Creamed Spinach Gratin

Creamed Spinach Gratin This recipe is originated from the French cuisine .Gratin is a widespread culinary technique in food preparation in which an ingredient is topped with browned crust, often using grated cheese, egg and/or butter, breadcrumbs . A gratin is baked or cooked under an overhead grill to form a golden crust on top and is traditionally served in its baking dish

Ingredients:
 1 Kilo frozen chopped spinach, defrosted, drained (if using fresh spinach, add some salt and leave for 5 minutes then squeeze as much liquid as possible before using)
1/2 stick butter
1 large chopped onion
3 tbs flour
 2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumb

Direction:
 Preheat oven to 180c degrees. Melt the butter in a large cooking pan over medium heat, add the chopped onions and sauté until tender for 5 minutes, add flour and nutmeg and stir, Add the milk, heavy cream and stir, drain chopped spinach and squeeze as much water as possible, then add the spinach to the sauce .season with salt and pepper, cook for another 10 minutes .Transfer all to a baking dish. Mix the Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top of the spinach, bake for 20 minutes, then broil until top is golden and crunchy Serve hot.
Serves :6

Nescafe Crocan Cake

Pickling Salt

Pickling salt is a salt that is used mainly for canning and manufacturing pickles. It is made without iodine or any anticaking products added.[1] If pickles are made with table salt, they will have dark and cloudy juice, due to the iodide in the salt, although the flavour should be about the same. Pickling salt is very fine-grained, to speed up dissolving in water to create a brine, so it is useful for solutions needing salt.
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Spicy Roasted Tomatoes

صينية البندورة المشوية الحارة

Banana Bread

Delicious Banana Bread
For this Recipe I usually use either frozen bananas or super ripe bananas, the darker and black spotted bananas are , the sweater they are,the more liquid will release

Ingredients:
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 6 large very ripe bananas
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon table salt
• 1 stick butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup brown sugar (you can use light brown sugar )
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (toast them in oven or in pan without any oil)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Preparation:
1. Pre-heat oven to 180c degrees. Spray bread pan with nonstick cooking spray, Or brush it with vegetable oil, dust pan with flour ,remove extra flour
2. Place 5 bananas into microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high power for 5 minutes or until bananas are soft and released liquids, transfer soft bananas to a bowl , mash bananas with fork or potato masher until smooth.Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract .
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.
4. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined ,don’t over mix ,
5. Gently add walnuts and mix, pour mixture into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices, and place on top of banana loaf. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
6. Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, Cool bread in pan 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan
7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Vegetable Soup

Ingredients :
1 small onion chopped
1 big potato cut into 2 cm cubes
2 Medium carrots cut into small pieces
2 zucchini cut into small pieces
1 cup frozen green beans
( you can add whatever vegetable you like such as chopped celery, frozen peas ,etc. )
1 liter chicken stock ( if not available add one cue MAGGI to 1 liter boiling water )
2 tablespoon vegetable oil


Preparation :
In a Medium size pot Heat oil, add chopped onion,stir until tender ,add vegetables and keep stirring until vegetables tender,
Add chicken Stock and simmer for about 25 minutes or until all vegetables are well cooked
Serve dish accompanied with Lemon Juice ,,

Sausage Rolls

Ingredients :
1 package hot dogs ( medium sausages )
1 package puff pastry
vegetable oil

Directions:
Roll dough to 1 cm thickness
Cut dough to thin long triangles
Roll Dough over Sausages
brush rolls with vegetable oil
bake hot dog rolls in pre-heated oven for 25 minutes,until puffed and golden
serve with ketchup or any desired dipping sauce

Chicken and Vegetables with White Sauce,,,

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 2 pieces each
3 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into big cubes
3 large carrots, peeled, sliced
4 medium zucchini sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms,
4 tbs Vegetable oil
500 ml whipping cream
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon oregano
1 liter boiling water
1 cube MAGGI (chicken stock)

Preparation
Heat 2 Tbs oil in a pot over medium heat, add chicken breasts, white pepper ,stir for 2 minutes, add boiling water and cook for 30 minutes ,remove chicken breasts aside ,
In another large pot over medium heat , add 2 tbs oil, add chopped vegetables as follows :(carrots, potatoes, zucchini, mushrooms)( add vegetables in order as the carrots needs more time to sauté than other vegetables).
Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes, add chicken broth, MAGGI cube, cover pot, reduce heat to law , and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes,
Add chicken breasts to vegetables add whipping cream, oregano and cook until heated through, about 10 minutes

