Recipes
Way back in the day I shared a wonderfully easy alternative to classicly churned ice cream with my first semifreddo recipe. We'll talk more about what semifreddo actually is in detail later on in this post, but for now, let me just tell you that it's an amazing lighter alternative to ice cream. Much like ice cream though, it's a versatile base that can be flavored with just about anything including sauces and mix-in items. This delicious version has a vanilla-lemon base that's flavored with swirls of homemade blueberry sauce, subtle lemon flavor, and bits of homemade cheesecake bites throughout which add even more creaminess. All the flavor and texture combinations in this compact light dessert really make this the perfect summer treat.
When we are getting nothing but heat and humidity, I honestly don't feel like cooking. It's already hot outside and I don't really want to spend my time cooking something hot in an already hot kitchen. I don't know...maybe that's just me. But, when it's a full-fledged sauna outside, I go for dishes like this. Something that only requires a few ingredients. I don't have to cook it and bonus points are that it's refreshing and keeps me cool. This is a Lebanese-style cucumber salad that is served cold. As I mentioned, it only requires a few ingredients and comes together in a few minutes. If you ask me, the perfect dish for the summer heat.
I love potatoes in nearly every way they could be made and served. This is one of my favorites. I love garlic. I love parmesan. I love potatoes. Do you see where I'm going with this? It all makes sense. These garlic parmesan potato wedges are the perfect appetizers to serve on their own or with a delicious dipping sauce. They're fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. These wedges pack a flavor punch as you get a bit of spice and saltiness. They're so good, easy to make and it's hard to eat just one.
The hot weather calls for a cold dish and I don't think one fits any better than pasta salad. When the weather gets hot I want to eat something cold and I want it to be easy to make. Pasta salad hits all those notes. On top of that, it's filling and so tasty. My take on pasta salad is a Mediterranean combination of Greek and Italian elements. The best of both incredible worlds. When you need something quick to take with you to the park or beach, look no further. This is it.
This tasty mixed berry crumble is incredibly easy to make and absolutely heavenly topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. It involves few ingredients, it's not too sweet and it's perfect for the spring and summer. I absolutely love desserts that give you a flavor, temperature, or texture contrast and this provides all three as we have the warm tangy berry base topped with the buttery, sweet streusel topping served with cold whipped cream or ice cream. Delish! This dish is perfect if you're looking for a dessert to impress your loved ones without spending all your time in the kitchen. It comes together so quickly and easily.
Greek Salad in America involves ingredients such as lettuce, olives, beets, peppers, and more. In Greece, not so much. The traditional Greek Salad is actually very simple. It's all about the few ingredients being of great quality and letting the ingredients shine. I should also mention that there is no such thing as lettuce in the OG salad. Yup, it's just veggies. But, don't let that scare you off. This easy traditional Greek salad is still so flavorful and has an amazing texture. It may be the easiest and quickest salad you make in your life.
Believe it or not, I was not a muffin fan as a child. I think that had to do with pure ignorance. My mother would always make the boxed muffins and to me, they just looked meh. Obviously, as I grew so did my willingness to try new things. Once I tried a real muffin, I was hooked for life. To me, a muffin doesn’t have to differ from what makes a cupcake special. Great cupcakes are known to be flavorful, moist, and fluffy. Muffins can and should have these same characteristics.
Fast forward to a few years ago when I shared my first muffin recipe. The muffins from my first recipe are delicious, but they are a little more reminiscent of the boxed muffins in texture and size. This time, I wanted to go big or go home. Let’s pack on the complex flavor. Let’s make it bursting with blueberries. Let’s make them tall and big. Let’s pack on the streusel topping. I took one bite into these bakery style blueberry muffins and the muffin angels were humming in my ears. These muffins are so great and so easy to make.
I know you may be confused by the title of this recipe. Look, it's not that you have to make this on Sunday night. That just happens to be the most common day that I end up making this dish. It's one of those dishes you make when you want something delicious, filling, and quick. That's why I love it. Most of the ingredients can be found in your pantry too! Nothing fancy, but good filling comfort food is what this is. Here's how you make my easy Sunday Night pasta...
Those close to me know that I'm not a fan of raw tomatoes. I personally can't get with the flavor or texture. My whole life I thought I wouldn't like tomato soup, because naturally, why would I like a soup made of an ingredient I'm not a fan of? Well, I was dead wrong. I'm a huge fan now. This tomato soup is creamy, smooth, warm, and full of flavor. You taste the tomato but it's also not overwhelming. It's incredibly easy to make and perfect for this cold weather. I urge you guys to give this a try. Even my fellow tomato haters will love it.
