Baked Broad Beans.

Hello everybody.

Noon treat, tramisu from last night 🙂

Today I took a break after two days of running around,had dessert with coffee at noon,tasted even better today .

As for lunch I made Fettuccine and a small dish of baked beans,easy and cool in this hot weather.

Ingredients and method:

* 1 cup dry broad beans soaked in water overnight.

* one small finely chopped onion.

* 2 cloves chopped garlic.

* 2-3 coarsely chopped tomatoes.

* some olive oil.

* boil beans in water till tender then wash and dry.

* saute onions and garlic in hot oil till golden.

* add tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes,you may add some water if sauce is dry.

* add salt,pepper and chili if you like.

* in a deep oven pan,put the beans and pour sauce over them,cover then bake all for 30-40 minutes.

Very nice dish needs zero effort 🙂

Sfeeha ( meat on a dough).

Hello everybody.

Upon my Uncle Abu Rashed’s recommendation, I ordered a good amount of Sfeeha today for lunch and to freeze the rest for Ramadan,can be useful as a side dish on the table.

Well after this successful trial I do recommend this place also,Al-Basha butcher and bakery,really tasty, we brought two kinds,with tomatoes and yogurt mix.both really delicious.

Sfeeha or meat on a dough is a very famous kind of pastry in many Middle Eastern countries as well as Turkey and many other places,recipes or mixtures may vary between them but basically it’s a very thin dough with minced meat mixed with either tomatoes and chili or yogurt ,of course many other flavors may be added like tahini or pomegranate sauce,this depends on restaurant or kind you like.

Today’s Sfeeha was great,place called Al Basha,gardens strt,tel 06 5680535.

Enjoy 🙂

Shawerma Fatteh.

Hello everybody.

Last night my dear cousin Samar posted this dish she made for dinner,kindly she also posted the recipe which is perfect to do today with the lasagna leftovers, I needed something light and small and this was just it.

Remember I did meat shawerma before,you can use same spices and marinate for chicken also.

Ingredients and method:

* shredded chicken breasts.

* salt,pepper,all spice,pinch of cinnamon,cardamon,cloves.

* small tsp balsamic or white vinegar.

* sliced onions with summaq.

* chopped tomato.

* tahini sauce ( yogurt,tahini,lemon and salt mixed together)

* chopped parsley to garnish.

* fried or toasted pitta bread.

* saute chicken till almost done.

* add tomatoes and onions,cook all together till most water evaporates.

* line a deep dish with toasted pittas then add chicken mixture just before serving.

* add tahini sauce and parsley.

Thank you dear cousin for this recipe,a new addition to my cookbook “Samar’s Fatteh” great for Ramadan also.

Eggplant Lasagna.

Hello everybody.

As I mentioned yesterday I did grocery shopping for many dishes this Saturday, one of the things I got stuff for is this recipe that I read in Al-Rai newspaper Friday morning,by the way they do publish very nice and applicable recipes each Friday,try to look through them they’re very useful.

Recipe is lasagna with eggplants,all veggies no meat or chicken.I made regular traditional one and a small one in my pottery pan with eggplants as trial,turned out very good and rich in taste,a success I might say,will be great in Ramadan or lunch parties.

Ingredients and method:

* 1 large eggplant cubed and fried.

* 1 small onion.

* 2 cloves garlic.

* 2 tablespoons tomato paste.

* 2 large tomatoes peeled and chopped.

* 1 small red sweet pepper chopped.

* 1 cube chicken stock (optional).

* 2 cups water.

* 1 pack feta cheese.

* 200 g, ricotta cheese ( I used some brie cheese and kiri instead)

* 2 tablespoons pitted black olives.

* bunch of parsley.

* 1 pack spinach lasagna.

* Parmesan or kashcaval cheese for topping.

* some olive oil and butter.

* salt and pepper.

* heat oil and butter then add onions,garlic and saute till golden.

* add peppers,tomato paste stir well.

* add tomatoes,maggi cube and water then leave to simmer till sauce is thick.