Option: serve plate with white rice
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 3-4 persons

Carrot upside Down ( Ma'loubet Jazzar )

Hindbeh salad

Chocolate Cake

Zucchini Fetteh

Ingredients :
5-6 medium zucchini peeled, cut into 2 cm pieces
2 small Arabic Bread (Pita Bread)cut into 2cm pieces
1 liter hot water
1 tbsp chopped parsley and olive oil for garnish

(sauce)
1 cup Mediterranean yoghurt
1/2 cup tahini paste
1 big clove garlic minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt

Directions:
For sauce: in a large bowl combine ingredients with a whisk and set aside.

In a large pot cook zucchini in hot water on a medium heat until it's soft,
drain zucchini but save the water
Place Pita bread in a large bowl, add 1/2 cup of zucchini boiling water and mix gently ,,add zucchini,sauce,and mix well,
Place Zucchini fetteh in serving place,garnish with parley and olive oil.
Serve Zucchini fetteh warm ,,

(Cooking Tip: using boiling water in cooking zucchini shorten the time of cooking)

Green Beans Salad

Stuffed Lamb thigh with vegetables

Stuffed Lamb thigh with vegetables

If you are having people coming over and you don't want to spend much time in the kitchen , this is the best recipe ever,presentable, easy and really yummy

Ingredients :
whole lamb thigh without fat
vegetables as desired( my choice:potatoes,carrots, zucchini,mushrooms, broccoli )
salt, pepper, Cinnamon,for seasoning
vegetable oil

Stuffing :
2 bunch parsley ,chopped
1 cups minced garlic
salt, pepper

Directions :
Wash lamb thigh with water, drain well with kitchen paper
Make big cuts through meat area
Mix salt, pepper, cinnamon,season meat from outside and inside the cuts and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours
Mix the stuffing ingredients,fill all the cuts, save the extra stuffing
Place lamb thigh in a large cooking pan,add 1/2 cup vegetable oil , 1 cup boiling water to the bottom of the pan ,cover with silver foil and cook on a medium -high heat for 1-1/2 hours , keep checking the water and add more if needed ,
change meat sides slowly to reserve the stuffing from falling ,
when meat is semi cooked add chopped vegetables and the extra stuffing around the meat, add another 1 cup boiling water, cover and finish cooking for another 45 minutes or meat is well cooked

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup

This soup reminds me of my first dates with my husband Amer,we used to go to an Italian restaurant and order it,first I thought it is an Italian recipe, but when I made my research and look up for the traditional recipe ,I found its origins is France.

From my research on this recipe I found that the trick of a good french onion soup is the stock, some people use chicken stock but the traditional recipe is with beef stock , another important thing is the carmelization of the onions,carmelizing onions comes from cooking the onions on medium heat at least for 30 minutes.

ingredients :
6 onions peeled, thinly sliced
2 glove garlic
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 liter beef stock
Toasted French Bread sliced
1 1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese or mozzarella as preferred

Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat, add garlic, sliced onions and saute for 30 minutes or more until onions browned but not burned,and caramelized.
Add beef broth,season with salt and pepper ,cover and let it all cook for another 30-40 minutes .
Pour soup in oven-proof soup bowls ,top each bowl with one slice of toasted bread ,sprinkle with cheese ,put in oven for 10 minutes or until cheese slightly browned , serve immediately .

serves 4-6 persons

Artichoke,kidney beans Salad

Ingredients :
1 head Iceberg lettuce chopped
2 tomatoes
1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
1 onion thinly sliced
1 can artichoke hearts
1 can Kidney Beans
1 yellow pepper thinly sliced

Dressing :
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt

Directions:
Cut Lettuce into big pieces ,place them in the serving plate
Cut tomatoes,also big pieces,add on top of lettuce,
Drain the artichoke hearts ,cut each in half,add them
Add mushrooms,onion,yellow pepper ,
Sprinkle the kidney beans on top .