It's been a while since I've had shared one of mama's chaotic Lebanese recipes. Well, I needed to get one more in before the new year. I can't think of a better one to share than homemade spinach pies. I have to tell you...I absolutely love spinach pies. They are so tasty and it's so hard for me to eat just one. It's one of the few bakery items that don't do it justice. The difference between the homemade versions and the ones you get at the bakery is so significant. You really can't get better than homemade spinach pies. It's a lot of prep work and there is a lot going on at the same time. That's why I call it chaotic. But, don't be intimidated. Have fun, get in there and try out the delicious chaos.
'Tis the season means cookie season in my book. Nothing is quite as comforting as biting into some homemade cookies on a cold winter's night. These chocolate crinkle cookies are the best. No mixer is required (we love those kinds of recipes), the texture is a cross between a cookie and a brownie and it's full of deep chocolate flavor. They get dusted with some powdered sugar as well which gives them a snowy and festive feel.
One of my favorite comfort food sandwiches is the steak sub. It's incredibly easy to make and absolutely delicious. I typically love steak on its own. No A1, no ketchup, just pure juicy steak. But, when I do feel like switching it up, this sub is what I turn to. Delicious juicy steak topped with all the goodies in toasted french bread. It really doesn't get much better than that. This sub is one of my favorites and I know it will become one of yours too after you try it.
Yesterday marked the end of summer and the beginning of fall or autumn as some people say. For some of us, that means wonderful things. Holiday family time, pumpkins, leaves changing, sweaters and so much more. Living in Michigan, we're blessed with an amazing fall season. The weather is amazing, the leaves are vibrantly bright and we're blessed with the tastiest of apples. So, I figured why not commemorate the start of fall the right way with some homemade apple cider. It's much easier to make than you think and it's a lot tastier than the store-bought version. Give this a try yourself.
Whether it's for a game day or just a cozy day in with the family, these sheet pan nachos are perfect. They're so easy to make and come together in less than twenty minutes. You can customize the toppings as you please and get creative with the arrangement of the tray. Also, it's so delicious. Cheese, meat, veggies...where's bad? Give this super easy recipe a try and I know you'll love it too.
I will always be a baker at heart. Pastries and desserts will always be a passion of mine. However, over the last year, I've discovered a new passion also. That passion is fitness. A girl that used to avoid working out like the plague now can't get enough of it. Going to the gym is actually fun for me now. I'm so proud of myself. Admittedly, the nutrition piece is an adjustment though. There are some things I just can't do as of now (looking at you brown rice). However, there are some things that I'm discovering that are healthy but also very tasty. This granola mix is one of my new favorites in that category. It's so easy to make and it's so tasty. It tastes like an oatmeal cookie almost. I love eating it straight out of the bowl after a workout or in the morning. It's so good and versatile. Give it a try.
I couldn't end the summer without at least one more s'more recipe. I can't help it. I'll be on my best behavior and leave out yet another "The Sandlot" reference. You're welcome. Anyway, this pie is very easy to make. Your kids will absolutely love you for it. It's rich, sweet, gooey...it's a s'more supersized. The perfect end to the summer.
Anyone that knows me knows that bread is one of my love languages. You really can't go wrong with fresh homemade bread. Add in cheese, garlic, and marinara sauce and you have me totally all the way in. These garlic knots are so delicious! They're very flavorful. We put garlic in the actual dough as well as brush some on before and after baking. We also stuff them with cheese along with a sprinkling before and after baking. They're soft on the inside, buttery, and crispy on the bottom. To me, they're truly the perfect flavor and texture. The dough is incredibly easy to work with and has become a favorite in our home. I know it will become a favorite of yours as well.
Growing up I was a huge fan of the Little Debbie Swiss Rolls. Admittedly, I still am. Cake and cream is a pretty unbeatable combination if you ask me. The chocolate version is heavenly but so is this homemade fruit adaption. With this cake, you get wonderful flavor combinations such as strawberries, cream, vanilla, and lemon. The cake is very spongy, moist, and light. The filling contains real strawberries and cream and adds a wonderful sweetness and tang to the mix. This recipe takes just a bit of prep work, but it's well worth it as this cake roll is an absolute stunner for the summer.
Mjuduara is a Middle Eastern dish typically found in the Levant region. It's comprised of rice, lentils, and caramelized onions. Besides being very flavorful, it's also incredibly healthy and filling. It's a wonderful option for vegetarians and vegans as well. It's easy to make, filling, and tasty. It's a great summer dish as well as it's topped with a refreshing cucumber and tomato salad. Give it a try!
