Anise Sweet Cake.

Hello everybody.

Cold crispy wind today even from last night,this weather makes one craving something sweet to keep warm maybe.

My cousin posted this kind of dessert the other day with the  ingredients and method looked easy and yummy and it really is so it’s now officially Amneh’s Cake,thank you dear cousin.

Lunch was lentil soup and chicken liver   also good in this weather.

Ingredients and method :
* 4 cups flour.
* 3 cups semolina.
* 2 big spoons ground anise seeds.
* 2 big spoons roasted sesame seeds.
* 2 big spoons anise seeds soaked in warm water.
* 1 1/2 big spoons instant yeast.
* 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil.
* 1/2 cup sugar. (my addition not originally in recipe)

* sugar syrup to cover when done.

* mix all ingredients together,water and seeds also till you get a soft dough.
* leave to rest and rise in a warm place for one hour.
* bake in a medium heated oven for 30-40 minutes till golden from edges.
* roast surface till golden also.
* pour cold syrup on it while still hot.

Note: this recipe will be great for Christmas dinner, nice aromatic flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walnut Caramel Truffles.

Hello everybody.

It was a pleasure to welcome my old university colleagues this morning for breakfast,though we don’t meet much but it’s always a pleasure to see them, good  memories and lots of laughter 🙂

Food was simple and delicious or is it the company that makes it enjoyable? cheeses,labaneh,cream cheese and jam from yesterday and a selection of croissants filled with salmon and turkey.

Dessert was these chewy walnut caramel truffles I made last night and a dish of fruits , found the recipe on Pinterest but made few changes, taste is just perfect.

Ingredients and method:

* 1 cup crushed walnuts.

* 2 cups crushed plain biscuits.

* 1/4 cup brown sugar.

* 1/4 cup maple syrup.

* 2 tablespoons cream.

* melted chocolate.

* Mix all ingredients together except chocolate then form it into small balls.

* line in wax paper and cool in fridge for 30 minutes.

* dip in melted chocolate and cool again,you can decorate top with walnuts while still hot.

These will be excellent for Christmas by the way,can be done and stored a week ahead.

  

How to Make Cream Cheese?

Hello everybody.

My cousin sent this YouTube video on our family group a while ago,wanted to do it since then,a great substitute to ready cream cheese in a cup like Puck or Kiri, at least it’s fresh and doesn’t contain any additives or chemicals. It’s even good for sweets cause you can adapt it’s salty taste as you prefer or add a bit of fresh cream to increase the richness. Loved it 💜

My sweet niece was visiting today and we made it together, always a fantastic helper. She even loved it so much and ate all the scraps, took a jar with her of course.

Ingredients and method :
* 3 liters fresh cow milk (not powdered or pasteurized )
* 1/4 cup white vinegar .
* 1 tsp salt.

* boil milk well then add vinegar and keep stirring till milk splits to cheese or curd and water.

* remove curd from water and put it in a sieve till all water is out.

* add salt and mix well.

* beat cheese with hand mixer and keep adding some of the milk water till you get a creamy mixture .

* fill in glass jars and refrigerate .

Try it is really yummy ,ask Anoud if you like 🙂

Puff Pastry Cream Triangles (وربات بالقشطه)

Hello everybody.

Eventful Friday ,started with boiled eggs for breakfast then followed by a nice coffee at a lovely aunt’s house.Of course coffee wasn’t alone,she made some pastries and a delicious lemon cake.I made her a nice Cherry Cake as a gift :).

Afternoon my dear uncles came by for a cup of tea, such a short notice visit,couldn’t think of anything to serve,After looking through my fridge and pantry for something quick to do, best thing I could manage was some cheese rolls and olives, nuts,chocolate and marshmallows plus I found a pack of puff pastry in the freezer so I thought these would do as dessert, stuffed in cream and topped with syrup and pistachios.

Visit was really pleasant and joyful as always ❤

Ingredients and method:

* 1 pack squared puff pastry.

* Cream filling:

* 1 cup powdered milk.

* 1 cup water.

* 1 tsp butter.

* 2 big tablespoons flour.

* 2 tablespoons cream.

