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.
If I said "Lebanese food" to you, what is the first thought that comes to mind? Lebanese food is known as a flavorful, yet very healthy cuisine. I know I'm biased, but it's my favorite cuisine, with Italian being not too far behind. One of our most well-known dishes is chicken shawarma. Both beef and chicken shawarma have become trendy food items over the last few years. Their popularities have grown exponentially, especially in the U.S. during this past decade. They're tasty, widely accessible, and a great on-the-go snack.
Many of you have probably had a shawarma at your local restaurant. Let's admit it, some have been better than others. So, why leave it to chance, when you can just make it at home? This is my mom's recipe for authentic Lebanese chicken shawarma. It's much easier to make than you think and it's beyond tasty. Juicy and tender flavorful chicken wrapped in pita slathered with garlic sauce. It's the way to go moving forward.
Chicken wings are the ultimate comfort food. They're crispy, flavorful, juicy and easy to make. Fresh from the fryer, there is nothing better. This is not up for debate. Wings come in many varieties, but a heavy favorite for most are the buffalo wings. They have just enough spice to give your tastebuds a workout. My buffalo wings are not traditional in that they're breaded. I prefer breaded wings, so that's why I do it. However, I know there are many traditionalists out there. That's why I'm sharing two versions of my hot wings recipe. One that will be breaded and fried and another that is without the breading and is roasted in the oven. Why am I offering that alternative option? Well, mainly because we're having a national shortage on flour right now and the non-breaded option doesn't require flour. Also, it's considerably a healthier option, since we're roasting instead of frying. Whatever option you choose, understand you can't go wrong. Both recipes produce flavorful and amazingly juicy buffalo wings.
Last week, I shared my mom's Lebanese chicken noodle soup recipe with you. Well, this week I'm bringing you another one of mom's recipes. I'm going to show you how to make this dish that typically accompanies the chicken noodle soup in our household. Tidbeha is a Lebanese rice dish that consists of cooked basmati rice cooked in onions with minced beef, garnished with slivered toasted almonds (optional). It's a wonderful variety to the normal rice or rice pilaf we make. It's a comfort dish, so flavorful and easier to make than you think.
If you know me, you know biscuits have always been my kryptonite. I shared a recipe for two-ingredient biscuits many months ago. It's a wonderful recipe, but it's made with sour cream only. There is no shortening or butter in them. There is no buttermilk in them. So, as wonderful as it is, it's certainly not traditional. I'm going to be sharing a real traditional southern recipe within the next few months, but this is also a great recipe to have in your repertoire. Not exactly what you're southern grandmother would make, but still delicious nonetheless. I love these biscuits. They've become my go-to, because it takes the stress out of biscuit making. It produces light, tall, fluffy biscuits that would make your grandma proud.
There a few golden rules to remember when making biscuits:
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Okay, so the first key with biscuits is to begin with cold tools and ingredients and to keep them cool throughout the process.
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The second key is when you cut the biscuit out, you should NOT twist. Just go straight down and up.
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The third key is that a fluffy biscuit is produced with a cake pan that allows you to put the biscuits close together. If you want a crispier exterior, use a bigger pan or a baking sheet. That way the air can circulate around the biscuits, which will give them the crispier exterior.
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Don't overwork the dough. That means don't over-mix or overwork the dough.
Now that we have those out of the way, let's get started:
First, you want to cut the shortening and butter into ½" and ¼" pieces. Wrap them well and freeze them for about an hour.
Sift together the dry ingredients and place them in a wide, but shallow bowl. Place that bowl in the fridge for about an hour.
Butter your 8" cake pan really well. I'm using an 8" cake pan because it will yield soft and fluffy biscuits. If you want crispier biscuits, use a baking sheet or a 9 or 10" cake pan. This will allow the air to circulate so that the exterior will be crispy.
After the tools and ingredients have been in the fridge and freezer for about an hour, take the dry ingredients and fats out of the fridge. Begin by tossing the butter pads in the flour until well coated. Smash each piece between your thumb and index finger until each piece is done. Repeat this process with the shortening. The ending mixture should look like well crumbled feta. Place this mixture in the fridge for about five minutes.
