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 🙂

Creamy Avocado Tomato Basil Pasta.

Hello everybody.

Very hot and dusty today,need a cool dish to go with this weather. last night I found this recipe in my WordPress reader written by “ Cooking with a Wallflower” and since I have 2 avocados ripened from last week I thought this will be a good option for lunch.

Upon my youngest son request I made a kind of pizza called Calzone ,cause he bought some chili salami and wants me to make something with them,though I’m not in the mood to bake in this hot weather,but I kneaded a small dough,made half filled with salami,cheese,oregano and tomato paste then closed it like a pie and filled the other half with chocolate and bananas,will be a good dessert in the afternoon.

Ingredients and method for the pasta:

* 1 pack spagetti.

* 2 ripe avocados.

* 2 cloves garlic.

* 2 tablespoons yogurt.

* bunch of fresh basil.

* cherry tomatoes.

* Parmesan cheese.

* some sun dried tomatoes (optional).

* cook pasta as directed.

* mash avocados with salt,pepper and yogurt.

* chop garlic,basil leaves and tomatoes.

* just before serving toss all ingredients with the pasta and sprinkle with the cheese.

* As for the Calzone,knead a pizza dough then spread it and add filling then close it , you can use various kinds of fillings of veggies or cheeses or chocolate 🙂

Enjoy .

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 🙂

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.

Apricot Jam.

Hello everybody.

A dear friend of my mother in-law called me saying that her apricot tree is overloaded and most of it is over ripe so she wants me to come pick as much as I want

A custom of mine each year I make this jam just as my late grandma used to make it,she had a big tree in her garden and we used to help her pick it and make ripe ones jam,she even used to break the seed and add the nut inside to the jam,but this is really hard work,poor teita. she was very patient and did them all without grumbling at all,God bless your soul my dear grandma<3

Well I did go yesterday to auntie Haifa’s ,had a cup of coffee and took a big big bag of beautiful fresh apricots,perfect for jam.

last night I cleaned and pitted them then added sugar and cooked them today, by the way lunch today was steak sandwiches,same that I did before.

Ingredients and method of jam:

* 1 kg ripe apricots.

* 1 kg sugar ( you need equal amounts of fruit and sugar,you can measure in cups also)

* 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

* add sugar to apricots stir well then put on gas on medium heat till bubbly.

* reduce heat to minimum and keep boiling for 40-50 minutes removing froth whenever it’s formed.

* keep stirring mixture then blend it with hand mixture if you like or leave it in chunks as you prefer.

* add lemon juice and leave it boiling for another 15-20 minutes or till it’s thick .

* cool and fill in cleaned glass containers,then keep in fridge.

I usually wrap jars with ribbons or accessories, great gift full of love 🙂

tasty with white cheese!

this is today’s lunch.

Broad Green Beans Salad.

Hello everybody.

Grocery day again,ended up buying lots of fruits and vegetables,so fresh and tempting,couldn’t resist the red cherries and seedless grapes, don’t you just love Summer with all its colors and varieties?

I got some broad green beans and cherry tomatoes to make this salad that my cousin who lives in Rome posted in my Facebook group, turned out absolutely delicious,even kids loved it 🙂

As for lunch it was fresh mloukhieh with chicken,really good as always,dessert was a big bowl of fruits !!

Ingredients and method:

* broad green beans cut and boiled in salted water till a tender but not overcooked.

* cherry tomato.

* lemon zest.

* sauteed garlic cloves.

* salt,pepper,lemon juice,pomegranate sauce or balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

* just mix all ingredients and toss with dressing .

very easy healthy dish.

Enjoy <3

Watermelon Fiesta !!!

Hello everybody.

Nobody home for lunch today and I was busy all morning making Date Rolls for my friend, when when done I was in no mood to cook anything.

This morning I bought a lovely watermelon, been waiting for it’s season to make these lovely servings or decorations all done with watermelons,fruits and cheese, as usual shape wasn’t as perfect as photos you see in magazines or websites but not bad for a first time, I’m sure this needs lots of practice and special cutters and lots of Photoshop :).

I also made a lovely refreshing juice with them,thanks to my Facebook friend who recommended it, I mixed watermelons with Tang lemon and mint and two ripe bananas with lots of ice. Very cooling in this hot day 🙂

I’ll post my photos and the original ones, you compare and judge!!!

Cauliflower Stew .

Hello everybody.

