Egyptian Cookies Again.

Hello everybody.

Actually order is for tomorrow but I usually like to make cookies a day before cause they are more tender the next day. Kind of settle down and flavor is much better.

Here’s the ingredients again :

Ingredients and method :
# 2 cups fine semolina.
# 4 cups flour.
# 2 cups butter or ghee ( I used 1/2 ghee, 1 butter and 1/2 vegetable oil)
# 1 tablespoon anise powder.
# 1 teaspoon fennel powder.
# 1 tsp special cookie spice (كلفه كعك)

#1/2 tsp mihleb

#1/4 tsp mistaka.

#2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
#1/2 cup sugar.
# 1 tsp instant yeast dissolved in 1 tablespoon sugar and a cup of warm water.
# 2 tablespoons rose water.

# pitted dates mixed with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and anise powders.

# Heat butter then mix with semolina, flour and all spices very well till crumbly.
# leave for 2-3 hours or better overnight till all butter is well absorbed.
# add frothy yeast and water and mix all well.
# add rose water and knead all together.

# start working right away by stuffing small portions of dough with dates and shape them in the molds.

Another Date Rolls Baking Day.

Hello everybody.

Another day of baking, date rolls are a favorite to many. They’re actually really yummy and healthy.

I’ll post ingredients and method again :

Ingredients and method:
* 5 cups flour
* 4 cups whole wheat flour (طحين اسمر ).
* 1 cup vegetable oil.
* 1 cup olive oil.
* 1 cup margarine or ghee.
* seeded and ground dates (2-3 packs).
* 1/2 cup sugar.
* 1 tsp sodium bicarbonate.
* 2 big spoons ground anise (يانسون ).
* 1 big spoon ground fennel (شومر ).
* 1 big spoon cinnamon.
* 2-3 spoons sesame seeds and black seeds ( سسمسم وقزحه ).
* 1 small spoon mahaleb (محلب )
* mix all oils and spices with flour well till it forms crumbles and leave overnight so as flour absorbs all oils and essences.

* to the dates add olive oil, cinnamon, anise powder, nutmeg, cardamom . A little sprinkle just to add some flavor.

* add warm water to flour enough to make a dough 1-2 cups..it must be easy to handle not hard nor soft.
* cut dough and dates to four portions.
* roll one part of dough to a big thin rectangle between nylons.
* roll dates all to same size rectangle between wax paper or nylon.
* place date over dough and cut unorganized edges.
* roll dough and dates together 3 or 4 rolls.
* cut to 1 inch slices then pat with your hand to flatten them a bit.
* with a sharp knife cut surface to small lines.
* bake in a medium heated oven till bottoms are golden and then toast surface a bit.
* store in a cookie jar or well sealed box.

:المقادير:
* 5 كاسات طحين ابيض
4 كاسات طحين اسمر
* 1 كوب زيت نباتي
* 1 كوب زيت زيتون
* 1 كوب سمنه او زبده
* 2-3 باكيت تمر مطحون

* 1/2 كوب سكر

* .1 ملعقه صغيره بايكربونات
* يانسون 2 ملعقه كبيره يانسون مطحون
.1 ملعقه كبيره شومر مطحون
* .1 ملعقه كبيره قرفه
* 2-3 ملعقه كبيره سسمسم وقزحه
* 1محلب ملعقه صغيره
* تخلط جميع المقادير مع بعض جيدا قبل بليله او على الاقل 4-5 ساعات ما عدا التمر طبعا ويفرك الطحين جيدا بالزيت والسمنه

*( يرش التمر ياليانسون والفرقه والهيل ويفرد بين نايلون ويرق ليصبح طبقه رقيقه جدا( استعيني بزيت الزيتون على النليلون حتى لا يلزق التمر

* يضاف ماء فاتر بالتريج الى العجينه حتى تصبح متماسكه وطريه

* ترق العجينه بنفس طريقه التمر بين النايلون

* (توضع طبفه التمر فوق العجينه برفق وتلف رول (لفتين فقط

* تقطع الرول الى قطع صغيره وتصف في الصواني

* يزين الوجه بواسطه سكين

* تشوى في فرن متوسط الحراره حتى تحمر

* تحفظ في علب محكمه حتى لا تنشف

Oatmeal Date Cookies.

