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.

Walnut Caramel Truffles.

Hello everybody.

It was a pleasure to welcome my old university colleagues this morning for breakfast,though we don’t meet much but it’s always a pleasure to see them, good memories and lots of laughter 🙂

Food was simple and delicious or is it the company that makes it enjoyable? cheeses,labaneh,cream cheese and jam from yesterday and a selection of croissants filled with salmon and turkey.

Dessert was these chewy walnut caramel truffles I made last night and a dish of fruits , found the recipe on Pinterest but made few changes, taste is just perfect.

Ingredients and method:

* 1 cup crushed walnuts.

* 2 cups crushed plain biscuits.

* 1/4 cup brown sugar.

* 1/4 cup maple syrup.

* 2 tablespoons cream.

* melted chocolate.

* Mix all ingredients together except chocolate then form it into small balls.

* line in wax paper and cool in fridge for 30 minutes.

* dip in melted chocolate and cool again,you can decorate top with walnuts while still hot.

These will be excellent for Christmas by the way,can be done and stored a week ahead.

Meat in Pitta Bread and Mallow ( عرايس وخبيزه).

Hello everybody.

Must say that my birthday this year was extraordinary, filled with loving people around me,I got hundreds of wishes and texts, got beautiful gifts specially those super knives and ended with a wonderful dinner with my lovely family. Thank God for all his blessing,this year was really awesome hope the coming one will be as good or even more.Thank you everybody <3

Lunch today is minced meat with onions,tomatoes and chili in pitta bread (عرايس) and a small dish of freshly cut mallow (خبيزه) leaves with olive oil and onions, great with a sprinkle of lemon juice <3

Stuffed Spleen.(طحالات محشيه)

Hello everybody.

Sad day for me and my friends cause we lost this morning a very dear and loving uncle,unique character, generous,caring,knowledgeable and who always welcomed us all with a big smile,kind heart and open house anytime since we were in school till his last days on this earth. May your soul rest in peace 3mmo Abu Mustafa and may God give his dear family patience,you’ll always be in our hearts.

Lunch today was not my specialty as I mentioned once before,actually my husband’s kind of food,sheep pluck cooked in olive oil and stuffed spleen.

Sorry I couldn’t take lots of photos of cooking steps.Spleens are first washed well,boiled a bit to be tender and all blood goes out then stuffed with garlic,coriander,pine nuts,salt and pepper .

Bake spleens after brushing with olive oil in a medium heated oven for 40_50 minutes.

Red Velvet Cake <3

Hello everybody.

As I mentioned yesterday we have a big gathering today,actually our lovely guests just left. Both company and food were awesome,we really had a good time.

I made lots of stuff ,spinach tabouleh,cooked brown lentils ( حراق اصبعه),thyme buns,cheese platter and my sister in-law made chicken pie plus we ordered kibbeh and halouva .

Sweets were Red Velvet Cake, rice pudding and fruits.

Here are ingredients and method of the cake:

* 2 large eggs.

* 1 1/4 cups sugar.

* 1/2 cup oil.

*1/2 cup butter.

* 2/3 cup yogurt.

* 1/3 cup milk.

* 1 tablespoon cocoa powder.

* 1 tablespoon vinegar.

* 1 teaspoon baking soda.

* 1 teaspoon baking powder.

* 1 tsp vanilla.

* 2 teaspoons red food coloring.

* 2 1/2 cups flour.

Icing:

* 2 packs cream cheese.

* 1/2 cup whipping fresh cream.

* 2 cups powdered sugar .

or :

*1 pack cream cheese.

* 2 packs dream whip.

* 1/2 cup powdered sugar.

* some red colored food glitter for decoration.

* beat eggs,vanilla,sugar till frothy and creamy.

* add rest of ingredients consequently.

* bake cake in two round baking pans (same size)

* Beat frosting ingredients well together and leave to cool in fridge.

* when cake is done and cooled assemble the two layers with frosting in between and all over.

* leave in fridge to settle for couple of hours.

* decorate top with sprinkles in any shape you like.

tabouleh,kibbeh,halouva.

yalanji.

turkey pesto sandwiches.

thyme buns and cheese.

حراق اصبعه

Awesome cake,thank you dear Flora for the recipe.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Hello everybody.

Lovely sunny day,hope all weekend stays like this,started with a lovely breakfast outside in the sun, new olives are done they’re absolutely delicious.

I was invited to a gathering noon time and just before I left I decided to bake some cookies to take with me,after searching in my books for something quick I didn’t do before I found this super easy one, I used Quality Street chocolates, simply crushed a bunch in the food processor instead of normal chocolate chips,this box has been on the coffee table since Adha Eid so I’d better use it rather than eat it alone,don’t you all love these chocolates? never bored of them!