 

* Mix all ingredients except cream very well then boil till sauce is thick.

* add cream and whisk well till all is homogeneous.leave to cool.

* spread each square of pastry a bit,add one tsp of filling then fold to make a triangle.

* press sides with a fork to close well.

* bake in  a medium heated oven till puffed and golden.

* make some sugar syrup (2 cups sugar with one cup water and few drops lemon juice)

* pour syrup over triangle while hot,decorate with crushed pistachios.

  Cherry cake

 hard boiled eggs with olive oil.

  

  

  

 

 

 

Dates Roca Salad.

Hello everybody.

Since it’s Thursday and all have plans In did a small salad only,enough I think.
We usually eat this dish at Cafe Hanin,delicious, nutritious and light.consists of a bed of roca leaves or lettuce with pitted dates,walnuts, feta cheese and a vinaigrette sauce. Simple and easy.

Enjoy your weekend lovely people 💜

Smores Monkey Bread.

Hello everybody.

A member in my group posted a video of how to make monkey bread last night and many were asking for recipe.By chance I was planning to do this monkey bread with a twist recipe since last week,even have all ingredients ready but didn’t have the time to do it.

To be honest original recipe contains too much sugar so I didn’t add the exact amount written and added some ingredients to add up the flavor.Monkey bread is a very nice dessert to do in wintry cold days, resembles a lot the taste of cinnamon rolls bit easier to do, you can find many different recipes,basic one is very simple then you can add any flavors or nuts or marshmallows and chocolate depending on how you prefer it.

Lunch today was Spaghetti with chicken cream and pesto.

Ingredients and method:

For the dough:

* 2 1/2 cups flour.

* 1 cup crushed digestive biscuits.

* 1/3 cup warm water.

* 1/3 cup brown sugar.

* 1 tsp instant yeast.

* 2 eggs.

* 1/2 cup butter.

* 1/3 cup warm milk.

* 1 tsp baking powder,pinch of salt.

For the sauce:

* 1/2 cup butter.

* 1/3 cup sugar.

* 1 pack cream.

* 1 tsp cinnamon.

* 1 cup mini marshmallows.

For the assembly:

* 1 cup crushed digestives.

* 2 tablespoons butter.

* chocolate chips and marshmallows.

 

* Make the dough by first whisking the water with yeast and sugar and leave it till it foams.

* beat eggs with butter and milk.

* add all to flour and biscuits mixed with baking powder and salt.

* knead well till you form a firm dough,leave covered in a warm place till it rises ( 1 hour)

 

* make the sauce by mixing all ingredients except marshmallows till syrup boils then add them and mix well.

* make equal sized balls from the dough and leave to rise again.

* cover balls with crushed biscuits and butter.

* in a round oven pan spread some biscuits in the bottom,pour some of the sauce then line the balls all over.

* sprinkle some chocolate and marshmallows.

* add another round of balls and repeat filling.

* add the rest of the sauce all over.

* cover and leave to rise and doubles in size.

 

* bake in a medium heated oven for 30-40 minutes.

* leave to cool a bit then flip over.

* Note 1: I made a butter,cinnamon,brown sugar sauce and drizzled it on top cause it looked a bit dry.

* Note 2: basic monkey bread is done the same way but without digestive and marshmallows only cinnamon and butter.

*Note 3: key word for a successful monkey bread is letting dough rise well and leave it to rest after each handling.

ENJOY really yummy.

 

 

  today’s lunch.

 

Meat in Pitta Bread and Mallow ( عرايس وخبيزه).

Hello everybody.

Must say that my birthday this year was extraordinary, filled with loving people around me,I got hundreds of wishes and texts, got beautiful gifts specially those super knives and ended with a wonderful dinner with my lovely family. Thank God for all his blessing,this year was really awesome hope the coming one will be as good or even more.Thank you everybody ❤

Lunch today is minced meat with onions,tomatoes and chili in pitta bread (عرايس) and a small dish of freshly cut mallow (خبيزه) leaves with olive oil and onions, great with a sprinkle of lemon juice ❤

 

Yule Log ( Buche De Noel) <3.

Hello everybody.