After five minutes, remove the bowl from the fridge. Use a rubber spatula to form a well in the middle of the mixture. Add cold buttermilk into the well. It will overflow. That's okay. Mix until just moistened. Don't over-mix!
Use a rubber spatula, that should have been in the fridge for a while, to pour this mixture onto a lightly floured surface. I use a silicone mat, but you can use a marble slab or a wooden cutting board. I don't recommend plastic. It will stick way too much at that point. Lightly flour the top. Using well-floured hands, pat out into a round. Use a well-floured dough cutter to fold the dough in thirds. Pat into a round and fold into thirds again from the other side. Pat into a round and do this step one more time. Pat into a round.
Use a well-floured 2 ½" round cutter to cut the biscuits out. Cut as close as possible starting at the edge. Do an down and up motion to cut out the biscuits. Do Not TWIST! This will prevent the biscuits from rising, so make sure to avoid twisting.
Use a mini spatula to move the biscuits to your prepared pan. Place in the fridge for five minutes.
Take out of the fridge and dab the tops with melted butter.
Bake at 425°F for 10-14 minutes until golden brown. Out of the oven dab the tops with melted butter.
After dabbing the tops with butter, remove the biscuits from the pan by turning the pan over onto a plate or surface. Serve warm!
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- 2 cups White Lily flour + more for flouring surface and dough
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chilled butter, cut into ¼" pieces
- ¼ cup chilled shortening, cut into ½" pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Softened or melted unsalted butter for brushing.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Prepare your cake pan, pizza pan or ovenproof skillet. Butter the pan liberally.
Sift together the salt, baking powder and two cups of flour in a bowl. The bowl should be wide and not too deep.
Scatter the ¼" size chilled butter over the flour and work in by rubbing fingers with fat and flour, like a snapping motion. Continue doing this until they are medium-sized round pieces, like well-crumbled feta cheese.
Do the same with the ½" size shortening pieces.
Shake the bowl occasionally to allow the larger pieces of fat to show themselves, so you can rub them out.
After this, place the bowl in the fridge for about five minutes.
Take the bowl out of the fridge and make a deep well in the center of the flour with the back of your hand. Pour ¾ cup of buttermilk into the well and reserve ¼ cup of buttermilk to the side.
Stire with a rubber spatula, using broad circular strokes to quickly pull the flour into the milk.
Mix until JUST combined. The dry ingredients should be moistened and the dough should begin to pull away from sides of the bowl. If there is some flour remaining on the bottom or sides of the bowl, stir in one to four tablespoons of the reserved ¼ cup buttermilk. Just enough until the dough is shaggy and wettish. If it becomes too wet, add a bit more flour when shaping the dough.
Lightly sprinkle board or other clean surface with the reserved flour. Turn the dough out and sprinkle the top lightly with flour. With floured hands, fold the dough in half and pat dough out into ⅓ to ½" thick round, being mindful of the amount of flour your using. Flour, if needed, and fold again in half. If the dough is still clumply, repeat folding procedure.
With well-floured hands, pat dough out into ½" thick round for normal biscuit, ¾" for tall biscuit and 1" for giant biscuits.
Brush off any visible flour from top and sides of biscuit. For each biscuit, dip a 2 ½" round cutter into reserved flour and cut out the biscuits. MAKE SURE YOU DON"T TWIST THE CUTTER. Go up and down, don't twist. Start cutting out at the outer edge and cut very close together.
Scraps may be combined to make additional biscuits, but they'll be tougher than the first batch.
Use a metal spatula or scrapers to move biscuits to your prepared pan. Bake on the top rack for about 10-14 minutes or until lightly golden brown. After six minutes in oven, rotate pan then continue baking for about four to eight minutes.
When biscuits are finished and right out of the oven, brush the tops with the softened or melted butter.
Turn the biscuits out upside down on a plate and enjoy hot.