Ingredients and method:

* 1/2 cup butter ( reduce it a bit if using heavy chocolates)

* 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 🙂

don’t you just love these?

morning breakfast,yummy!

Potato Cups (بطاطا كاسات).

Hello everybody.

Still have some cabbages from yesterday but a small side dish is needed for sure cause it won’t be enough for all and because I’m going out for coffee with my friends to the Cake Shop I did this simple dish.

My mom used to make these cups too much when we were kids specially end of the week,really yummy, today they tasted exactly the same as old days, a pinch of nutmeg is the secret I guess.

Ingredients and method:

* 3-4 boiled till done potatoes.

* 2 eggs.

* small bunch chopped parsley.

* grated cheese ( white and cheddar usually)

* salt,pepper and pinch of nutmeg.

* mash potatoes with some salt,pepper then form it into cups and put them in fridge a while.

* mix eggs,cheese,parsley,salt,pepper and nutmeg.

* grease an oven pan then place potato cups and fill with mixture.

* bake in a well heated oven for 25-30 minutes.

Easy quick delicious yummy what else to say??

beautiful big coffee cup at the Cake Shop .

took some of these freshly baked spinach pastries from my aunti’s house when I passed by ,couldn’t resist !!

Traditional Iraqi Maher Party.(عقد قران عراقي).

Hello everybody.

Last night I witnessed for the first time an Iraqi engagement or let’s say wedding vows commitment ceremony, though we’ve been to many Iraqi parties before but this one was for for a close member of my family,my sweet sister in -law’s daughter.

Ceremonies took place as soon as the Sheikh or Judge entered, first of all bride sat infront of a big table filled with silver and white ornaments and bowls,each one symbolizing something which includes:

* Silver mirror.

* 7 bowls filled with white sweets,sugar,candy,cookies…etc.( for good luck and white happy sweet life ahead)

* 7 bowls filled with certain spices ( so that couples life be filled with spiced moments).

* lock and key.

* bottle of mercury.

* big white candle.

* white boxes contains all brides dowry (new clothes,perfumes..etc that the groom’d family bought her)

* silver bowl with water and bay leaves in.

* cardamon and honey.

* 2 big sugar cones.

They started by bride placing her feet in the bay leaf water, placing cardamon between her fingers and reading a certain verse from the Holy Quran meanwhile four girls (whom must be in the age of marriage) holds a white sheet over her head,another girls stands to unlock the key,one to shake the mercury, and this one I loved most a happily married lady with children rubs sugar over the bride’s head,how’s that ??

Finally when Sheikh finishes writing the wedding contract he comes in and ask her if she agrees and they all sign and of course all family and friends come in to congratulate the couple and their family ,followed by Iraqi dancing and a delicious dinner .

Lovely bride made an amazing candy bar filled with yummy candy and cookies and each guest filled a small bag before she left, very nice give away thought !

Congratulations for the lovely couple may your life together be as sweet and spicy as possible,love you both <3

Hunting Season Cake.

Hello everybody.

Hunting season started,for me it means that my hubby will go every weekend hunting with his friends, it’s a sacred hobby for him as everybody (friends and family) knows,seldom does he misses a weekend specially when his favorite kind of bird hunting is allowed which I think from mid September till end of October if I’m not wrong.

I usually bake this cake for him to take,It’s not something special but I called it hunting cake cause it’s what they like, simple cake with raisins on top, that’s it 🙂

I dust raisins with flour so as not to sink all the way down when baked.

ingredients for cake are:

* 3 eggs.

* 1 1/2 or 2 cups sugar.

* 3/4 cup oil.

* 1/2 cup milk.

* 2 cups or 2 1/2 cups flour.( according to batter texture)

* 1 tsp vanilla and 3 tsp baking powder.

* mix all ingredients together and add any other additives you like like cocoa for Marble cake,orange,nuts,spices or anything to your taste!

As for lunch, I have some fava beans with rice from yesterday and made simple noodles soup cause I went to the dentist today pulled out a tooth and It hurts to eat so a soup is just fine. Thank God for our great experienced dentist for his patience and skill,excellent job Dr. Khalil thank you 🙂

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 !

What to cook today?

day by day cooking ideas

friends

Vegetarian Pomelo Salad.

Like this:

Walnut Caramel Truffles.

Like this:

Meat in Pitta Bread and Mallow ( عرايس وخبيزه).

Like this:

Stuffed Spleen.(طحالات محشيه)

Like this:

Red Velvet Cake <3

Like this:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Like this:

Potato Cups (بطاطا كاسات).

Like this:

Traditional Iraqi Maher Party.(عقد قران عراقي).

Like this:

Hunting Season Cake.

Like this:

Roya TV Interview.

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