Hello everybody.
At last weather is warm again,dinner is outdoors.
Made some courgettes in cooked yogurt today and a pizza pan cause my son doesn’t eat courgettes.
Salads were green salad and Radish Salad which is a famous northern dish done with grated radishes, parsley, lemon, salt and olive oil.
radish salad.
ablama or courgettes in yogurt.
pizza.
today’s dinner.
Hello everybody.
Longest fasting day ,thank God it’s cool and weather is nice.
Dinner was kebabs with tomatoes and rice and a plate of Nachos plus a big salad .
Ingredients and method of Kebabs.
* kofta meat ( ready from butcher)
* onions.
* garlic.
* tomatoes.
* green peppers.
* 1 can chopped tomatoes
* 1 spoon ketchup and mustard.
* mix kofta with ketchup and mustard.
* form it to small kebabs finger shaped.
* coat them with flour then keep in fridge for a while.
* heat some olive add the kebabs till brownish from all sides.
* add chopped onions, garlic, peppers sautee with meat till tender.
* add 2 peeled chopped tomatoes and the can.
* leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes. Or you can put it the oven if you like.
* serve with rice.
Ingredients and method of Nachos:
* 1 big pack nacho chips.
* 1 small onion finely chopped.
* 1/2 cup red beans.
* 1 big ripe tomato also finely chopped.
* a bit of hot pepper and Tabasco.
* salt and pepper.
* cheddar cheese.
* sour cream or labaneh.
* saute onions till tender in oil.
* add all other ingredients except cheese
* simmer on low heat till done.
* spread nachos in a wide oven pan.
* spread sauce over it.
* add cheese and put in the oven till cheese melts.
* serve with sour cream or guacamole on the side.
* Note: you can add jalapenos, black olives and fava beans to sauce also.
Hello everybody.
Love this dish, full of spices and different from everyday tastes, prepared all ingredients early morning and quickly cooked it when my tiny guest left home.
Chicken tikka masala and Indian rice was our lunch today.
yummy !
Hello everybody.
We’re Mansaf-ing today on the honor of my son who’s been in a short vacation with his friends in Sharm El Sheikh.
This is the link to mansaf recipe.
isn’t it royal ??
just perfect !
Hello everybody.
Today I splitted the cooked kofta balls into two pans to satisfy all family members.
One pan with onions, garlic, potatoes and tomato sauce for the boys and the other with some potatoes and tahini sauce on top. All then in the oven till a bit roasted.
Love kofta with tahini and this was the only solution to eat it cause mostly I’ll eat it alone, don’t mind that at all 
meat balls with tahini and potatoes.
same balls with tomato sauce.
Hello everybody.
Home all day cleaning and putting away carpets and heavy clothes, an annual ritual!
Even the kitchen had it’s turn, arranging fridge and freezer , I don’t like keeping frozen food for long periods always try to use it specially if fresh veggies are in season, so today took out some green thyme and made za’tar sticks, some pieces of puff pastry stuffed them with spiced rice, peas,carrots and meat plus some poppy seeds and made orange cake with seeds in.
Too much work but all yummy and needed as snacks for my son studying for his finals.
Good luck to all IB students around the world.
a rich nice meal !
Orange cake and za’tar sticks.
my lovely pot and mints 🙂
Hello everybody.
Big family gathering, happy lively and full of love and old memories.
Mom made roasted lamb, I did my famous rice ( chicken, veggies with curry rice), spinach cheese pastries and mini pavlovas which turned out really cute.
Love you all, always a pleasure to meet.
roasted lamb.
successful table thank God!
mini pavlovas.
Hello everybody.
Warm sunny day,I just love these days, though chilli at night but at least you can enjoy a beautiful day.
Lunch was Italian style except the rice which was the Iranian recipe, it’s becoming our kind of rice these days.
Did meatballs the way my cousin Rita always do them, with parmesan,breadcrumbs, eggs,nutmeg, salt and pepper then after cooling them in the fridge they’re dipped directly in boiling tomato sauce, really yummy.
Another new side dish was Spinach Gnocchi, and tasty different kind of appetizer. To tell you the truth is did once maybe a couple of years ago but it was a failure then, today I did it with patience and it turned out just perfect.
Ingredients and method :
* 4 cups of spinach, cut washed and squeezed till all excess water is out.
* 1 1/2 cups ricotta or white cheese.
* 1/2 cup parmesan cheese.
* 1 egg.
* 1/2 tsp nutmeg.
* 1 tsp salt and pepper.
* 2 big tablespoons flour.
* some butter and one clove garlic.
* squeeze spinach very well then add all ingredients except butter.
* roll mixture into egg shape.
* roll gnocchi in flour and leave in fridge for a while.
* cook gnocchi in boiling water uncovered till they float on top.
* remove slowly then arrange in an ovenproof pan with butter and garlic then sprinkle with parmesan and mazorella cheese, cook for few minutes till cheese melts.
Buon Apatito as they say in Italian.
perfect end result.
I used our white cheese instead of ricotta.
gnocchi before adding the cheese.
meatballs and Iranian rice.
photo in cook book.
and these are mine!
Hello everybody.
Back to cold and gloomy weather, plan was to plant and arrange the garden today but clouds and eastern crisp wind aren’t encouraging at all.
Lunch was chicken tikka masala, same recipe is always make, but this time I did Indian rice on the side, though one ingredient is missing ‘ mustard seeds ‘ and original recipe contains cumin seeds not powder, but result was superb, light and aromatic and goes well with the chicken.
Ingredients and method :
* 2 cups rice ( I used basmati)
* cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks.
*1 tsp salt.
* small chopped onion.
* 2 cloves garlic.
* ghee or oil.
* 1 tsp mustard seeds.
* 1 tsp cumin seeds.
* 1 tsp turmeric powder.
* 1 tsp chili flakes.
* boil washed rice with lots of water and the cardamom pods and cinnamon till it’s done.
* when done pour in sieve and wash, remove pods and sticks.
* in the same pan heat oil then sauté mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric and chili till seeds start to pop.
* add onions and garlic and saute till done.
* add the rice and mix all well then leave for few minutes to heat all over.
* serve with tikka or kebabs.
end result !
Hello everybody.
Remember the detox water I did few weeks ago? Well I’ve been doing it every day now and I really think and feel it’s very useful, gives more energy and freshness.
Yesterday my husband picked a big bunch of chamomile from the farm and I’ve been searching for a good healthy drink that has chamomile in it, search result was this refreshing detox tea, made from freshly grated ginger boiled a bit with hot water then you add some chamomile leaves and leave for few minutes. Pour into a glass with one teaspoon honey,slice of lemon and few fresh mint leaves.
I’m sure most of you know how calming and soothing chamomile is for the nervous and gastrointestinal systems plus it’s great effect on boosting metabolism and immunity. It’s a very good drink in cases of colds and flu and abdominal pains specially in babies
aromatic and tasty.
freshly cut chamomiles!
Lunch was green beans stew with rice.