Hello everybody.

My cousin ordered some cookies today, thought I’d try something new or different from the usual ones I make.

After a thorough search last night I found this recipe, I guessed it’ll be a success cause all ingredients are homogeneous and goes along together, oats spices and dates are always harmonious.

Ingredients and method :
# 1 cup butter.
# 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 brown sugar.
# 2 eggs.
# 1 tsp vanilla.
# 1 tsp cinnamon, half tsp cloves, 1/4 nutmeg and a pinch of salt.
# 2 cups flour.
# 2 1/2 cups oatmeal.
# 1 tsp baking powder.

Filling :
2 cups pitted dates.
1 cup water.
1 tablespoon butter.

# beat butter and sugar well till creamy then add eggs and vanilla.
# add spices and salt.
# add flour and baking powder then oatmeal.
# cool in fridge for 30-40 minutes.
# form into small walnut size balls then flatten them a bit.
# bake in a medium heated oven for 10-13 minutes.
# leave to cool.

# meanwhile prepare the filling by heating dates water and butter till smooth.

# assemble each two cookies with date filling and serve.

Peanut Butter Snickers Chocolate Chips Cookies.

Hello everybody.

Today’s order is for a group of lovely teachers as a small giveaway, they ordered five different cookies for each.

Made the usual three kinds of crinkles, rock cookies and these cute little heart shaped ones of peanut butter and chocolate chips but added Snickers chunks in them, so yummy and cute.

Though teachers really deserve more than this but I hope love and cherish for their efforts are tasted and felt in my cookies, God bless all teachers around the world.

Ingredients and method:

* 1/2 cup butter ( reduce it a bit if using heavy chocolates, I used chocolate chips and 4 small Snickers bars)

* 1/2 cup peanut butter.

* 3/4 cup brown sugar.

* 1 egg.

* 2 tablespoons milk.

* 1 tsp vanilla.

* 1/2 small spoon baking soda.

* 1/2 tsp baking powder.

* 1 3/4 cups flour.

* 3/4 cup chocolate chips or crushed ones of any kind.

* Mix butters and sugar well till creamy then add egg,vanilla,milk.

* add flour,baking soda and powder then last thing add the chocolates.

*Shape into balls then flatten them a bit,usually I use a coffee cup bottom.

* bake in a medium heated oven for 10-13 minutes or till bottoms are golden.

* cool then keep in cookie jar or tightly closed tin.

These will sure put a big smile on a child’s face specially with a hot chocolate in a cold day 🙂

aren’t these cute?

packing process.

lovely gift indeed.

Vegetarian Pomelo Salad.

Hello everybody.

Christmas Eve tonight,wish all people celebrating a joyful holiday and great food, I know many will be having a feast dinner full of delicious savory dishes . Well try to enjoy and eat from everything diet can start tomorrow or even month who cares 🙂

This morning I went with my friends to new place called “Ahwanji اهونجي ” though too much shisha smoke ( we were on the terrace mind you with open windows) but food was tasty , nice well decorated place !

Cooked for lunch before I left, traditional Kofta with tomatoes and potatoes on top with a nice yummy salad we usually order at Levant Restaurant which contains lettuce,corn,green pepper and some peeled pomelo fruits topped with a simple mayonnaise vinegar lemon and oil dressing,really good and fresh though I know some people don’t like fruits in salad but this one is yummy, tangy and sour and the same time.

Note: you can find many pomelo containing salads usually with shrimps or sea food ( Thai Food) that’s why it’s specifically vegetarian.

Again enjoy your night dear friends celebrating Merry Christmas <3

kofta with veggies.

