Fresh Raspberry Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup of fresh Raspberries
3/4 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
1/2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons good quality Honey
Salt & pepper to season

Method:

- Combine the raspberries, the vinegar, the mustard, the lemon juice, and the honey in a blender and blend all those ingredients until they form a smooth blend.

- While the blender is running pour gradually the olive oil in order to form the vinaigrette.

- Season with salt and pepper according to taste.

- This Dressing can accompany many summer salads.. Enjoy

A New Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe.. Gooey & Yummy

2 Cups of Flour
½ Tsp Baking Soda
½ Tsp Salt
1&½ Stick of Butter
1 Cup Light Soft Brown Sugar
½ Cup White Sugar
1 Tbps Vanilla Extract
1 Egg & 1 Egg Yolk
1 Bag of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Method:

Preheat the oven for 5 minutes at 160 degrees C.Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Sift the Flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, and the white sugar until creamy.
Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and blend well.
Add the sifted floor mix until well combined.
With a wooden spoon add and mix in the chocolate chips.
Drop a large spoonful of dough on the cookie sheet leaving 6cm apart between them.
Bakes the cookies for 30 minutes in a convention oven until the edges are slightly golden brown.
Keep the cookies on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. ( I use cold plates to keep them intact and avoid breaking).

Enjoy! 

Honey-Sesame Chicken w/ Spring Onions on a Bed of Steamed Rice

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless cut into cubes
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
5 tbsp honey
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 small piece ginger, ground
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 sprigs of spring onion (Scallions), chopped to large pieces
1 tbsp sesame seeds, roasted
salt & pepper
1 cup short grain rice

Method:

Start by seasoning the chicken with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch. set it aside.
In a pan put some oil, saute the chicken over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until it's cooked all through.
Add the mixture to the cooked chicken while on the stove, mix for a minute, then add the chopped spring onions and stir. Remove from heat.
Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.
Serve over a bed of steamed rice.

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting For Cupcakes

This recipe can accompany the Oh So Divine Red Velvet CupCakes!

Ingredients:

1 Cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 Cup unsalted butter - half a stick, softened
1/2 tsp essence of Vanilla
11/4 Cups powdered sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt

Method:

-Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and the butter to a smooth consistency.
- Lower the speed on the mixer and add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla.
- Turn the mixer on high again, beat the ingredients until light and fluffy.
- Its ready to use at once, cover if using it later.

Oh So Divine Red Velvet CupCakes !

This recipe makes one 1 dozen regular size cupcakes.

Ingredients:
11/4 cups sifted all purpose flour, make sure you sift it prior to measuring

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1 bottle red rouge food coloring

4 tbsp unsalted butter, around 1/4 cup

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla essence  

1/2 cup buttermilk (liban), I use activia, at room temperature

1/2 tsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp baking soda

Method:
- Preheat the oven at 180 degrees, line 2 12-cups muffin tins with cupcake paper.
- In a bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set side.
- In a small bowl mix together the food coloring and cocoa powder until smooth with no lumps, set aside.
- Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together for around 3 minutes or until it's light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla, then the cocoa powder & baking soda mix.
- Add in 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture beating it well.
- Add in half of the butter milk to the mixture while beating.
- Beat in another 1/3 of the flour mixture and the second half of the buttermilk.
- Finely beat in the last 1/3 of the flour mixture and beat until everything is well combined.
- In a small bowl, place the vinegar and add the baking soda to it. (it will foam a little bit).
- Add the vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir it with a spatula to combine it well.
- Using an ice cream scooper, fill 3/4 of the muffin tins with the cupcake batter.
- Place the tins in the oven and bake for 22 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the middle to check if the cupcakes are done.
- Cool the cakes for 10 minutes in the muffin tins, and then cool them for another ten minutes after removing them from the tins and placing them on a wire rack.
- The must be completely cool before frosting them.