* mix feta cheese with olives and parsley.

* in a deep oven pan,add some of tomato sauce in the bottom then add layered lasagna sheets.

* add some sauce,then half eggplants.

* add cheese mixture then continue with another layer of lasagna,eggplants then sauce on top.

* bake on low heat for 45 minutes then add cheese on top and roast.

* wait for it to cool a bit and settle before serving, I also made some spinach labaneh salad on the side,yummy yummy 🙂

love my new IKEA suff <3

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 .

Shrimps with Tomatoes and Lemon Risotto.

Hello everybody.

Went this morning to a short fruitful meeting at Foollve offices, always a pleasure to see them.

I parked opposite Ocean fish store so I passed by and got fresh medium sized shrimps, I made them with Italian tomatoes and thought to try to make a kind of risotto for a change, I also made mozzarella sticks dipped in eggs and Knorr coating mix, turned out a big success cause they usually melt when I fry them 🙁

Ingredients and method:

* Shrimps:

* 1 kg medium or jumbo shrimps.

* 2-3 garlic cloves.

* chopped sweet peppers.

* 1 can chopped Italian tomatoes or fresh ones.

* bunch of coriander.

* salt,pepper,and some chili powder.

* saute garlic and peppers in some olive oil.

* add shrimps and stir till color changes then add salt,pepper and chili.

* add tomato can and a bit of water then leave to simmer on low heat till sauce is thick.

* add chopped coriander and cook for another 5 minutes.

* Lemony Risotto:

* 2 cups Italian or any rice ( I used Sun white)

* 3 cups chicken broth.

* 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

* 2 tablespoons lemon zest.

* one small chopped onion.

* 1 tablespoon butter.

* some Parmesan cheese if desired.

* saute onion in butter then add washed rice.

* add lemon juice and zest to chicken broth and boil.

* start adding boiled broth to rice in small quantities,keep mixing on low heat then when water is dry add another amount, keep doing that till rice is done,but you have to be careful not to let it dry, this will take approximately 35 minutes.

* add zest or Parmesan on top of rice when served.

Absolutely delicious meal 🙂

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

Pasta and Armenian Tabouleh .

Hello everybody.

Busy Busy day,Newly weds coming home from honeymoon,went to pick them from airport and the flight was late plus I had to take my mom for some errands,and of course drop and pick from school.

I made the only quick easy dish ever PASTA, always a savior . I already have cooked minced meat and all other ingredients always ready in the pantry,I made some white sauce to put on top to make a change a bit.

As for the Armenian Tabouleh, it’s the same as regular one but they use cooked brown lentils instead of burghul and use a good amount of pomegranate sauce, you can add pomegranate seeds if available also.We always eat this dish in the famous Levant Restaurant and many others.

Pasta ingredients and method:

* any kind of pasta.

*minced meat.

* one finely chopped onion.

* tomato puree and paste.

* mushrooms.

* white sauce.

* mozzarella cheese.

* salt,pepper,oregano and chili or Tabasco.

* saute onions in some olive oil then add meat and mushrooms.

* add cooked pasta and tomato puree and paste.

* add 1-2 cups water and season.

* leave to simmer a bit then add white sauce.

* put it in the oven or up on the stove over low heat till done (30-40 minutes).

* add cheese on top and toast it till golden.

Tabouleh:

* cook lentils till done .

* chop parsley,fresh mints,tomatoes and onion very fine.

* to lentils add lemon juice,salt,paprika,pomegranate sauce and olive oil.

before serving mix all ingredients together.

Enjoy 🙂

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

tomatoes

Baked Broad Beans.

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Sfeeha ( meat on a dough).

Like this:

Shawerma Fatteh.

Like this:

Eggplant Lasagna.

Like this:

Chicken Tikka Masala.

Like this:

Creamy Avocado Tomato Basil Pasta.

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Shrimps with Tomatoes and Lemon Risotto.

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Broad Green Beans Salad.

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Pasta and Armenian Tabouleh .

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Winter is Back!

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