Most Perfect Dinner !

Hello everybody.

Can’t think of any other title to describe last night,they say you can feel you’re pouring your love when you cook as much as you love the people to you’re cooking for,well I guess it’s kind of true

Dinner last night was to the  dearest loveliest group of friends, though I did do my best to make everything perfect,or maybe cause the whole atmosphere was warm and loving but food was really fantastic . Love you guys <3

As for the menu, it was:

* Greek and Caprese salads.

* Penne Arabiata and Pesto Pasta.

* Grilled vegetables and baked potatoes.

* Roasted boneless chicken marinated in lemon and herbs.

* Grilled steaks with mushroom sauce.

* Dessert was cheesecake pots and chocolate balls ( done by crumbling old brownies and chocolate cake then mixing with butter,cinnamon and coconut)

Thank God I still have leftovers to take photos <3

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What a Weekend !!

Hello everybody.

What a crazy busy full of events weekend, actually events started since Thursday where we had a Mansaf on the honor of our lovely cousin coming back home from Germany and on the occasion of my son’s 20’th birthday the next day, was followed by brownies and ice cream for dessert. Then dinner invitation at my auntie’s house .

Friday morning we all gathered for breakfast, usual Friday menu. Afternoon we went to Irbid for Caraway at my husband’s cousin to congratulate her for the new baby boy, then went to my cousin’s house for a big family gathering as a farewell for those leaving back after the vacation, we had Knafeh and a big cake on the occasions of both my dear twin cousin’s birthday and wife of one of them. It was a very nice party full of love <3

Today I helped my dear friend baking cookies for a party she’s holding,I made her chocolate chip  and oatmeal raisin cookies and cupcakes .

Lunch was my son’s favorite burgers with onions and mushrooms, above all this I made fig jam and as usual went grocery shopping !!

Am I right or not that this weekend was crazy??

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20140822_212020  20140822_21321220140823_134745 you can feel the hot weather in this photo !

 

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Lovely Cousin’s Visit <3

Hello everybody.

Today I was really thrilled to meet my cousin coming for Summer vacation from Qatar, It’s been a long time since we saw each other and had lots and lots of catching up.

Though I was willing she’d come for lunch but due to her full schedule visit ended up in the morning and we had breakfast together.

I also made her favorite chocolate cake,we used to make it when we were in college every week,such great memories <3

Well truth is nothing beats cousins and good old friends,everlasting memories !

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Lazy Cake <3

Hello again.

Last Wednesday we were invited at my uncle’s house on the occasion of his son’s graduation from university. As usual my auntie made lots of yummy food,table was various and full of many kinds of both finger food and desserts.

I made for her the old fashioned lazy cake,this might be the oldest and first dessert a girl might start doing in her teens,cause it’s easy and quick to do,that’s why I think it’s called lazy cause any lazy person can do it without much effort 🙂

This old recipe of mine contains eggs,but cooked not raw, you can find many modified or other ones without it,but this one is a sure success every time and unbelievably tasty.

Ingredients and method:

* 3-4 packs plain biscuits.

* 3/4 cup butter.

* 3/4 cup cocoa powder.

* 1 cup sugar.

* 3 eggs.

* vanilla.

* crush biscuits to medium size pieces.

* mix butter,sugar,cocoa,vanilla and eggs very well and heat till all combined to a smooth thick mixture.

* add over biscuits then pour into a mold of your choice.

* decorate with melted chocolate or cocoa powder.

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Usual Friday Breakfast :)

Hello everybody.

Hot Summer day since morning,seems all weekend will be like this.

My sister in-law called to invite us to breakfast ,we actually go to visit each Friday noon for coffee,a ritual I guess by now,but today we went earlier and had a cozy delicious breakfast followed by coffee on the balcony which was cool and breezy.

Had a lovely time <3

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Farewell Treat♡

Hello everybody.
We’re saying farewell to my sweet lovely niece going back after Summer vacation, it was really fun and amusing having her around all this time, cause she’s such a funny adorable girl.
I invited her to come over this afternoon and made her some pink decorated cupcakes cause she just loves everything pinky.

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As for lunch well it was a healthy fulfilling meal, I bought fresh lean steaks and grilled them with herbs and spices, roasted some veggies and chilli potatoes with coriander. Really really yummy .

