Monday, March 16, 2009

Shepherd's Pie

I made this pie today for my family. It was delicious, everybody loved it.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef.
  • 2 tbsp oil.
  • 1 Carrot, chopped.
  • 1 onion, chopped.
  • 1 clove garlic, minced.
  • 1 cup frozen peas.
  • 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
  • 1/2 tsp salt.
  • freshly ground pepper.
  • 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut to cubes.
  • 2 tbsp cream cheese.
  • 3 tbsp milk or heavy cream.
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted.
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper.

Boil potatoes in salted water until soft. In a large skillet, add oil and saute onion, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Add beef and cook for another 15 minutes. Add salt, pepper, peas and Worcestershire sauce and cook until all cooked through.
Mash potatoes and butter. Add milk and cream cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Scrape beef mixture to baking dish and cover with mashed potatoes. Cook for 30 minutes or until golden on sides.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Sauteed Mushroom with Thyme

Ingredients:
  • 200 g crimini mushroom, sliced.
  • 200 g portobello mushroom, sliced.
  • 200 g shitaki mushroom, sliced.
  • 5 tbsp olive oil.
  • 1 shallots , chopped.
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme.
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
  • freshly ground pepper and sea salt.
Heat 3 tbsp of oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and saute until juices have been released and shallots are soft, about 6-7 minutes. Add thyme and balsamic vinegar. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with pepper and sea salt to taste and drizzle rest of olive oil on top.
Serve it with toasted french baguette slices.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Caraway rice pudding


Ingredients:
  • 4 cups water.
  • 1/2 cup ground rice.
  • 1 tbsp ground caraway seed.
  • 1 tsp cinnamon.
  • 1/2 tsp ground anise seed.
  • 1/2 cup sugar.
  • 1 cup flaked sweetened coconut.
  • 1/2 cup slivered almond.
  • 1/2 cup walnut, small pieces.
In a medium size pot, add water, rice, caraway, cinnamon, anise seed and sugar. Put over medium-high heat and keep stirring until boiling and starts thickening. Turn off heat. Stir in half of coconut. Transfer to serving bowls.
Mix rest of coconut, almonds and walnuts together. Sprinkle nut mixture on to of pudding right before serving.
you can serve it warm or chilled.

* makes 4 servings.

Peanut Butter Stir Fry

Ingredients:
  • 1 pkg (250 g) noodles.
  • 2 tbsp peanut butter.
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce.
  • 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock.
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar.
  • zest of 1 lemon.
  • juice of half a lemon.
  • 1/2 tsp chili sauce.(optional)
  • 1 tbsp oil.
  • 2 tbsp grated ginger.
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced.
  • 4 springs green onions, chopped.
  • 1 small pkg frozen stir fry vegetable.
  • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro(coriander).
Cook noodles as directed on package, drain and sit aside. In a small bowl, mix peanut butter, soy sauce, stock, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice and chili sauce until Incorporated. In a large skillet, heat oil and add green onion, ginger and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes then add vegetable and cook for 2 other minutes. Add sauce mixture and cook until starts boiling. Take skillet of heat and add cooked noodles. Mix slowly until noodles well coated. Transfer into serving plate. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

* serves 4.

Tabouleh (Parsley Salad)



Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup fine bulgur.
  • 6 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley.
  • 3 springs of green onions, finely chopped.
  • 2 large tomatoes, finely diced.
  • 2 lebanese cucumbers, finely diced.
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves.
  • 1/4 cup olive oil.
  • 2 medium lemons, juiced.
  • salt and pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, place bulgur and Pour warm water over it. Let sit for about half an hour or until softened.
Combine parsley, green onion, tomatoes,cucumber and chopped mint in a large bowl. Drain bulgur of any excess water( squeeze it between your hand if needed), then fold in with parsley. Stir in olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve it on a plate covered with lettuce leaves. use lettuce leaves as scoops.

Traditional Jordanian Bread (Qras)

This is a traditional Jordanian bread that we usually make Easter time.

Ingredients:
  • 8 cups all purpose flour.
  • 4 cups wheat flour.
  • 3 tsp salt.
  • 1 tbsp ground anise seed.
  • 1 tbsp ground fennel seed.
  • 1 tsp ground mahleb.
  • 1/2 cup sesame seed.
  • 1/2 cup black onion seed( Nigella seed ).
  • 1/2 cup olive oil.
  • 2 tsp dried yeast.
  • 1 tsp sugar.
  • 1 cup warm milk.
  • 2 cups warm water.