Happy Birthday to me today, I usually bake my own cake in case anybody pops up and since this December I’m posting Christmas recipes I decided to do this one to match the occasion.

This cake is a traditional dessert served near Christmas,especially in France,Quebec and several other Francophone countries,it’s usually done to resemble a log and decorated with icing sugar to resemble snow and mushrooms or tree branches.It symbolizes the gathering of family members around the fire in long winter nights to celebrate the new coming year.

After a quick search in several pages I did my own version, same ingredients of Cherry Cake but added cocoa powder and omitted the lemon juice, turned out really good.

Ingredients and method:

* 5 eggs ( used 6 cause they were small)

*  1 cup sugar.

* lemon zest,vanilla and 2 tsp baking powder.

* 1/4 cup vegetable oil.

* 1/2 cup cocoa.

* 1 cup flour.

* whipping cream.

* any kind of filling you like like coconuts,crunch,strawberries,blueberries…etc.

 

* Separate eggs whites from yolks and beat well till stiff and white.

* beat all other ingredients well till creamy.

* fold in the egg whites slowly till all mixed together.

* bake in a big rectangular baking tray ,cake layer must be thin.

* bake in a medium hot oven for 30-35 minutes.

* you can roll the cake when still hot in a kitchen towel then remove when cooled or keep it to cool a bit then fill it with cream and any other stuffing you like then roll it.

* make a ganache ( chocolate chips with milk on  a water bath) then pour it over rolled cake.

* Decorate with icing sugar and any Christmas decorations available.

 

 

 

Christmas Fruit Cake.

Hello everybody.

Though I’m much better today but couldn’t cook plus nobody  coming to lunch,we actually just ate cheese , labaneh and delicious makdous, my kind of food I really consider this the best meal ever.

Nevertheless I did a beautiful Christmas fruit cake cause I already prepared all ingredients yesterday and couldn’t do it.

Of course the traditional cake contains alcohol in it, usually Rum or Brandy, done a month before the holidays and kept in a closed tin so that all flavors and liqueurs are well absorbed, but this alcohol free one is really good and suitable for children.

Ingredients and method:

* 2 eggs.

* 2/4 cup brown sugar.

* zest and juice of one orange.

* 1/2 cup butter.

* 1/2 tsp of cinnamon,1/4 clove,1/4 nutmeg.

* 1/2 cup raisins.

* 1/2 cup walnuts.

* 1/2 candied dry fruits.

* 2 tsp baking powder.

* 1/4 tsp sodium bicarbonate.

* 2 cups flour.

 

* Beat eggs,sugar, butter,orange zest and juice well till creamy.

* Mix fry ingredients with flour well then fold in creamy batter.(mix is a bit thick )

* bake in a medium heated oven for 1 hour or till done.

* decorate with icing sugar.

Really yummy juicy and well flavored cake,do try it you’ll love it !

  

 

 

Minestrone Soup.(شوربه ايطاليه)

Hello everybody.

Rainy day and I have a bad flu, a rich hot soup is a blessing in this case.I did this soup once in Ramadan but didn’t post the recipe so it’s a chance to do it again, definitely a rich aromatic tasty one.

Ingredients varied when I searched for the recipe so I consulted my dear cousin living in Rome for the original one that Italians usually do and she gave me the secret ingredient that you won’t find in any recipe but I added it after taking the photo.

Ingredients and method:

* 1 small finely chopped onion.

* 1 clove garlic.

* bunch of chopped basil.

* 1/2 cup chopped celery.

* 1 small chopped zucchini.

* 2 small chopped carrots.

* some sun dried tomatoes.

* 1/2 cup black beans.

* 1/2 cup green beans (optional )

* 2 leaves finely chopped lettuce. (secret ingredient)

* 1 can chopped tomatoes.

* 1 tsp tomato paste.

* 4 cups broth or water and cube of broth.

* 2 bay leaves.

* salt,pepper and oregano.

* 3/4 cup small shaped pasta.

* Parmesan cheese.

 

* saute onions,garlic,carrots,celery till tender.

* add rest of ingredients then broth and pasta and 1 tablespoon of cheese, boil then leave to simmer till done and all ingredients are tender.

* sprinkle with Parmesan cheese when served.