Frosting them with Cream Cheese Icing (Recipe)

My Twist on Spinach Salad

Ingredients:

1 Packet of baby Spinach
1 can Beetroot, round slices
1 red onion
2 Avocados, ripe
1/2 cup of frozen edamame, beans only
Handful of parsley, roughly chopped
Toasted shredded almonds
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup white vinegar

Dressing:

1/4 tsp Honey
1/4 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Method:

- Clean and wash the baby spinach
- Cut beetroot rounds into halves, discard the liquid
- Cut the red onion into thin slices, julienned, then place in a bowl and pour the vinegar on top of it. set it side until assembling the salad.
- Cut the avocado into cubes and cover them with lemon juice to avoid them going brown
- In a big bowl arrange the salad ingredients by starting with the spinach leaves on the bottom, topped with the beetroot.
- Add the onions without the vinegar.
- Add the avocado, then the frozen edamame.
top the salad with the chopped parsley and toasted almonds.
- Add the dressing when serving and mix.

Raspberry Love Eton Mess .. Made by Moi

This would be perfect for Valentine's ! it's fast and yummy.
Eton mess is a traditional English dessert consisting of a mixture of strawberries, pieces of meringue and cream. I decided to make them using Raspberries instead, simply because I wanted to!  I made this for our Saturday gathering and it was a success.
It's so easy to make; if you follow the recipe well & it's also Delicious! I started out by making the meringues in advance, made the raspberry syrupy mixture, and then I went ahead with assembling the dessert. It's such a treat!

Happy Valentine's Day ... 

Ingredients for the Meringues: (forming 8 large Meringues or 12 small ones)
2 large egg whites only
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Ingredients for the Raspberry Syrupy Mixture:
4 small packages of raspberries
1&1/2 cups of sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp pineapple juice - I use KDD 

Ingredients for the Cream:
2&1/2 cups cold heavy cream - I use Almarai whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract



Method:
Start out with making the meringues. Preheat your oven at the lowest gas mark setting.
In a mixer, whip the egg whites and some of the sugar and continue whipping until it becomes bubbly.
Gradually add in the remaining sugar while whipping the egg whites until it forms a stiff peak.
To test the stiffness of the cream , hold the bowl upside down, the mixture should remain intact.
Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon the meringue mixture on it leaving an inch apart between the meringues.(they don't have to be perfect, we will break & crumble them)
Place the baking tray in the center of the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes of baking turn the oven off but keep the meringues in for another hour.
Remove the meringues from the oven and leave them to cool completely while you finish up the rest of the dessert.
Once the meringues are cooled, break & crumble them into large pieces.

Now for the Raspberry Syrupy Mixture. In a saucepan pour the 2 packages of raspberries, the sugar, & lemon juice.
Crush the berries lightly with a spoon & bring the mixture to a full boil, once boiled, lower the heat and let it simmer for around 10 minutes, while stirring occasionally so it does not stick.

Once the  hot mixture is syrupy fold in the remaining 2 packages of raspberries and pineapple juice. (But keep a few fresh ones for decorating). refrigerate until it is very cold.

Finely, the making of the cream. In an electric mixture, beat the cream, sugar, and vanilla together until it's firm. Set aside & start assembling.

In glasses of your choice, layer a spoonful of the whipped cream, then top it with the raspberry mixture, and then a few crumbles of the meringues. Repeat this process twice or three times until the glasses are full, then finish it with a dollop of cream and a fresh raspberry on top.


Can be chilled for 1 hour or served immediately.

Enjoy...

Beetroot Cake with Lemon Icing..

Beetroot.. this magical vegetable.. contains high sources of vitamin C, A, & Beta carotene. It's high in minerals such as, calcium, magnesium, potassium and Amino Acids. 
This Antioxidant does wonders for your cholesterol and the health of your skin.. 
So.. enough said.. it's time for our healthy yummy dessert recipe...