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Family Dinner <3

Hello everybody. Today I invited my lovely family,I waited till now wishing that my sis and husband may come to spend last days of Ramadan and Eid here,but unfortunately they couldn’t 🙁

As for ftoor I made  curry rice with  vegetables and chicken,meat loaf and roasted potatoes,shushbarak with tomatoes, fava beans fatteh,fatoush,broad beans salad (Rita’s salad) and of course lentil and mushroom soup.

For dessert I made crunchy fried samboosek sheets with caramel sauce ( will post recipe later also) plus desserts from last night’s gathering,3eish el saraya and cake.

love you my beautiful loving family <3

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Ramadan Kareem.

Hello everybody.

Ramadan Kareem  family and friends,though this holy month must be spiritual,full of prayers and good will,but as usual all housewives face a big dilemma each day,what to cook? who to please? is it enough? need more kinds? who to invite? make qatayef or no? each member will start asking for certain dishes and cravings.

Best thing to do in Ramadan though hard to apply is to decrease  quantity you usually cook so as not to have many leftovers,plus try to make all your grocery shopping once a week to minimize the effort and time. Well as I said this might not work out everyday but worth trying.

I will post what I cooked everyday after Maghreb to give you ideas about what to make the next day,hope you all go through this month with good health and less tiring work in the kitchen,I think moms or whoever is the one responsible for feeding the family specially at this time of the year,deserves a prize cause each year everybody I know starts with a decision not to cook a lot and eat less cause of the heat and high prices but you’ll always find full tables and full lines in supermarkets and exhausted moms ,God bless you all moms and dads in the Muslim world.

 

As for today,a tradition since long time ago,first day begins with stuffed vine leaves and courgettes with yogurt and cucumber salad,fatoush,lentil soup,some sambousek and a must to my son mushroom soup . though many families believe specially in my family that you must cook something white the first day like mansaf,or anything cook in yogurt but it’s not a must,well I made cucumber with yogurt,guess this is white enough 🙂

Dessert is QATAYEF stuffed with walnuts and cheese,I usually bring the small ones that’re supposed to be stuffed with cream and put each pair together,they look cute and small in size. I dip each one in vegetable oil then bake them in the oven then add syrup on top,yummy yummy!!
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Friday Lunch at Mom’s.

Hello everybody.

Today’s lunch was at mom’s house,a treat from my kind adorable uncle Jeff ,he cooked us leg of lamb with roasted potatoes plus a very tender spiced roast beef and a big bowl of fresh green salad with vinaigrette dressing, everything was well done ,thank you uncle Jeff ,love you <3

After lunch I made banana split ice cream bowls for everyone upon special request a month ago from my beautiful niece,great after the meal and this hot weather. Love you Noudy <3

Hope you’re all enjoying your weekend,next week Ramadan will start Insha’Allah,hope it’ll be a blessed month full of good work and deeds.

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Teramisu and Labaneh Mold.

Hello everybody.

Two events today,a small gathering for my lovely Auntie and her daughter coming from Irbid and a bigger gathering for my cousins this afternoon. Don’t ask me how I managed but I did don’t know how! time management is the key word,that’s for sure.

I made a Teramisu but a bit different from the real Italian one,no mascarpone cheese cause it’s not always easy to find it , but this recipe that I have from my dear friend Rula is very good, I even found out I don’t have sweetened condensed milk for it but I added cream and some sugar so taste was almost the same.

I also made labaneh with mint and oregano layered in toast bread and decorated with tomatoes,cucumbers and olives,you can decorate it anyway you like.

Ah I forgot to mention,I made spinach tabouleh and cheese rolls as well 🙂

Ingredients and method for teramisu:

* 2 packs whipping cream.

*2 packs kiri or cream cheese.

* 1 can condensed milk (or cream and 1/4 cup sugar)

* lady fingers biscuits.

* Nescafe ( 1 big spoon dissolved in 3/4 cup warm water)

* mix cream,condensed milk and cheese together very well.

* arrange biscuits in a deep serving dish then soak them in coffee mixture. * add half of cream mixture then repeat process. * refrigerate for 3-4 hours.

* sprinkle cocoa powder on top. All set and ready now,waiting!!

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20140616_124625  this is the morning gathering.

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