Smores Monkey Bread.

Hello everybody.

A member in my group posted a video of how to make monkey bread last night and many were asking for recipe.By chance I was planning to do this monkey bread with a twist recipe since last week,even have all ingredients ready but didn’t have the time to do it.

To be honest original recipe contains too much sugar so I didn’t add the exact amount written and added some ingredients to add up the flavor.Monkey bread is a very nice dessert to do in wintry cold days, resembles a lot the taste of cinnamon rolls bit easier to do, you can find many different recipes,basic one is very simple then you can add any flavors or nuts or marshmallows and chocolate depending on how you prefer it.

Lunch today was Spaghetti with chicken cream and pesto.

Ingredients and method:

For the dough:

* 2 1/2 cups flour.

* 1 cup crushed digestive biscuits.

* 1/3 cup warm water.

* 1/3 cup brown sugar.

* 1 tsp instant yeast.

* 2 eggs.

* 1/2 cup butter.

* 1/3 cup warm milk.

* 1 tsp baking powder,pinch of salt.

For the sauce:

* 1/2 cup butter.

* 1/3 cup sugar.

* 1 pack cream.

* 1 tsp cinnamon.

* 1 cup mini marshmallows.

For the assembly:

* 1 cup crushed digestives.

* 2 tablespoons butter.

* chocolate chips and marshmallows.

* Make the dough by first whisking the water with yeast and sugar and leave it till it foams.

* beat eggs with butter and milk.

* add all to flour and biscuits mixed with baking powder and salt.

* knead well till you form a firm dough,leave covered in a warm place till it rises ( 1 hour)

* make the sauce by mixing all ingredients except marshmallows till syrup boils then add them and mix well.

* make equal sized balls from the dough and leave to rise again.

* cover balls with crushed biscuits and butter.

* in a round oven pan spread some biscuits in the bottom,pour some of the sauce then line the balls all over.

* sprinkle some chocolate and marshmallows.

* add another round of balls and repeat filling.

* add the rest of the sauce all over.

* cover and leave to rise and doubles in size.

* bake in a medium heated oven for 30-40 minutes.

* leave to cool a bit then flip over.

* Note 1: I made a butter,cinnamon,brown sugar sauce and drizzled it on top cause it looked a bit dry.

* Note 2: basic monkey bread is done the same way but without digestive and marshmallows only cinnamon and butter.

*Note 3: key word for a successful monkey bread is letting dough rise well and leave it to rest after each handling.

ENJOY really yummy.

today’s lunch.

Intercontinental Christmas Bazaar.

Hello everybody.

Today I was privileged to be a guest in the annual Intercontinental Christmas bazaar held each year at the shopping arcade. Continue reading →

Christmas Fruit Cake.

Hello everybody.

Though I’m much better today but couldn’t cook plus nobody coming to lunch,we actually just ate cheese , labaneh and delicious makdous, my kind of food I really consider this the best meal ever.

Nevertheless I did a beautiful Christmas fruit cake cause I already prepared all ingredients yesterday and couldn’t do it.

Of course the traditional cake contains alcohol in it, usually Rum or Brandy, done a month before the holidays and kept in a closed tin so that all flavors and liqueurs are well absorbed, but this alcohol free one is really good and suitable for children.

Ingredients and method:

* 2 eggs.

* 2/4 cup brown sugar.

* zest and juice of one orange.

* 1/2 cup butter.

* 1/2 tsp of cinnamon,1/4 clove,1/4 nutmeg.

* 1/2 cup raisins.

* 1/2 cup walnuts.

* 1/2 candied dry fruits.

* 2 tsp baking powder.

* 1/4 tsp sodium bicarbonate.

* 2 cups flour.

* Beat eggs,sugar, butter,orange zest and juice well till creamy.

* Mix fry ingredients with flour well then fold in creamy batter.(mix is a bit thick )

* bake in a medium heated oven for 1 hour or till done.

