Lasagna Is Always A Good Choice!

Hello everybody.

It’s been a long long time since I cooked lasagna, I’m really surprised !

As the title say this dish is always a good option,everybody loves it .

Today I made simple basic recipe,with white sauce and minced meat with tomato sauce, I added some vegetables to the meat sauce ,peas, carrots and sweet corn,this is optional of course plus I used the special moussaka spices I have from Limasol/Cyprus.

A tip my best friend Sireen once told me is to add one tablespoon of flour to the tomato sauce mixture so as to thicken it.
I also added dried oregano and a big spoon pesto sauce,so yummy.

Cherry Cake and Pasta with White Sauce.

Hello everybody.

Unfortunately not a bite from yesterday is left so I had to cook something today specially that my son has finals and wanted to eat quickly and go out to study.

So after searching for what to do I grabbed a pack of pasta and quickly made white sauce and some meat tomato sauce then fixed a big pan of bachemel pasta for today and tomorrow as well.

When done I made a lovely cherry cake upon my husband’s request, it’s been a while since I baked something, love this one it’s amazing with tea and coffee.

before and after baking .

avocado dip and pasta.

Pasta in White Sauce (معكرونه بالبشاميل).

Hello everybody.

Bright clear sunny morning after heavy thunder and rain all night,really refreshing though dusty day all over again 🙁

Went shopping as usual , very crowded streets and shops!!! came back to make quick lunch as I have cooked minced meat in freezer so pasta with white sauce was the option, did fresh roca pomegranate salad with walnuts and grated cheese on top and fresh fruit salad for dessert,all extremely fresh and nutritious.

Ingredients and method for pasta:

* cooked tube shape pasta.

* white sauce (bechamel) ,try to make it not too thick so as it can fill pasta easily.

ingredients and method of white sauce:

4 tablespoons butter.
4 tablespoons flour.
4-5 cups milk.
salt,pepper .
heat pan then add butter and flour, stir well till flour is golden.
add milk gradually and whisk well while doing that till all quantity is well incorporated.
add salt and pepper.
keep whisking till it boils and becomes thick.
add cheese now or later on between pasta layers as you wish.
Note: if clots appears you can simply use hand mixer a bit or blender.

* cooked minced meat with tomato sauce ( I added small chopped onion,garlic,basil,oregano and tomato paste.)

* some butter for greasing the pan.

* mozzarella cheese for the top.

* grease oven pan with butter then add half of the pasta.

* add half the amount of white sauce then add tomato meat sauce over it.

* add other half of pasta and white sauce,sprinkle with dry oregano and cover.

* bake in a medium heated oven for 30-40 minutes then add cheese on top and roast till golden.

* let it stand to cool a bit for easier serving.

beautiful fresh morning 🙂

roca pomegranate salad.

fresh fruit salad.

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 🙂

Courgettes in White Sauce ( كوسا بالبشاميل).

Hello everybody.

Usual Saturday morning, went grocery shopping and found lovely fresh courgettes,plus a new butcher just opened near the grocery store I go to,still bright new and meat looks really fresh,so thought why not try it?

So lunch ended up to be courgettes with minced beef and bachamel or white sauce. I guess this is an Egyptian dish,actually I learned how to do it from the old Egyptian landlady my late father used to rent at her house while studying in Alexandria/Egypt. She used to come visit us often and taught us this dish. May God rest their souls both .

Ingredients and method:

* 2-3 kg medium sized courgettes.

* 1/2 kg minced beef.

* 1 onion,finely chopped.

* for the white sauce: butter,milk,flour.

* mozzarella or kashkaval cheese .

* salt,pepper,all spice.

*Peel courgettes but not all (lines) then sprinkle with salt and leave 15 minutes till excess water is out.

* saute them with a bit of oil or as i usually make them cover and put them in microwave for 5-7 minutes till they’re a bit tender.

* saute meat till done,add onion,salt,pepper,all spice and /or a bit pomegranate sauce if you like.