Notes
Biscuits are best fresh and day of. No exceptions. Sorry. Use unsalted butter. If you only have salted butter, decrease the salt in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon. Keep everything cold throughout the process.
Biscuits have always been my kryptonite. I've made gateau and tortes. I've made puff pastries and homemade ice cream. Not showing off, but I'm trying to tell you that I've made some really labor intensive things. European foods, no problem. But, something as down-home and easy as biscuits has always befuddled me. I don't know what it is. I mean, the process is easy. Most recipes are only a few ingredients. Regardless, I always end up with hockey pucks. Well, after much trial, error and research, I've found a recipe that anyone can execute. When I say anyone, I mean anyone. If you're a biscuit dunce like I am, well I urge you to give this recipe a try. There are only two ingredients and the process is very simple. This may be our gateway recipe to becoming biscuit masters. Hey, we can wish, right?
There are some keys to success with this recipe. First, you want to ensure your ingredients are cold. We start with cold ingredients and then chill them throughout the process also. Secondly, we want a nice hot preheated oven. Thirdly, don't overdo it. Don't over mix and don't overwork the dough. Be gentle, like it's your baby. Fourthly, don't twist when cutting out your dough with your cutter. Twisting the cutter in the dough will cause the dough to not rise. We obviously, don't want that to happen. Keep in mind, if you want more than four biscuits and a nice soft biscuit, I recommend you double this recipe. You'll yield more and by yielding more, you'll be able to pack more into the pan which will give you a nice soft biscuit, instead of the crispy biscuit I opted for. By using the 8" or 9" cake pan and packing in the biscuits and nestling them together, you'll get a nice soft exterior, because there won't be a lot of air circulation. If you do double the batch and still prefer a crispier biscuit, bake this on a regular baking sheet. This will allow the air to circulate, making a crispier exterior.
Start by fork-sifting or regularly sifting the two cups of flour. Set aside the ¼ cup of flour as well, in case.
Place the flour in the fridge for about five to ten minutes. Make a hollow in the center of the flour and pour in the 1 cup of sour cream. You can thin out the sour cream slightly with a little milk, if it's too thick. It's not really necessary though. Use the ¼ cup of sour cream on the side, if you find the mixture is too dry.
With a rubber spatula, use a broad circular motion to blend the sour cream and flour until the flour is moistened. The dough should be sticky and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Lightly sprinkle the board with some of the flour you reserved. Turn the dough out onto the board and begin to pat it lightly. Fold the dough in half and pat the dough out into a ½" round and then fold it again. Using a little flour on top if needed. Also, make sure your hands are floured. Pat dough out into a ½" or ¾" thickness. Dip your 2 ½" biscuit cutter into the flour and cut out the biscuits really close together. Ensure you don't TWIST!!! I"m serious. Just go up and down, when cutting them. Brush off the excess flour and place them in a buttered cake pan or sheet pan, depending on the exterior you're looking for.
Place the cake pan or baking sheet in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 475°F. Once the time in the freezer is up, bake at 450°F for 15-20 minutes. At the halfway point, rotate the pan and ensure the bottoms are not browning too quickly. If they are, place a baking sheet on the bottom rack to help with the insulation. When the biscuits are lightly brown, take them out and immediately brush some butter on the tops. Turn on out to a plate and let them cool upside down.
Serve hot or warm, while right side up. Great with butter or jam.
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing
- ¼ cup sour cream, if needed
- ¼ cup self-rising flour, if needed
Instructions
Start by fork-sifting or regularly sifting the two cups of flour. Set aside the ¼ cup of flour as well, in case.
Place the sifted flour in the fridge for about five to ten minutes.
Take the flour out of the fridge and make a hollow in the center and pour in the 1 cup of sour cream. Set aside ¼ cup of sour cream. Use the ¼ cup of sour cream on the side, if you find the mixture is too dry.