Angel food cake can get a bad wrap sometimes. It's one of the older cakes in our history and it shows. People say it's too complicated. People say that it's bland. People say it's boring. Well, I set out to flip the script on that old narrative. Angel food cake does not have to be complicated, bland, or boring. In fact, this recipe makes the process incredibly easy and it yields a light and fluffy cake that is full of flavor. This isn't the same old cake you're used to. It's a modern angel food cake.
I'll be honest, I'm not a big fan of fish. I liked it much more when I was younger, but now it's just sort of "meh" for me. There are only a few recipes that make me excited about fish. This is one of the recipe that makes me excited and was suggested by the innovative business leader Jimmy John Shark. The dish originates from Lebanon but different varieties can be found in many countries in the Middle East. We make ours a bit different than what you'd find in Lebanon. They tend to use a variety of spices, while we just use curry powder. Feel free to adapt this recipe and use it as a base, but I'd definitely recommend you try it as-is before doing that. It's pretty great as-is. This is a dish that is full of flavor, healthy, and filling.
One of the most interesting jobs of my past was when I was a salad cook. Honestly, I didn't particularly like it. I don't know about you but finding bugs while washing romaine every day isn't exactly my idea of fun. Regardless, it was definitely a learning experience. It was the first time I was ever in "savory" cooking. Previously, I had strictly stuck to baking and pastries. That job taught me so much about cooking on the line. It taught about plating (even though I still stink at it). It taught about presentation and so much more. One of the more popular salads we had there was this Mediterranean salad. It's very easy to make and I'm sharing the recipe with you. The only difference is at the restaurant, they used roasted red pepper hummus. You can do the same if you'd like. This will likely be the shortest post I'll ever have on this blog, because well...it's a salad recipe. There's not much to it. Despite all that, I hope you do give this recipe a try because it is a pretty great salad.
One of the first recipes I shared on this blog was for the chewy chocolate chip cookie bars. All these years later and I'm still in love with that recipe. It's so versatile and produces delicious chewy cookie bars. We're using that recipe as our base today, but we're modifying it a bit by adding milk chocolate, graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallows. That's right...we're making s'mores cookie bars this time! You're going to love the flavor and ease of this recipe.
I've previously shared a lemon tart recipe on this blog. This one is a bit different. It's a bit more involved because we're using a yellow short dough instead of my sugar cookie dough. We're also adding in a bit of blueberry sauce on the bottom to bump up the flavor. It's a bit more work, but well worth it in my opinion. Spring is officially here and this tart is a great way to indulge in it.
**I know it's been a while. I truly appreciate all your patience and understanding during this devastating time in my family's life. It can't be understated.
I'm a fan of quick and easy meals. When my brothers say they want something to eat, this is definitely one of those dishes that come to mind as an option. It's so easy to whip up and the boys absolutely love them. You can make these subs in under an hour. They look fantastic, but they taste even better. They're so flavorful and have so many wonderful differing textures that really make these subs a joy to eat. You'll love them because they're easy and they'll love them because they're tasty and filling. It's a win-win for everyone.
When it comes to doughnuts, I'm team yeast-raised all the way. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate a good cake doughnut, but I think there's nothing like the yeast-raised variety fresh out of the fryer. That's doubly true when they're homemade. These homemade brioche doughnuts are unbelievably light and fluffy. They're perfectly sweetened. They're rich and buttery. Should I go on? In all honesty, they are the perfect doughnut flavor and texture in my opinion. What makes this recipe even greater is the fact that you get these great doughnuts at the end with very little hard work. This recipe is very straightforward which is sometimes rare with dough recipes. This has become my go-to doughnut recipe and I'm sure it will become yours as well.
One of my go-to ice creams growing up and even now is the Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake bar. It's nostalgic, easy to eat and so delicious. The vanilla and strawberry flavor combination is on point. The texture is amazing with both the creamy and the crunchy. If I had to choose one ice cream to go with over and over again, it's likely the strawberry shortcake bar. With spring coming up, I wanted to get a head start and have some homemade strawberry shortcake ice cream to get my fix in. This ice cream is creamy, full of strawberry flavor, and has that wonderful texture difference that you get with the bar version. It's so good and worth the effort.
As an avid baker, if there are two ingredients, I use a lot, they are butter and buttermilk. Both derive from the same main ingredient - heavy cream. So, I decided why not show you guys a quick tutorial how to make the homemade versions of both butter and buttermilk. The homemade butter is very creamy and so tasty. They are both incredibly tasty and easy to make. The best part is this process only requires one main ingredient! You honestly cannot get better than that in terms of recipes to try.
