Spicy Feta Dip

If you love feta, then this is the dip for you. I discovered this at one of my favorite greek restaurants in Chicago, and had to replicate it somehow! The best part about this is you can control the spice to your taste. I LOVE spicy, so this is my kind of appetizer. You can serve this with pita chips, sliced french bread, chicken or even steak.

Ingredients:

2- 4 ounce containers of crumbled feta

1 cup of marina sauce

1 teaspoon pepper

1 jalepeno pepper, minced with seeds

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

1/4 cup of  kalamata pitted olives

optional if you like HOT-pinch of cayenne ground pepper

Combine all the indredients in a large bowl, taste and add more cayenne if needed. Refridgerate for an hour. EAT!

Also, If you want to see my cooking demo for this, here it is! I had so much fun with this and it was for the Sears Chef Challenge, I thought why not right???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SX65wW9rfR0

Blueberry Bomb Cobbler

CAN YOU SAY LEMON+BLUEBERRY=EXPLOSION...simply amazing! I made this for a huge family gathering for the first time, and it was a hit! I really love an equal combination of crumble to berry, so I made sure to make plenty of the crunchy crust. I can't tell you how exciting it is to see blueberry oozing out of the side when you plate this, it is just magical. The zest really takes this to the next level if you are a lemon freak like me:) It is such an easy crumble/cobbler to make, and the best part is you can even make it the night before and just pop it in the oven the next day!

Ingredients:

6-8 cups blueberries (I buy 2 containers from Costco)

4 lemons, juiced

2-4 of those lemons above, depending on how much you LOVE lemon, zested

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon salt

Crumble:

2 sticks unsalted cold butter, cubed

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 cups oatmeal

Optional: Vanilla or Pecan Ice Cream just takes it to double BOMB in 60 seconds.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all the ingredients besides crust into a large bowl. Pour into a large casserole dish, 9x13 or larger.

In a food processor, pulse the crumble ingredients until they are well incorporated. Pour on top of blueberries, and with your hands, pat down until well covered. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, and then broil on high for about 5 minutes. MAKE SURE TO WATCH WHILE ON BROIL. I stand right next to the stove and make sure it does not burn to get the golden brown crust that we all love!

ENJOY!

Carrot Cupcakes

Let's just say that carrot cupcakes are not my favorite, but after perfecting this recipe, I am officially a carrot cake lover. These are so moist, and packed with fresh carrots which make them so amazing. These did not last too long in my household or office which is always a great sign right?

Ingredients:

4 cups grated carrots, grated

 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 tablespoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups chopped toasted pecans

1 cup of pecans not toasted (for topping)

1 cup toasted coconut

Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter

2-8 ounce packages of cream cheese (not fat free, never will taste the same trust me)

6-8 cups of powdered sugar(stop at 6 if you don't like it too sweet)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Get the cupcake liners ready to go.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, soda, powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside

In a large bowl with mixer, cream the butter and sugars. Add in the eggs one at a time. Incorporate the dry ingredients in the small bowl, a little at time on a low speed. Finally, mix in the carrots. Fold in the pecans and coconut last.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, and make sure the tootpick comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes completely until you add the frosting. For the frosting, with a mixer, blend the cream cheese alone until soft. Then add the butter and vanilla. One cup at a time, add in the powdered sugar. Taste, you can add more powdered sugar if you want it sweeter. Frost and enjoy!

Chickpea Salad

This has got to be one of the most refreshing salads you will have, and jam packed with protein! It makes the perfect side salad with anything and another great option for you vegetarians out there. The best part about this salad is you can make it the night before, because the longer you refridgerate, the more the juices will soak into the beans. It is a must have for summer!

Ingredients:

2 cans chickpeas, drained and washed

1 can fava beans, drained and washed

1 cucumber, chopped

1 tomato, chopped fine

1 bunch chives, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped fine

Bunch of parsley, chopped

3 lemon, squeezed

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper to taste

Combine everything in a large bowl. Mix well. Easy eh? SAHTEIN:)

Cauliflower Concoction

There are so many wonderful things you can do with cauliflower. I usually sautee it with some olive oil and spices and call it a day. I thought why not twist it up a bit! This is such a good side dish for any occasion, and the possibilities are endless!