For the dressing,in a separate plate mix the mayonnaise and olive oil,add the lemon juice and season with salt , serve the dressing aside

Shredded beef with vegetables

Shredded Beef with vegetables Stew

• 1 Kg (750 g) beef fillet ,trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 green pepper, sliced
• 2 red bell pepper , sliced
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms ,sliced
• 2 onions ,sliced
• 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons HP Sauce
• 5 tablespoons Ketchup
• salt and black pepper to season
• 1 liter boiling water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  

In a cooking pan ,heat half of vegetable oil, fry steak until browned, season with black pepper,
add boiling water and cook for 20 minutes or until beef is well cooked
In a separate pan , heat rest of vegetable oil, stir fry onions, mushrooms, green and red pepper until just tender.
Add beef and stock to the vegetables , make the sauce as follows :
(mix well HP sauce, ketchup , flour and 2 tablespoons of the beef stock separately )add to the beef and vegetables and cook ,
Let the mixture cook on a low heat ,stirring every few minutes, the longer time you live it to cook the more tender the meat will be .
you can serve with white rice or egg-noddles

حراق أصبعه

حراق أصبعه
2 كوب عدس مغسول
2 كوب معكرونة صدف أصغر حجم مسلوقة
4-5 ملاعق طعام دبس الرمان
ضمة كزبرة مغسولة و مفرومة
1 بصلة كبيرة مقطعة جوانح
لتر ماء
ملح
2 ملعقة طعام زيت نباتي
خبز عربي مقطع مربعات صغيرة و مقلي

الطريقة
يسلق العدس في لتر الماء مع قليل من الملح حتى يستوي جيدا , ثم تضاف المعكرونة المسلوقة مسبقا و يخلط جيدا
يضاف دبس الرمان و يحرك ويترك على النارليطبخ سوي
ا يسخن الزيت النباتي في مقلاة و يقلى البصل جيدا حتى يصبح بني اللون تضاف نصف كمية الكزبرة المفرومة و تحرك لمدة دقيقتين
يضاف البصل و الكزبرة الى العدس و المعكرونة و يحرك
يسكب المزيج في صحن التقديم و توضع طبقة من الخبز المقلى فوق المزيج و تزين بالكزبرة الخضراء المتبقية

ملاحظة
يفضل عدم سكب المزيج الا عند التقديم حتى يبقى الخبز مقرمشا

Crepe Batter Recipe

Crepe Batter Recipe

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs beaten
1/2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
pinch Salt
1 1/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more for pan

In a blender add eggs ,salt , flour and vanilla extract and blend then add milk , vegetable oil blend again until mixture forms a smooth batter ,put in fridge for minimum 2 hours .
Heat a non-stick pan over medium -law heat , lightly brush pan with vegetable oil ,pour 2 tablespoons batter into the hot pan and quickly tilt the pan to cover the whole surface with the batter ...cook for 1 minute until set and slightly browned .Carefully loosen the sides and gentely flip the crepe over ,cook for 1 minute .
repeat for the remaining batter but don't forget to re-brush the pan with vegetable oil ..

Zucchini Pulp and Garlic Dipping

Zucchini Pulp and Garlic Dipping

This is an old recipe our mothers used to do,very easy tips, a delicious and nice to serve as an appetizer with Arabic food ...

10 medium size zucchini peeled ,grated
3-4 gloves minced garlic
pinch of salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Heat olive oil in a cooking pan, add grated Zucchini pulp ,salt and stir, leave to cook for 15 minutes add garlic and leave to cook for another 15 -20 minutes, when zucchini pulp is so tender and a little brown it is ready .
Serve warm with a sliced baguette bread

Apple Pie

Pie Crust :
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 stick butter room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

Pie filling:
4 apples peeled ,cut into 1 cm cube
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter for the pan

Directions:
Make the dough by hand. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder .
using your fingers add the butter and work it into dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly.Add egg and stir then add milk and stir the dough together if the dough is too smooth add 2 tablespoons flour .when it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will be over-worked and tough .Wrap dough in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour .
Making the filling:
Melt butter in a pan , add apples ,sugar, and Cinnamon and stir , leave to cook for 5 minutes only .
Dust rolling pin and working surface with flour, cut dough into 2/3 and 1/3 . Gently roll the first dough with the rolling pin into a circle pie shape when the dough is rolled to an even 1 cm thickness it is ready to be transferred. lightly brush pie baking dish with vegetable oil ,lift the dough with the rolling pin by partially rolling the dough up on the pin,center the dough in the baking dish and unroll with a little bit overlapping the sides.
Dot the dough in several places with a fork .
Fill the bottom crust with the pie filling .
Roll the second half of the dough into a circle ,using a sharp knife cut an even number of stripes from the rolled out dough ,transfer every-other stripe to the pie top and weave by folding every other stripe onto itself ,fold the stripes across and repeat until completed ,trim the overhanging dough edges .
Bake pie in a preheated 220ْ degree oven for 25-30 minutes . Remove from oven let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Watercress Salad