Place yeast in a cup with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Add 1/3 of a cup of warm water and set aside for about 10 minutes or until starts bubbling.
Meanwhile, in a very large bowl combine flour, wheat flour, salt, ground anise seed, ground fennel seed, ground mehleb , sesame seed and black onion seed. Add oil and rub it into flour mixture with your finger tips until well distributed. Make a well in center of the flour mixture and add yeast mixture and warm milk. Mix well then add warm water slowly and knead as you are adding water until dough comes together. If you feel like you added too much water , just add more flour.
Keep kneading dough for about 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Leave dough in the same bowl and Cover with a kitchen towel and leave it until rises and doubles in size, about 2-3 hours.
Knead dough and divide into 20 equal pieces and form each one into a ball. Let rest for another 10 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball out into a circle, about 6 inches in diameter.
Preheat convention oven to 410 F. Place dough circles on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
Cover rest of dough circles with a kitchen towel until it is time to bake them.
Transfer bread to cooling rack and let cool completely before storing in plastic bags.


Note: Mehleb is a spice made from the pit of sour cherries. It's a traditional spice that you can find at middle eastern stores.

* You can freeze bread in plastic bags and just heat for 30 seconds in microwave when needed.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Beef Stew


Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 pound stewing beef.
  • 3 tbsp all purpose flour.
  • 2 tbsp oil.
  • 1 large onion, chopped.
  • 2 cups sliced button mushrooms.
  • 2 carrots, cut into big chunks.
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste.
  • 1 cup red wine.
  • 1 cup beef stock.
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme.
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano.
  • 2 potatoes, cut into chunks.
  • 1 cup peas.
  • salt & freshly ground pepper.
Heat oil in a medium size pot. Brown beef in batches. Add all meat pieces, onions, mushroom and carrots and cook for a few minutes. Add wine and scrape all the little bits in bottom of pot. Then add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, stock, thyme and oregano. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer covered for about 1 hour or until meat is tender. Half way through cooking, add potatoes and peas.Season to taste.

Chicken and sausage

Ingredients:
  • 1 large onion, cut into quarters.
  • 1/2 cup olive oil.
  • 2 tsp mustard.
  • 1 tbsp dried sage.
  • Freshly ground black pepper.
  • 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
  • 1 lemon, cut into quarters.
  • 4 pound chicken, about 10 pieces.
  • 8 Italian sausages, cut in half.

Put onions in a freezer bag with the oil, mustard, dried sage, a good grinding of pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Squeeze juice of lemon into bag, and then add them. Mix everything very well in the bag. Add the chicken pieces. Leave to marinade in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature in its marinade.
Arrange the chicken pieces in roasting pan skin side up with the marinade, including all the bits and pieces, and tuck the sausages around them. Put pan into oven to cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the sausages over half way through to color them evenly.

* serves 6.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Teriyaki Burger


Ingredients:
  • 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey.
  • 2 tbsp teriyaki sauce.
  • 1 egg.
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs.
  • 1/2 tsp salt.
  • freshly ground pepper.
In a large bowl, combine beef, sauce, egg, salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Mix together and shape into patties.
Grill until cooked through.

Caramelized Onions, Potatoes, Yam and Asparagus

Ingredients:
  • 2 large onions.
  • 2 large potatoes.
  • 1 large yam.
  • 1 pound asparagus.
  • 2 tbsp olive oil.
  • 1/2 tsp salt.
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper.
  • 1 tsp thyme.
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth.
Cut onions, potatoes and yam into equal small cube size. Cut asparagus to 1 inch size.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add onions, potatoes, yam, thyme, salt and pepper and cook on low-medium heat for about 15 minutes until caramelized. Add asparagus and chicken broth. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes.

Note: you can use oregano instead of thyme or any other herb you like.

BBQ Pork Roast

Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 - 2 pounds pork tenderloin.
  • salt and pepper.
  • 1 tbsp canola oil.
  • 1/2 cup hickory BBQ sauce.
  • 1/4 cup chipotle sauce.
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce.
  • 1 large onion, sliced.
Heat oil in a large nonstick pan to medium-high.Season pork with salt and pepper. Add pork and cook until browned on all sides.
Place onions in slow cooker and place pork on top of onions. Mix all the sauces together and pour over pork. Turn pork until well coated. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until pork is fork-tender.

Pot Roast with Vegetables

Ingredients:
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour.
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground pepper.
  • 2 1/2 pounds beef roast.
  • 1 tbsp canola oil.
  • 2 carrots, cut into big pieces.
  • 3 large potatoes, cut into big pieces.
  • 2 celery sticks, cut into big pieces.
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup.
  • 1 tbsp mustard.
  • 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of flour mixture over beef. heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook beef until browned on both sides.
In slow cooker, combine vegetables and remaining flour mixture. In a small bowl, combine mushroom soup, mustard and seasoning.Place beef on top of vegetables and pour soup mixture over the beef.
Cook on high for 5 hours or until beef is fork-tender.