Kids asked for cauliflower with rice ( مقلوبه زهره ), personally I don’t like cauliflower or let’s say it’s not a favorite of mine, I like it more as a stew. Though it’s a very healthy vegetable full of vitamins and minerals, I only eat it for this reason 🙂

This dish is very easy and can be served with rice or bread with tahini sauce on the side.

Ingredients and method:

* cooked minced meat or cubed veal or lamp as desired.

* boiled and fried cauliflower.

* 2-3 cloves garlic.

* one small onion finely chopped.

* lemon juice.

* salt,pepper,all spice, cumin and dry coriander.

* saute meat till dry then add garlic and onions.

* add cauliflower and seasoning,leave to simmer, you may add a bit of water if it’s too dry.

* serve with tahini sauce and summaq on top.

Enjoy 🙂

very tasty maqloobeh by the way 🙂

Strawberry Shortcakes :)

Hello everybody. This morning my youngest son amazed me with a question ” Are we allowed to repeat one of the recipes you posted or you have to cook something new? ”

I was really impressed,my hubby and boys are becoming like me,always thinking what to cook the next day and how to keep ideas and recipes flowing !! Thank God I think one can always innovate and search,each day comes with its new post without even planning 🙂

So upon my son’s request I cooked chicken with broccoli and mushrooms but made rice instead of pasta on the side.As for today’s title,I made these cute strawberry shortcakes for my son’s friends who came over this afternoon,better than eating candy and sweets !

Ingredients and method:

* fresh strawberries.

* cream ( 2 packs dream whip)

* for the shortcakes:

* 1 3/4 or 2 cups flour.

* 3/4 cup butter.

* 1/2 cup sugar.

* 1 tsp baking powder.

* 1/4 cup cream or milk.

* pinch of salt.

* crushed almonds (optional)

* stem and cut strawberries,add a bit of sugar on them and leave aside till cakes are done.

* beat cream powder as directed till stiff and keep in fridge to cool.

* beat butter with sugar then add salt,baking powder and flour.

* mix with your hands till dough is crumbly.

* add milk or cream gradually and knead till you form a firm but not hard ball then leave to rest 15 minutes.

* roll dough to a rectangle then using a cookie cutter or cup form circles then move to a floured baking pan. keep flouring surface of table or use wax paper to avoid sticking.

* add crushed almonds on top then bake for 10-13 minutes or till biscuits are golden.

* assemble layers of biscuits,cream then strawberries in cups or glasses or plates as you wish,garnish with strawberry syrup and fresh mints.

* keep in fridge to cool before serving.

That’s today’s post,hope you all like and try it 🙂

Winter is Back!

Hello everybody.

I’m sure you’re all surprised by today’s weather,it’s unusual to have such rain this time of year in Jordan, but I guess weather this year is really weird from the beginning.

Since we’re back to rainy cold weather all over again, so I made potato soup with eggplant fatteh ( فته مقدوس), this dish reminds of Ramadan which is practically coming soon,less than two months 🙂

Ingredients and method:

Potato soup:

* 1-2 big potatoes,cubed.

* 1 spring onion.

* 1 maggi cube.

* 1 pack cream.

* salt ,pepper.

* 4-5 cups water.

* saute chopped onions till tender then add potatoes and stir well.

* add salt,pepper,maggi and water.

* leave to boil then simmer till potatoes are done.

* mix with hand mixer or blender then add cream and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Eggplant Fatteh ( فته مقدوس)

* 3-4 cubed fried eggplants.

* finely chopped onion.

* roasted or fried squared pitta bread.

* tahini sauce ( tahini,lemon,salt,yoghurt,garlic)

* tomato paste.

* chopped parsley.

* cooked spiced minced meat.

* toasted almonds and pine nuts.

* salt,pepper,all spice and cinnamon for seasoning.

* saute onions till tender then add fried eggplants.

* add all seasoning,tomato paste and enough water to cover all then leave to simmer till sauce is thick and eggplants tender.

* layer pitta bread in Pyrex or serving dish,add eggplant with sauce on top.

* add tahini sauce then garnish with parsley,meat and nuts.

Note: this dish must be assembled right before you serve so as pittas stay crisp otherwise they’ll be soggy .

I made some salad and kids made egg omelette with the remaining meat,nice hot lunch in this kind of cold day.

Enjoy your weekend 🙂

What to cook today?

day by day cooking ideas

amman

Chicken Tikka Masala.

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Creamy Avocado Tomato Basil Pasta.

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Quinoa Seeds.

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Gardening !

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Apricot Jam.

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Broad Green Beans Salad.

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Watermelon Fiesta !!!

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Cauliflower Stew .

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Strawberry Shortcakes :)

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Winter is Back!

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