Fried eggplant with meat and rice ( eggplant upside-down )

Kubbeh with Yoghurt

Sayyadieh Samak

صيادية السمك

1 كيلو سمك فيليه (طازج أو مثلج)

3 كوب أرز أمريكي (يفضل أرز أبو كاس)

10 بصلات مقطعة الى جوانح رقيقة

2/1 كوب لوز و صنوبر مقلي

1 كوب طحين

ملح وفلفل أسود

2 ملعقتا طعام بهار السمك

زيت نباتي لقلي السمك

لتر ماء مغلي (لكل كوب أرز كوب و نصف ماء)

الطريقة:

1. يغسل السمك بالماء و يترك قليلا ليجف

2. يقطع السمك قطعا كبيرة ويغطى بالطحين جيدا

3. يحمى الزيت جيدا ثم يقلى السمك (4 دقائق لكل وجه فقط)

4. يغسل الأرز جيدا و يصفى

5. يقلى البصل جيدا حتى يحمر كثيرا ويحتفظ بمقدار ملعقتي طعام من البصل المحمرللزينة

6. يصف السمك في القدرغير الاصق (طبقة واحدة أو طبقتين حسب حجم القدر )ثم يضاف البصل المقلي مشكلا طبقة فوق السمك

7. يصب الماء المغلي فوق السمك والبصل ,يضاف الملح و الفلفل الأسود و بهار السمك و ملعقتا طعام من زيت قلي السمك ,و يغلى على نار متوسطة معا لمدة 5 دقائق ثم يضاف الأرز و يفلفل على نار هادئة لمدة 20-25 دقيقة حتى يستوي الأرز

8. اقلبي القدررأسا على عقب بحيث تظهر شرائح السمك في أعلى الطبق

9. يزين الطبق باللوز و الصنوبر و البصل المحمر

تقدم الصيادية مع صلصة البقدونس و الطحينية.

Philadelphia steak sandwich

Philadelphia Steak Sandwich
 Ingredients :
1/2 kilo veal Filet thinly sliced
3 onions slices Julian
1 green pepper cut in fingers
1 red bell pepper cut in fingers
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup vegetable oil
 Salt and pepper for seasoning
 2 tbs HP SAUCE (Steak Sauce)
2 cup grated yellow cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in non-stick pan, add meat, season with salt and pepper, stir for 5-7 minutes until meat almost done, remove from pan and set aside
 In same pan, add remaining oil , add chopped onions, green pepper ,mushrooms, red bell pepper and stir, add HP sauce and stir, add pre cooked meat and stir for another 5 minutes Place stuffing in steak bread, sprinkle grated cheese, put in pre-heated oven for 5 minutes until cheese tender and melt, serve hot

Lettuce Salad with Halloumi cheese

lettuce Salad with Hallumi Cheese

1l2 head lettuce washed, chopped
hallumi cheese (quantity as desire )cut in 1 cm cubes
Toasted bread cut into 2 cm cubes
2 teaspoons dried mint
2 tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic chopped
1l2 cup Olive oil
salt

Place lettuce in salad bowl and top with cheese .In a bowl ,combine mayonnaise , garlic and mint then whisk in olive oil .Season with salt .Pour dressing over salad and mix gently
add toasted bread on top and serve ..

note: Do not add the dressing until serving

Broccoli chicken Pasta with Mushroom soup

Broccoli Chicken Pasta with Mushroom Soup

4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut in 2cm cubes .
1 pack penne pasta (500g)
2 bags mushroom soup Powder ( Maggi is my choice )
salt
Boiling water
1 head Broccoli trimmed
Mozzarella cheese


-Cook Broccoli in boiling water over high heat for 5 minutes only, drain well.
-Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until all tender, drain well,remove pasta to a baking plate ,
-Heat oil in cooking pan, add chicken cubes, salt and stir until chicken lightly browns, add boiled water and cook for 20 minutes, remove chicken cubes from the stock adding them to the warm pasta
-Add mushroom soup powder to the chicken stock and whisk it, cook until sauce thickens ,Pour the sauce on top of pasta and mix well.
-sprinkle mozzarella cheese and broccoli on top .
-Bake in oven for 10 minutes
serves: 5-6 persons

Chicken Curry

Chicken Curry

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 3cm cubes)
4 tbs vegetable oil
1 onion chopped
1 can shredded mushroom
1 cup frozen peas
2 medium size potatoes(cut into 2cm cubes)
1 liter boiled water
2 teaspoons curry powder
salt and pepper

Heat half of the oil in frying pan ,add chicken, season with salt and pepper , and cook until lightly brown all over,turn off heat and set aside.
In another cooking pan heat remaining oil over medium heat , add onions and cook ,add potatoes and cook until tender, add mushrooms ,peas and stir,cook until all tender ,add chicken , boiled water ,curry powder and stir well, cook for 30 minutes.