Upside-Down Pineapple Cake

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups sliced pineapple.
  • 2 tbsp pineapple juice.
  • 4 tbsp butter.
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar.
  • 1 tsp vanilla.
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour.
  • 3/4 cup sugar.
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal.
  • 1 tsp baking powder.
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda.
  • 1/4 tsp salt.
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature.
  • 1/3 cup pineapple juice.
  • 1/3 cup whipping cream.
  • 4 egg whites.
  • 3 egg yolks.
  • 1 tbsp vanilla.
  • 1/4 tsp almond extract.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 10-inch round pan.
Melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir in pineapple slices, juice, and vanilla.
Pour into pan and arrange pineapple slices to sit flat.
In a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add butter and pineapple juice and mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix cream, egg whites, egg yolks and extracts until blended.
Add egg mixture gradually to flour mixture beating well after each addition and keep beating until smooth.
Scrape batter into pan over pineapples and spread to level. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tester comes out clean when inserted to cake's center.Let rest for 10 minutes then invert to plate while still warm.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Upside-Down Banana Cake

Ingredients:
  • 3 tbsp butter, melted.
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar.
  • 3 ripe bananas, halved lengthways.
  • 1/2 cup butter, room temperature.
  • 1 1/4 cup brown sugar.
  • 2 eggs.
  • 1 tbsp vanilla.
  • 1 1/2 cups flour.
  • 1 tsp baking powder.
  • 1/2 baking soda.
  • 1 tsp cinnamon.
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg.
  • 2 bananas, mashed
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch square pan. Pour melted butter into pan and sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange bananas cut side down.
Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. In another bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Stir in mashed bananas. Scrape batter into pan.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a tester inserted to cake's center comes out clean.
Turn out while still warm.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Chicken in BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:
  • 5 cups tomato sauce, store bought or home made.
  • 1/2 cup ketchup.
  • 2 tbsp mustard.
  • 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce.
  • 1/3 brown sugar.
  • 1 cup dark ale.
  • salt & pepper.
  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces ( drumsticks or thighs )
  • salt.
  • pepper.
  • 4 tbsp oil.
Combine tomato sauce, ketchup, mustard, worcestershire sauce, sugar, dark ale and hot sauce in a sauce pot.
Simmer for about 25 minutes or until thickened. Season to taste.
Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil and fry chicken until browned.
Place chicken in a baking dish. Add sauce to cover chicken. Add water if needed to cover.
Place it in a 400 F oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.

Friday, March 6, 2009

Coconut Macaroons




Ingredients:
  • 3 egg whites.
  • 1 cup sugar.
  • 1 tsp vanilla.
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut, shredded or flaked.
  • 1/2 ground almonds.
  • pinch of salt.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Beat egg whites. Add vanilla and sugar slowly and keep on beating until stiff. Fold in the coconut and almond. Then, on a baking sheet, scoop one tablespoon of the mixture, leaving 1-2 inches around each macaroon. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the outside is golden brown.

Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups medium size pasta as fussili
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 can cream of celery soup
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 can tuna (6 oz), drained
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 tsp paprika

Cook pasta according to directions. Combine soup, milk, tuna and half of cheese.Stir in pasta and peas. Spoon into 2-Liter casserole.Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with paprika.
Bake at 400 F for 20 minutes.

Dates Cake


Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup butter or margarine
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup dates, pitted
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 cup walnut
Pour boiling water over dates, mash dates with a fork and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan.
Cream butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and stir well.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together.
Add dry ingredients to egg mixture alternately with mashed dates mix. Stir in walnuts.
Scrape batter into pan and bake for 50-55 minutes or until tester inserted to cake's center comes out clean.

Apple Coffee Cake

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature.
  • 1 cup sugar.
  • 2 eggs.
  • 1 tsp vanilla.
  • 1 cup sour cream or yogurt.
  • 2 cups all purpose flour.
  • 2 tsp baking powder.
  • 1 tsp baking soda.
  • dash of salt.
  • 2 apples, sliced.
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar.
  • 1 tsp cinnamon.
  • 1/2 cup walnut or pecan, pieces.
  • 1 tbsp butter or margarine.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch round or square cake pan.
Cream butter and sugar together.Mix in eggs and vanilla.
Stir in sour cream.Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
In another bowl, combine apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter and walnuts together.
Scrape half of the batter into pan. Toss in the apple mix and top with the remaining batter.
Bake for about 60 minutes or until a tester inserted to cake center comes out clean.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Light Chocolate Chip Brownie

Ingredients :

  • 3/4 c all purpose flour
  • 1/2 c cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbs oil or margarine
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 1/2 c sour cream or yogurt
  • 1 banana ( mashed )
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 oz chocolate chips ( melted )
  • 2 oz chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350 F . Grease an 8 inch square pan .
Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together and set aside .
Mix oil, brown sugar, sour cream, banana, egg, egg yolk, vanilla and the melted chocolate chips.
Stir the dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just incorporated.
Pour batter into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted to center of cake comes out clean .
Let rest for 10 minutes then serve .

Hello world, I am going to share with you the best recipes I have ever tried. You are welcome to share with me yours.

Have a great day.