Ingredients:

8 cups of spinach

2 shallots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 package bacon, chopped

1 head cauliflower, cut into whole pieces

Salt & Pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 small package of sage (optional)

Heat large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and shallots, stir until tender. Add the spinach, batches at a time. You will see that all that spinach is not that much at all when cooked! Place spinach to the side and cover so it stays hot.

In another large skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the bacon, and cook for about 15 minutes until brown and crispy. Place the bacon on a dish to cool.

The same pan as where the bacon was, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the cauliflower pieces, and fry on high until golden brown for about 10 minutes. Add in all the spices.

Use a platter, and layer starting with spinach at the bottom. Then top with cauliflower, and finally garnish with as much bacon as your heart desires:)

(optional)Fry up the sage with a tablespoon of olive oil, garnish with this as well.

This goes great with any meat or fish!

Eggplant Dip "Baba Ghanoush"

Baba Ghanoush is another Middle Eastern dip, similar to Hummus, that is so healthy and delicious. If you are an eggplant lover, this is your soul mate:) I usually don't make it that often since I always prefer Hummus, but I tend to forget how much I love it! Basically, it is the same technique of making Hummus, but you use eggplant instead of chickpeas.

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants

1 cup tahini (sesame paste)

4 lemons, juiced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt to taste

Pita bread/Veggies/Garlic Toast

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Cut 1 inch slits into the eggplants, and place on baking sheet. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until tender. Cool for about 10 minutes before peeling.

In food processor, mix the tahini, lemon, garlic and olive oil. Pulse a couple times to incorporate. Peel the eggplant skin, and scoop the insides into processor. Pulse a couple times until creamy and smooth. Taste, and add salt to your taste.

Serve with toasted pita bread and veggies.

SAHTEIN!

Gouda Mac N' Cheese with all the Fix-ins

My stomach is growling just thinking about this...it is so creamy, delicious, and just straight up comfort food. I decided to leave out the fix-ins and put them on the side so my guests could choose what they wanted to add. I also experimented with Gouda (love) cheese, and it was excellent! The best part might have been the crunchy topping. Nothing can top that crunchy and soft combination.

Ingredients:

1 pound pasta (cavatappi is what I use)

1 1/2 stick of unsalted butter

3/4 cup flour

1 quart of whole milk

4 cups shredded gouda cheese (optional- have extra for topping)

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (optional- have extra for topping)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon black pepper

Salt to taste & for pasta water

2 tomatos

1 large head of broccoli

1 package of bacon

Pre-heat oven to 375, butter/oil/spray a 13x9 casserole dish.

Boil water in large pot. Add about 2 tablespoons of salt. Add in pasta and cook for about 7 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat milk on medium-low in a saucepan, just until it is hot. While that is heating, add the stick of butter in a large pot. When melted, incorporate the flour. Add in a little at a time, and make sure to whisk. Keep whisking until all the flour is cooked in with butter. Gradually whisk in the hot milk. Let cook for 5-10 minutes on simmer , then whisk again until thick enough. Take off the heat, and add in the spices. Then add the cheeses. Mix well until cheeses have melted. Taste at this point, and add salt if needed. Pour into a 13x9 casserole dish.

In a separate small bowl, add the panko, parmesan cheese and any remaining cheddar or gouda you might have (1 cup total of remaining cheeses). Spread on top of macaroni. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, and pour on top of panko spread.

Bake for 30 minutes until bubbly, and then broil for another 5 minutes until golden brown.

YUM...IT'S WORTH IT:)

Monkey Bread=Gone in 60 Seconds

This has got to be the most delicious monkey bread ever, and it is a shame how easy it is. There is a time and place for making dough from scratch, and with this bread, you don't have to! I got this recipe from my dear friend and cooking club member Hollie, who has had this recipe for years passed down from her mom Dorene. It is the recipe that keeps on giving, so please try it and let me know what you think!

Ingredients:

Package of Rhodes frozen rolls (only use 18 rolls)

1/2 package of butterscotch pudding

1 cup of whole pecans or walnuts

1 cup brown sugar

1 stick of butter

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Spray a bunt pan well. Add the nuts at the bottom. Layer the frozen rolls in the pan. Sprinkle the pudding mix over the rolls, with a teaspoon of cinnamon. In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar and remaining cinnamon. Melt and stir until combined well. Pour over the rolls. Cover with towel and let sit overnight. Next day, the dough will rise. Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees and cook for 30 minutes.