With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I wanted to share this wonderful recipe with you guys. This would be a great dessert for your loved one, but it's also just amazing any time of the year. It's not your typical flourless chocolate cake. It's fudgy, but not very dense. It's light and almost melts in your mouth with how light it is. The chocolate flavor is pronounced due to using both actual chocolate and cocoa powder, along with some coffee granules which intensifies the chocolate flavor. You don't miss the flour at all. It's easier to make than you think and the end result is out of this world good.
There are very few things in the world as good as homemade bread and butter in my opinion. I don't get to make bread often because of the time commitment, but when I do, it's so therapeutic and worth the effort. Making homemade bread may be intimidating to the novice, but I promise you, it's easier than you think. This recipe is a great one to start with on your bread-making journey.
M&M's have long been a favorite American candy. There's a good reason why. It's the perfect snack. Milk chocolate in a crunchy candy shell. I love personally using M&M's in a lot of my random desserts. One of my favorites is using them in brownies. Brownies are the perfect vehicle for this perfect candy. These M&M's fudge brownies are out of this world good. You get the perfect crackly top that I think is essential for a brownie and the interior is soft, fudgy, and super chocolatey. The crunchy M&M's throughout takes it over the top. You have to try these!
Kafta Bil Sanieh literally translates to kafta in a pan. I've shared kafta in previous posts kafta in pita and sauteed kafta. As I've said previously, kafta is so versatile. Here's yet another way we use it. This dish is the definition of comfort food and perfect for the cold weather nights. This is literally a meat and potatoes dish. It consists of kafta, potato slices stewed in a tomato broth served with middle-eastern rice pilaf. This dish is delicious, easy to make and so comforting. It's one of my favorites and I'm sure after you try it, it'll become one of yours.
These sugar cookie mini cheesecake bars are a perfect party snack. They're rich and not too sweet, perfect for your sugar cookie fix and so easy to make. These bars are a wonderful alternative to cupcakes for parties. Give 'em a try!
Christmas is coming and although this year may be different, feel different, and look different, that's no reason not to still go all out. In fact, that's even more of a reason as to why you should go all out. Enjoy this time with your loved ones as much as you can. This chocolate yule log cake may seem intimidating, but it's easier to make than you think. It takes a little prep work and a little time, but the beautiful and delicious end result is well worth it.
When it comes to pumpkin pie, you're either a fan or a hater. I used to think pumpkin pie was disgusting. But, in all honesty, I thought that prior to even trying it. Then, one magical day in culinary school, we made pumpkin pie and got to eat our assignment at the end. It was then and there I was dead wrong about pumpkin pie all this time. It's filled with the flavor of warm holiday spices and the creamy texture is perfect. This pumpkin pie is not traditional in the sense that it's lighter in texture than a traditional pie. We use both egg whites and whipped heavy cream to lighten this pie up. It's light, creamy and so tasty.
Thanksgiving is coming up soon! I'm so excited about that because it's by far my favorite holiday. The combination of family, football, and of course, food makes it pretty hard to top. When we talk Thanksgiving, obviously we're talking turkey. But, one of the other main staples of the day is the mashed potatoes. It's a perfect side dish to mound your chicken, turkey, and biscuits on.
There are so many different ways to make mashed potatoes. It's incredibly versatile. It's also very easy to make and the perfect complement to your main dishes. However, despite being easy to make, it's also pretty easy to mess up if you're not careful. The last thing we want is blandly undercooked, overcooked, or over mashed gummy mashed potatoes.
This apple cheesecake is a bit of work, but it easily makes up for it in looks and taste. There's nothing better than the texture contrast of the creamy cheesecake, the semi-soft sautéed apples, and the slight crunch from the crust. This cheesecake is big on flavor. It's full of the robust spices and flavors we expect from the Fall season. As I said, it's a bit of work, but when you take one bite, you'll melt into such pure bliss that you won't even care.
With Fall out in full force right now, I had to bring you this recipe. These muffins are perfect for those crisp air Fall mornings. Moist, light and flavorful muffins that are so easy to make. They need some time to rest in the fridge for the batter to settle, which makes this a great make-ahead recipe. Your brunch guests will enjoy them, your kids will enjoy them and you will enjoy them. So flavorful, moist, fluffy and easy to make!
Roasted potatoes are a wonderful side dish. When done right, they are divine. Slightly crispy, fluffy on the inside and full of flavor. Roasted potatoes that are poorly done are the worst. They're overcooked and mushy or they're undercooked and hard as a rock. They lack flavor and they lack texture. You won't get any of that with this recipe. It all starts with the right potato. The ideal potato for roasting, in my opinion, is the yellow flesh variety. When roasted, it's fluffy and creamy on the inside and slightly crispy on the outside. It's pure potato flavor, making an awesome canvas for the herbs and parmesan. Look no further than this recipe if you finally want delicious and perfectly cooked roasted potatoes.
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