* decorate with icing sugar.

Really yummy juicy and well flavored cake,do try it you’ll love it !

Strawberry Trees and Hearts.

Hello everybody.

As promised I’m trying to select recipes for Christmas time,you can imagine how much websites and blogs are loaded with thousands of recipes. Well I’ll do my best to find easy quick ones cause I’m sure holiday season is full of events and invitations and little time to do sophisticated dishes.

Today I made these small and big hearts and trees , original recipe was for small hearts thought to try Christmas trees turned out fine, but all small shapes are a bit hard to handle so I made two big ones also.

Ingredients and method:

Shortcrust pastry:

* 1 egg.

* 1 tsp vanilla.

* 1/2 cup icing sugar.

* 3/4 cup butter.

* 2 cups flour.

* pinch of salt.

* 2 tablespoons cold water.

* Filling:

* 1 pack cream cheese or 6 pieces Kiri.

* 2 spoons cream.

* 2 spoons icing sugar.

* finely chopped strawberries.

* Mix all dough ingredients and knead well to a ball then leave to rest for 30 minutes.

* mix cream cheese, cream and sugar well.

* form dough to any shape you like or size, fill with cream then strawberries then add some strawberries and cover with another piece of dough.

* bake in a medium heated oven for 30-40 minutes till golden.

* decorate with icing sugar or red sprinkles.

Tastes really good,a bit like pop tarts so I’m sure kids will love them.

Lunch today was fava beans with rice,yummy yummy.

fava beans with rice رز بالفول

Cherry cookies and Eggplant Tajeen (منزلة باذنجان).

Hello everybody.

December is a festive month,many people celebrating Christmas like to try new recipes for dinner or lunch or as Christmas treats or cookies. I’ll try to make something new each day this month to give you some ideas, food websites have thousands of recipes but not all are feasible or easy to make so I’ll be picky and try them before publishing don’t worry.

Today I tried these cute cherry cookies since my husband bought a big jar of preserved cherries, very easy and quick to do,you can even use any kind of preserved fruit you like but cherries have this beautiful red happy color that’ll look great on your table .

Lunch today was eggplant tajeen or a more precise description Arabic style Moussaka, it’s very similar but without white sauce , it contains baked or fried eggplants with cooked minced meat with onions ,with layers of green peppers and potatoes ( optional ) some people make it with only eggplants and meat . After layering them you add a pack of tomato paste with 2 cups of water then leave to cook in the oven or on very low heat ( I added a cube of chicken stock to enhance the flavor)

Ingredients and method of cookies ( makes 2 dozens)

* 1 cup butter.

* 1 cup sugar.

* 2 1/2 cups flour.

* 2 tablespoons milk.

* 1/2 cup crushed walnuts.

* 1 cup cherries.

* Beat butter and sugar very well till creamy then add salt and flour.

* add milk till you get a firm dough.

* roll dough to a long rectangle on wax paper.

* arrange cherries in a line in the middle then close dough on them.

* roll the cylinder formed over crushed walnuts then wrap all in the wax paper and refrigerate for 1 hour till firm.

* cut the log to 1 cm pieces and arrange in an oven pan and bake in a medium heated oven for 15-20 minutes.

* cool then store in a well closed jar.

* NOTE: these cookies can be done a week ahead and will stay fresh if stored well.

What to cook today?

day by day cooking ideas

Christmas

Egyptian Cookies Again.

Like this:

Another Date Rolls Baking Day.

Like this:

Oatmeal Date Cookies.

Like this:

Peanut Butter Snickers Chocolate Chips Cookies.

Like this:

Vegetarian Pomelo Salad.

Like this:

Smores Monkey Bread.

Like this:

Intercontinental Christmas Bazaar.

Like this:

Christmas Fruit Cake.

Like this:

Strawberry Trees and Hearts.

Like this:

Cherry cookies and Eggplant Tajeen (منزلة باذنجان).

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