ENJOY!

Chicken Salad with a Sumac Twist

This is not your ordinary chicken salad...it has extreme flavor that will excite your taste buds! The secret ingredient is Sumac spice, and used in traditional arabic recipes that comes from sumac plant. It is finely crushed from berries harvested from a bush that can be found in the wild all across the Mediterranean. This spice is tart and acidic, and can easily take the place of lemon. It looks like paprika, a deep red powder, and can be purchased in select stores. I use Ziyad products, including spices such as sumac and other ingredients that I incorporate in all my middle eastern dishes. You can order sumac online:

http://ziyad.elsstore.com/view/product/?id=34070&cid=332

If you are LEMON freak like me, then this salad is perfect for you!

Ingredients:

Any Salad stuff you like, I use:

Romaine lettuce

1 tomato

1 British cucumber

1 yellow green pepper

1 avocado (ripe)

2 tablespoons of sumac

1 teaspoon on cayenne pepper

1/2 cup of feta

1 pound of chicken (2 pieces of chicken breasts)

2 lemons, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Chop all the veggies and place in a bowl.

Season 1 tablespoon of sumac on each breast, rub well with fingers. Dash some cayenne on as well. Make sure to get both sides of chicken. Grill indoors or outside grill. Cut in stripes.

Add lemon, olive oil, salt & pepper in veggies. toss well. Add chicken on top, and sprinkle in feta last.

Majadara "Lentils"

Majadara is such a hearty, wonderul dish, especially for those vegetarians out there.  I make this once every couple weeks since it makes a huge portion that lasts for about a week in the refrigerator.  It is also one of the cheapest dinners you can make that is so healthy and good for you. You can eat this with yogurt, pickles, or my personal favorite, salad!

Ingredients:

                                2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4 cups lentils or one bag of lentils, washed

9 cups water

3 onions, chopped

1 cup burgal (cracked wheat), soaked in water

2 tablespoons cumin

2 tablespoons salt

Heat the oil in a large pot, add onions. This has to be the most important part of this dish because you want to cook the onions until they are dark brown, ALMOST burned. See the first picture above. Stir occasionally on medium high-high heat, this will take about 20 minutes. When they are turning brown, heat water in a separate pot. I use my tea kettle, and that works great. When that has come to a boil, and the onions are almost burned, add the boiling water to the onions. Add the lentils and stir. Have this come to a boil, and then turn on medium heat. Cook until the water has almost absorbed the lentils. Lastly, add the burgal last and change to low heat. Keep stirring or the burgal will stick to the bottom and burn. Add the spices. Serve hot or cold with yogurt, onions, and pickles. A salad is delicious on top as well.

Falafel "Fried Bean Cakes"

Falafel has got to be one of the best creations, and I'm so happy to say that they are super easy to make. I am still on a mission to find the best falafel out there, but I think this recipe is so delicious that I might not have to anymore!

Ingredients:

4 cups of dried chickpeas (soaked in water overnight)

2 large onions, chopped

1 whole head garlic

2 bunches of parsley

1 jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoons cumin powder

1 teaspoon of salt and pepper

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2-3 cups of olive oil or vegetable oil for frying

Combine the beans, onions, garlic, parsley and hot pepper in a food processor. This is a lot, so you can put it in batches. Grind until well incorporated. Add the salt,  pepper, cumin and baking powder. At this point, you can freeze the batter you don't want to use without the baking soda added. When ready to fry, add the baking soda.

Heat a large deep skillet with oil on medium high. Use a tablespoon to form balls and fry until golden brown and then flip to the other side until golden brown.

Searve with tomato slices, pickles and tahini sauce in a pita pocket. The tahini sauce can be made very quick. Mix 2 tablespoons of tahini with a whole lemon and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. ENJOY!

Rice Krispie Cake

This cake took some serious thought...and it all started with my co-worker Julie's obsession with rice krispies. So I thought why not just make a three layer cake out of her favorite treat for her birthday and this is what I came up with: Chocolate, Strawberry and Peanut Butter layers, with some surprises in between:)

Tabouli!