Bechamel Sauce

Bechamel Sauce

1/2 stick butter
4 cups milk
6 tablespoons flour
salt, pepper
pinch of nutmeg

In a saucepan melt the butter over low heat , add the flour and stir, while constantly whisking, gradually add the milk to the pan, add nutmeg, season with salt and pepper , simmer mixture while continuing to whisk ,sauce will thickens in a few minutes .

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Creamy Mushroom Soup

1 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 liter chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Melt butter in a cooking pan, add sliced mushrooms and stir until mushrooms tender ,
remove 1/2 cup of cooked mushrooms and reserve,
Stir in the flour and cook for 2 -3 minutes, add chicken stock, and cook for 15 minutes,
Add cream, salt, nutmeg and cook for 5 minutes until sauce thickens
In a blender puree the soup until smooth, serve soup garnished with reserved cooked mushrooms.

Chicken Pie

Chicken Pie
 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 big onions thinly sliced 
1 cup  shredded mushroom
One pack puff pastry dough
2 tablespoons  flour,
1 cup  grated Mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper
1l2 cup Vegetable oil
3 cups boiled water


Heat half of the oil in cooking pan, add chicken breasts, season with salt and pepper, add boiling  water and cook chicken, remove chicken and shred them into small pieces with two forks ,saving the chicken stock .
Heat remaining oil in another cooking pan ,add onions and stir until tender ,add mushroom , shredded chicken breast , chicken stock and mix well, add two spoons flour and stir ,leave until sauce thickens .
Roll puff pastry  up to 1 cm thickness on a lightly floured surface, place the pastry in baking dish keeping the ends outside the plate,
Add stuffing  (chicken breast +sauce) add mozzarella cheese, close pastry ends each side on top of the other, brush with butter,
Put in preheated oven on 180 C for 30-40 minutes.
Serves: 5
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Stuffed Mashed Potato Pot

Vegetables Stuffed Mashed potato Pot
5 big potatoes
1 cup skimmed milk
250g meat mince
1 small onion chopped coarsely
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup (125g) frozen mixed vegetables (peas+ carrots)
½ cup pine nuts fried
1 cup boiled water
Salt and pepper
Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven 180ْ C.
In a cooking pan warm vegetable oil , add onion , meat season with pepper and cook well , add peas- carrots and boiled water ,mix well , cover pan until its all cooked together ;drain extra water .
Boil potato until tender; drain. Mash firmly
Combine potato in large bowl with milk and mix well, Season with salt and pepper
In a gratin plate place half potato all over the plate making layer, add meat - vegetables and pine nuts on top of potato making another layer
Put the rest of the potato on top and fill the plate to make the last layer.
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.
Put in oven for 20 minutes until its well cooked and cheese melt .
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Level: Easy

Mushroom Bites

Mushroom Bites 6 mini burger bread
1 green pepper cut in small squares
1 can shredded mushroom
1 small white onion cut in small squares
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Mozzarella cheese

Cut bread each into two pieces
In a bowl mix mushroom, green pepper, onion, and mayonnaise..
Add mixture on top of bread,
Cover the top of each piece with mozzarella cheese
Put in oven for 10 minutes max

Rocket Salad

Rocket Salad with walnut
1 bunch rocket
1 tomato thinly sliced
4 sliced fresh mushroom
1 small white onion thinly sliced
A pinch salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped Walnuts
Ranch sauce

Place the washed rocket on a serving plate; add salt, lemon juice and the olive oil then mix well.
On top add tomato, sliced mushrooms and onions.

Sparkle with the ranch sauce and walnuts ……..

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Mushroom rocket salad
1 bunch rocket
3 pieces fresh mushroom thickly sliced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
A pinch salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
Parmesan cheese

Place the washed rocket in the serving plate, add mushroom, the balsamic vinegar, and mix well.

Add salt and olive oil, then sparkle with parmesan cheese.

Note: Adding balsamic vinegar should be right before serving.

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