Cake Ingredients:
225g Self-raising flour
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
180ml Vegetable oil
225g Brown sugar
3 Eggs, separated - Yolks separated from the whites
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
150g Raw beetroot, grated
1/2 lemon, juiced
75g Sultanas - Raisins 
75g Hazelnuts, Chopped



Icing Ingredients:
10 tbsp Icing sugar, sifted
1-2 tbsp Boiling water
a few drops of lemon juice
some lemon rind


Method:
- Set the oven on 180c.
- Greece the loaf tin with butter and then cover it lightly with flour to avoid the cake from sticking or line the loaf tin with baking paper.
- Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, & cinnamon.
- In a mixer, beat the oil & sugar together then add the egg yolks one by one while mixing well between each addition ans add the vanilla extract.
- Fold the beetroot into the mixture and add the lemon juice, raisins, and hazelnuts. 
- Fold the dry ingredients into the mixture and mix them well.
- In the mixture, place the egg whites and beat until almost stiff then fold hem into the previous mixture using a metal spoon - do not use a wooden spoon because it won't allow the air to go through.
- Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes at least - it could need more than 50 minutes depending on the oven used.
- Half way through cooking the cake, place a foil on top it prevent it from browning too much while the inside is not fully cooked.
- While the cake is in the oven, prepare the icing by mixing the sifted icing sugar, the lemon juice & rind and using enough boiling water to create a sticky shiny icing to smooth it on top of the cake.


Yum!
Enjoy...

Homemade Pita Chips.. Twice the fun!

Those are easy chips to make at home for any dip..
It goes great with my Homemade Guacamole Dip or my Homemade Beetroot Dip.




Chips #1: you will need:


2-3 Thin Pita Breads cut into small triangles.
Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Olive Oil
Dried Oregano


- Place the triangles of pita bread on a baking tray & drizzle them with a a little bit of olive oil.
- Sprinkle the pita bread with the parmesan cheese & oregano.
- Bake them in a preheated oven for around 10 to 15 minutes or until they are crispy.

Chips #1

Chips #2: you will need:


2-3 Pita Breads cut into small triangles 
A Griddle Sandwich Maker

Chips #2

- Place the triangles on the griddle sandwich maker and close it on them to create the grill marks effect.

Homemade Guacamole Dip .. with a Tip!

Ingredients:


4 Ripe Avocados ( Reserve 1 avocado, chopped to add towards the end for chunkiness)
2 tbsp Sour Cream 
3 tbsp Lemon Juice + 1 tbsp Lime Juice (Optional)
Few drops of Tabasco Sauce (Optional)
2&1/2 Ripe Tomatoes, Seeded & Chopped (Reserve 1 tomato, chopped to add later for chunkiness)
Handful of Chopped Spring Onions
Handful of Finely Chopped Coriander
Sea Salt to taste
1 Fresh Red Chili (Mild), Seeded & Finely Chopped


Method:


- In a food processor, throw in 3 avocados, 1 tomato, and the red chili and pulse.
- Add the spring onions & coriander and pulse again.
- Add the sour cream and a good pinch of salt and taste. Pulse for the last time.
- Remove the mixture from the food processor and add the remaining chopped avocados & tomatoes for chunkiness.  
- Season with more sea salt and lemon & lime juice until you reach the desired taste.
- Add the Tabasco and mix well.
- Serve with Tortilla chips or homemade pita chips.


Tip 1: To keep the guacamole bright green and avoiding that bad browning from oxidizing, keep one of the avocado seeds in the dip and add enough lemon or lime juice.


Tip 2: To keep the guacamole in the fridge for a few days without it changing color and oxidizing, put it in a Tupperware and put a direct cling wrap (plastic wrap) on the guacamole dip and let it stick to it to block air and then close it with the lid.


Enjoy!

Homemade Beetroot Dip ..

This Bright Pink Dip has lovely flavor, easy to make and full of healthy goodness!

Ingredients:

2 Large Beetroot, peeled

1 clove of garlic, minced

1&1/2 Sour Cream container or Yogurt

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

1 tbsp apple vinegar

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1&1/2 Lemon Juice - or more according to taste

Method:

Boil the beetroot until tender.

Wash under cold water.

Grate the beetroot into a sieve on a bowl to drain all the water. Leave it for 5 minutes to drain well.

In another bowl, combine the garlic, mint and beetroot.

Add the sour cream, olive oil, vinegar & lemon juice and taste until you reach the desired taste and flavor. (I like it sour)

Stir well and combine. could be refrigerated for a couple of days and the flavors intensifies because of the lemons.

Serve with triangles of oven baked pita bread ! Yum!

Nigella's Ritzy Chicken Strips.. An Easy Lunch or Dinner..