Tabouli is one of the most popular Middle Eastern salads out there. You can now buy this pre-made at some local grocery stores, and I now am starting to see them in salad bars! To make this from scratch is a process, but so easy! If you take the time, I promise you it will be worth it! The combination with this and hummus is spectacular, and the sandwich possibilities are endless.

                                                   

Ingredients:

3 bunches of parsley

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 bunch of green onions, finely chopped

3 lemons, squeezed

½ cup of burgal, fine cracked wheat

1 tablespoon of salt, or more to taste

This whole process starts with the parsley. This is when you want to get your friends involved to help! This salad only requires the parsley leaf, not the stem, and you do not want to waste any by chopping off the bunch. This means you have to hand pick each leaf off. Don’t be scarred! Just pop in a movie, have a glass of wine and get it done. After picking the 3 bunches, wash in a large bowl. Then spread on a towel to air dry for a couple hours (if you can, overnight). OR you can spin dry in batches. After they are dry, hand chop or throw in a food processor until the parsley very fine. When this is done, we are ready to make the salad. Combine the parsley, tomatoes, onions in a large bowl. In a small separate bowl, add the burgal. Rinse with warm water, and drain out. Throw that in the salad. Add the lemon and salt, mix well. Taste at this point and add in what you prefer, if it’s more lemon or salt. You can also add in garlic if you like. This is really great to eat with lettuce as well. Use the lettuce as you would pita, and scoop the tablouli. It is so delicious and refreshing!

  Laying out the parsley to dry overnight, longer process way to do it!

Hand chop the parsley fine.

Pan Roasted Sea Bass with Herb Quinoa

Sea Bass has to be one of the most flavorful fishes I've ever had! It has a natural butter taste to it, and it's so melt in your mouth bomb! I made an onion mushroom concoction to go along with it that complimented so well with it. The herbed quinoa was amazing too. I love putting tons of lemon in my quinoa, it tastes so fresh and earthy with all the herbs.

Ingredients:

2 filets of sea bass

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt & Pepper

Mushroom/Onion Topping-

1 package of portabella mushrooms or regular

1/3 cup of white wine

2 tablespoons of butter

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup of chicken stock

Quinoa-

2 cups quinoa

4 cups of water/or chicken stock

2-3 lemon, squeezed

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon of cayenne

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup of chopped basil

1 cup of parsley

3 tablespoons of thyme

Cook the quinoa and water/stock in medium saucepan. When boiling, turn to low and simmer for 20 minutes until done. Put in medium bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Ready to serve with sea bass!

 Preheat oven to 450.

Heat olive oil for mushroom topping in a large skillet pan. Add the onion for about 5 minutes, mix well until cooked through. Take the pan off the heat, and add the wine. Place back on heat and cook until wine has absorbed the onion. Add the mushrooms and butter. and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt & pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat until it begins to thicken and the liquid is almost gone.

In another oven proof pan, or cast iron skillet, add the oil and heat on high until the pan is hot. Season the filets with salt and pepper on both sides. Add to hot pan, skin side first, for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for about a minute. Transfer directly to the oven for 3 minutes. To plate, put fish and top with mushroom and onion topping.

Sweet Potatoes...and a burger

Ohhhh Sweet Potatoes, how I love thee! This makes such a great side to burgers and other dishes, so I am a frequent SP eater:) The beauty of these potatoes is how naturally sweet they are, so you don't have to do much with them. A couple of simple spices, and you are ready to go! You can cut them the way you like, my new thing is making them into circle/potato chips. I also like to cut them up the night before so I can bake them the next day. I also love a certain burger you can find at Whole Foods called the Buffalo Chicken Burger. Words cannot describe how flavorful this is. The combination of the hot spicy sauce and blue cheese is magnificent!

Sweet P's:

2 large sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt & pepper

1 teaspoon cayanne pepper

2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchement paper.

Peel and cut the potatoes however you like. Round, sliced or in wedges. Place in medium bowl. Combine all the spices and oil. Toss with hands. Spread all over the sheet. Bake for 40 minutes. Last 5 minutes, broil on high until brown on top.

Grill burger indoors or on outside grill.