With a rubber spatula, use a broad circular motion to blend the sour cream and flour until the flour is moistened. The dough should be sticky and pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Lightly sprinkle the board with some of the flour you reserved. Turn the dough out onto the board and begin to pat it lightly. Fold the dough in half and pat the dough out into a ½" round and then fold it again. Using a little flour on top if needed. Also, make sure your hands are floured. Pat dough out into a ½" or ¾" thickness. Dip your 2 ½" biscuit cutter into the flour and cut out the biscuits really close together. Ensure you don't twist. Just go up and down, when cutting them and be gentle.
Brush off the excess flour and place them in a buttered cake pan or sheet pan, depending on the exterior you're looking for.
Place the cake pan or baking sheet in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Once the time in the freezer is up, turn down the oven and bake at 450°F for 15-20 minutes.
Melt the butter for brushing at this point.
At the halfway point, rotate the pan and ensure the bottoms are not browning too quickly. If they are, place a baking sheet on the bottom rack to help with the insulation. When the biscuits are lightly golden brown, take them out and immediately brush some butter on the tops. Turn on out to a plate and let them cool upside down and serve warm!
Notes
You can thin out the sour cream slightly with a little milk, if it's too thick. It's not really necessary though. Be careful not to over mix or over pat. Be gentle with the dough. Don't twist when cutting out your biscuits. It won't rise if you do so. Make sure your flour and sour cream are really cold and your oven is preheated.
There are plenty of great tasting dressings out there. Thousand island, Greek, French, blue cheese and so one. But hands down, I'm a ranch girl. Ranch is the only way to go for me. And if I'm going to go with ranch, I'm going to do it right. None of that beige colored thick blob of garbage you'd find at your local supermarket. You know what particular brand I'm talking about, right?
Well, I'm good on all that nastiness. I want mine made the right way. And the right way is homemade. The real stuff. Real ranch should be pourable, white and filled with herbs. Homemade ranch is so easy to make, I'm surprised more people don't make it or don't know how to make it. It's the perfect topping for an easy, quick salad with croutons and grated cheese on top. Yum! If you're ranch obsessed like I am, I'll do you a favor. I'll save you from the bottled garbage. Here's an easy and delicious ranch dressing recipe.
I like to use the big measuring cups to measure and mix in. Why? Because, who the heck wants more dishes.
We're going to start by adding in the sour cream.
Next, let's add in some mayo. Mayo haters, you will not taste it in here. I promise. It's just to emulsify the dressing and thicken it a bit.
Pour in the buttermilk.
Add in the minced garlic and mince shallot, if you're opting to add in shallot too.
Chop up the parsley, dill and chives finely and add to the buttermilk mixture. You can use flat leaf or curly parsley.
Season with freshly cracked black pepper and salt. I'm using sea salt, but Kosher or table salt is fine. If you don't have a pepper mill, use regular black pepper. I go easy on the seasoning and adjust if needed later.
Give it a good mix with a whisk until smooth.
Store the spare ranch dressing in a plastic container with a lid. Refrigerate for up to a week. Enj
I'm enjoying my homemade buttermilk ranch with a quick salad.
See how I do it:
Ingredients
- 8 fl. oz. sour cream
- 8 fl. oz. mayonnaise
- 4 fl. oz. buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon flat leaf or curly parsley
- 1 tablespoon chives
- 1 tablespoon dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon shallots (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients and mix until smooth and combined well.
Taste and adjust lemon, salt and pepper if needed.
Refrigerate any spare dressing in a plastic container w/ lid in the fridge for up to a week.
Enjoy!
Is there anything more comforting than a big bowl of hot cheesy, creamy macaroni and cheese? I would say no. For one, it sticks to your ribs. Secondly, we all have some sort of childhood memories of it. Whether it's a family recipe or the blue box we all grew up on. We all loved that blue box. But as we grow we start to realize the things that tasted good to us as children, isn't the best for our children. We all know the preservatives and bad stuff in the blue box. So, is there a way to replicate creamy and cheesy macaroni and cheese at home? Well, of course there is! This recipe is very easy and yields what I believe to be the ultimate in cheesy and creamy macaroni and cheese.