was available.

Food was delicious as usual except the bbq-ued meat , a bit greasy, but all in all it was good and service was excellent.

Nice ride and scenery better than staying in the city after all !

raw kubbeh (كبه نيه)

محمره وفطر مطفى

نقانق وعصافير مشويه

Potato Salad.

Hello everybody.

My son suggested meatloaf today,good option cause it’s diet friendly and easy to make since I woke up late today 🙂

Something to go with it without guilt is potato salad, healthy and fulfilling is potato salad,old classic recipe of boiled potatoes,green onions,parsley or coriander,lemon juice,olive oil and of course salt and pepper.Cut potatoes to cubes and mix all before serving.

A lovely lunch,meatloaf (plain) potato and green salad <3

What to cook today?

day by day cooking ideas

Main dish

Roya TV Interview.

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Appetizer Platter.

Like this:

Fish Fillet with Tahini sauce.

Like this:

Lemon Thyme Butter Steaks and Pumpkin Carrot Risotto.

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Crunchy Courgettes.

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Small Lunch Gathering :)

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White Beans.

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Eggplants with Kibbeh (Iraqi dish)

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The Lebanese House/ Um Khalil <3

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Potato Salad.

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