This practically took minutes to prepare and a few more minutes to cook. But needs a couple of days for it to be ready, so prepare them a day in advance. If you have kids, they will love this recipe and grownups do too! I tried this Nigella Lawson easy breezy recipe accompanied by homemade Honey Mustard Sauce.. tastes sooo good!

Ingredients:

2 Packets of boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup buttermilk (Leban) - I prefer KDD because it's think and creamy
20 pieces of Ritz cracker crushed to form bread crumbs


Method:


. Put the chicken breasts into a freezer bag flat.
. Bash them gently with a rolling pin until the chicken is quite thin.
. Once done, take them out of the bag and slice them.
. In a bowl, place the butter milk and chicken and leave then in the fridge to marinade for 24 hours atleast.
. When ready to cook, prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven.
. Take the bread crumbs and place them in a shallow dish to coat the chicken.
. Take the chicken out of the fridge, take each piece, shake off the excess buttermilk and dip them in the crumbs.
. Coat them well and lay them on the baking sheet, bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown. and Voila !!!!

Dinner is served! ... or lunch ;)

Earthy .. Lovely .. Cream of Eggplant Soup.

Ingredients:


Couple of eggplants, grilled, peeled, & cut into cubes.
1 Onion roughly chopped
1 Potato roughly chopped - preferably small pieces so it cooks faster
1/2 cup KDD cream - or Creme Fraiche if available
1 tbsp Flour
a little bit of butter
Olive Oil
2 cups Chicken stock
Salt & Pepper
1 tsp Ground caraway
a little bit of Nutmeg
Finely chopped parsley for garnish


Method:


- In a medium size pot, start off with the olive oil and butter and let the butter melt.
- Add the chopped onions and the salt to help it sweat and soften.
- In goes the garlic and pepper and mix well.
- While stirring, add the flour and mix well so it doesn't burn at the bottom of the pot.
- Add the chopped potato and mix all together well, then add the caraway.
- Add the chopped eggplants to the mixture and stir for 3 minutes then add the chicken stock.
- Leave the mixture to simmer for 30 minutes and bring it to a boil.
- Transfer the mixture to a blender and ladle in half of the soup so it doesn't fill up the blender.
- Transfer the bended soup into a new pot and ladle the rest to blend.
- Add the other blended amount of mixture into the new pot and put it on the stove again.
- Add the cream and mix.
- Add the nutmeg and a little bit more caraway for taste.
- Finely pour into a soup dish and garnish with finely chopped parsley. 




P.S. Salt should be added in moderation because the chicken stalk is already salted.

Zucchini, Yellow Squash & Potato Gratin

A new recipe.. I had a craving for Zucchini & Summer squash, it's healthy & tasty.. So I decided to browse through my recipes in search for a nice recipe that combines both of those ingredients. 
I came across many recipes but this particular one caught my attention because it included potatoes.
I tried it as a side dish for lunch, next to grilled chicken and a crisp green salad. It turned out lovely and delish!!

Ingredients:


1 packet of KDD cream or 1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup breadcrumbs 
2 Potatoes, sliced
4 Small Zucchini (Courgette), thinly sliced
1 large summer squash sliced
3 tbsp Butter 
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 small onion, sliced
Salt & Black Pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese


Method:


Prepare the oven by reheating at 400 degrees. Set aside until needed.
On the stove, medium heat, in a large skillet, melt the butter.
Add all the vegetables to the butter, saute & stir.
Add the salt & Pepper according to taste.
Cook the veggies until tender while stirring slowly and carefully.
Add the cream and cook for 5-7 minutes until it thickens.
Once cooked, remove from the stove and place in a Pyrex or a baking dish.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the mixture and the Parmesan & Mozzarella cheese.
Bake this dish for 25 minutes to cook, then turn on the broiler for 5 minutes until it gets golden on top.


Enjoy !!

Cabbage Salad .. My Way!

Ingredients:

1 Cucumber, peeled, sliced

1 thinly sliced red onion (Shallot)

Finely Sliced green cabbage

Finely Slicded red cabbage

I shredded carrot

I green onion (Scallions) thinly sliced

2 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)

1/2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Dressing:

4 tbsp yogurt

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tbsp shredded ginger

1 tbsp mayonnaise

Salt & Pepper

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 tsp pomegranate molasses

1 tsp soy sauce

Method:

1- combine all the vegetables in a large serving bowl.