* make the white sauce by melting butter then flour and stir till golden then add milk and stir very well. Add seasoning and leave to boil till it thickens.

* layer courgettes in a Pyrex or oven pan, add white sauce then cooked meat.

* repeat layering courgettes and white sauce on top.

* bake covered in a medium heated oven for 40-50 minutes then add cheese on top and toast it till it melts.

Must mention that this is my big bro’s FAVORITE dish,will definitely invite him to launch or keep his share !

Enjoy .

Cannelloni and Cheesy Garlic Bread.

Hello again.
Well got back home to cook lunch.:)

Today I’m making cannelloni the way a friend on fb cooks it, I usually stuff it then add tomato sauce on top then in the oven, but last time Mary posted a photo of cannelloni that looked nicer than the ones I make. Told me she does it the other way around..I mean tomato sauce then cannellonis on top..this keeps their shape better.
http://www.facebook.com/Mary’s dinner clubs Limassol
A change today also, I used chicken instead of meat cause we ate too much meat last week.

I also made a cheesy garlicky loaf, been wanting to make this recipe for so long..though it didn’t turn out exactly like the original.

Ingredients and method:
*1 pack cannelloni.
* 1 can chopped tomatoes.
* 1 spring onion or leek.
* 2 big ripe red tomatoes.
For cannelloni filling:
* 2 chopped chicken breasts.
* 1 cup spinach.
* 2-3 cups thick white sauce ( 2 big spoons butter, 2 big spoons flour, 2-3 cups milk.)
* cube of white or fetta or ricotta cheese.
* some grated parmesan.
* mozzarella or kashkaval chesse for topping.

* start by making the filling cause it must cool before you use it.
* sautee chicken pieces with some oil.add salt and pepper till golden.
* make the white sauce by adding flour to heated butter, stir well till golden then add milk slowly and whisking at the same time.take care cause it may clott , if so use electric whisker to make it creamy.
* add spinach and chicken, cheeses then season to taste.
* keep uncovered to cool.
* make the tomato sauce by frying chopped onions, adding tomatoes (2 kinds) and salt, pepper, chilli, paprika as you like.
* leave for 15-20 to cook.
* stuff cannellonis with filling with a small spoon or as I do….wear a disposable glove and stuff..much more quicker:)
* arrange over tomatoes then put them covered in a medium heated oven 45-50 minutes.
* note: I actually added a bit of water on top during baking cause I felt pasta is drying.
* sprinkle with cheese and roast till it melts.

Cheesy garlic bread:
Saw this recipe on fb, thought it’ll go well with cannelloni.
You’ll need :
* a whole loaf
*butter.
* various kinds of cheeses.
* garlic powder.
* fresh coriander or parsley or oregano as you like.
* cut the loaf to rectangles only from the top.
* stuff the cheeses in holes.
* sprinkle garlic, butter and coriander.
* bake till cheese melts and ….. eat:)

Pasta dish for this week: lasagna

I noticed that all family members enjoy pasta of every kind and flavor…I myself , cooks a kind of pasta every week or 10 days.
Today I made lasagna…simple basic recipe..with white sauce..and minced meat with tomato sauce,,, I added some vegetables to the meat sauce..peas, carrots, sweet corn…this is optional of course.

A tip my best friend Sireen once told me is to add one tablespoon of flour to the tomato sauce mixture so as to thicken it.
I also added dried oregano and a big spoon pesto sauce……so yummyyyy.
I also made a basic salad with fresh green onions and mint leaves.

Of course nothing beats a cup of coffee after lunch with my best friend Rahoom

What to cook today?

day by day cooking ideas

white sauce

Lasagna Is Always A Good Choice!

Like this:

Cherry Cake and Pasta with White Sauce.

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Pasta in White Sauce (معكرونه بالبشاميل).

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Pasta and Armenian Tabouleh .

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Courgettes in White Sauce ( كوسا بالبشاميل).

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Cannelloni and Cheesy Garlic Bread.

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Pasta dish for this week: lasagna

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