2- mix the dressing ingredients.

3- pour dressing on salad and serve immediately.

Banana Bread Recipe # 2

I have tried a previous recipe of Banana Bread yet with nuts. This recipe is for a plain banana bread. I enjoy it with milk, in the morning, as a snack or dessert. It's delicious any way you eat it!

Ingredients:

2 Ripe bananas
1&1/2 cups flour
5 Tbsp melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt

Method:

1- Preheat the over at 350°.
2- In a mixer, place the sugar, egg & Vanilla. Start mixing.
3- Sprinkle the baking soda & salt over the mixture and mix it in.
4- Finely add the flour. Mix everything well.
5- Pour mixture into a buttered pan and bake for 1 hour.
6- Once done, keep it on a cooling rack, once cool, slice & serve.

Normally this recipe requires baking in a Loaf Pan , but I don't go by traditional methods.. I'm such a rebel, I used a Bundt Cake Pan ..haha :P

Green Curry Chicken (Thai) - Recipe # 2

This is another recipe for my favorite Thai dish, Green Curry Chicken. It's a more easier version than recipe # 1 and takes less time.

I enjoy doing this when I'm in a hurry and need to serve fast lunch or dinner, yet a good & filling meal.

Ingredients:

1 jar of Thai Choice Green Curry

2 tbsp cooking oil

2 cans of coconut milk

2 stems of fresh lemon grass - found in TSC or Lulu Hyper Market

6 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into cubes

4 pieces Thai eggplant cut into large cubes - found in Lulu Hyper Market

2 medium white potatoes cut into cubes

1 cup of fresh button mushrooms cut in half

1 green bell pepper chopped into chunks

4 baby corns chopped into chunks

1 small red chili

Salt according to taste

Brown sugar to minimize spiciness

1 tbsp fish sauce - found in TSC

Fresh basil leaves

Coriander for garnish

Method:

Start out by drizzling 2 tbsp of oil in a pan or wok over medium heat.

Add the ready made green curry paste and stir-fry it for one minute.

Add the coconut milk and stir to combine, then add the lemon grass and stir.

Add the fish sauce and leave to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Add in the chicken and let it cook for 5 minutes then add the rest of the vegetables.

To reduce the curry's spicy flavor, add in brown sugar according to taste, I would start by 2 tbsp and taste, add more if needed.

Add salt as needed, then add the basil leaves

Leave to cook for 20-30 minutes.

Garnish with coriander and serve with steamed rice.

Enjoy!

Oktoberfest Bavarian Potato Salad - Recipe Trial # 1

After my visit to Munich, Germany last year,I fell in love with the city and with Germany all over again, for many different reasons. The food, the atmosphere, the people and my wonderful travelling partner :)
The food was just terrific, one of the special things I have tried was their Bavarian Potato Salad. I fell in love with it immediately, such a hearty and lovely dish, accompanied by grilled chicken and your favorite beverage :P

I'm trying out several recipes to find the perfect one, this is my first trial, it turned out nice and light, in terms of the dressing. I give it a 4 star.. but that's only in my book, try it out and see what you think.. Enjoy !

Ingredients:

3-4 Medium white potatoes
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil EVOO
1/3 cup white Vinegar
1/2 Vegetable or Chicken Stock
3 tbsp finely chopped onions
Salt & Pepper
Dash of Sugar
3/4 cup diced cucumbers
1/2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp finely Chopped Chives - I bought a fresh plant from TSC
2 tbsp Relish

Method:

1- In a large pot filled with water and some salt, boil the unpeeled potatoes until tender.

2- Once done, drain the potatoes, peel them and chop them, then place in a large bowl.

3- In a separate smaller bowl, combine all of the following ingredients: Oil, Vinegar, Onion, S&P, Stock, Sugar, Mustard, Cucumber & Relish. The mix it well to form the dressing.

4- Pour the dressing over the peeled and chopped potatoes and gently mix them together.

5- Garnish the salad with chives.