Hoşgeldiniz! Welcome! This blog post isn’t the usual recipe post but instead it’s a guide to Istanbul & Cappadocia! I’ve shared everything I’ve observed and learned …and I also have a discount code that you can use if you book accommodations or activities through the travel agency, Meza Travel, that my group and I booked… Read More Turkey: Istanbul & Cappadocia
Whether it be Eid or Easter, Arabs all over the world welcome the holidays with these delightful date-stuffed semolina cookies known as Maa’moul or Ka’ak Bl Ajweh. In my family, it isn’t Eid without us dedicating a day to baking these cookies together. We surround the kitchen table and each one of us has a… Read More Maa’moul Cookies
Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and alongside the famous Ka’ak Al-Quds or Jerusalem Bread, you’ll see stacks of flower shaped bread stuffed with dates called Khubez Al-Maa’rook. Ingredients: 1 cup warm whole milk ½ cup warm water ½ cup granulated sugar 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 3½ cups all-purpose flour* 1 teaspoon ground fennel… Read More Khubez Al-Maa’rook: Bread Stuffed With Dates
I really cannot stress this enough…this shawarma is goooood. Like really good! I have a lot of picky eaters in my family and they were all impressed! Ingredients: 2 1/2 lbs boneless ribeye steak (or whatever cut you prefer) 2 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp allspice 1 tsp paprika… Read More Beef Shawarma
I’m kind of, slightly, obsessed with Turkey and all things Turkish. And so during this Ramadan, I made it my mission to make this traditional style bread. To be honest, I literally started watching tons of Youtube videos in Turkish and tried piecing together what kind of ingredients go into this bread. But it was so hard,… Read More Ramazan Pidesi – Turkish Ramadan Bread
I have such fond memories of eating Shakshuka with my late grandfather during my summers in Palestine. He used request that the shakshuka was made extra spicy. I found it pretty silly of him to make such a request, especially because it didn’t take long before his face would turn bright red from the heat and… Read More Shakshuka
Ingredients 2 cups bread flour (I used the King Arthur Flour) 1 1/4 cups warm water 1 1/2 teaspoons yeast 2 teaspoons sugar 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (You’re going to be adding olive oil to the recipe a few times so it’s easiest to divide it up into tablespoons) 1 tablespoons sea salt + 1/2 teaspoon… Read More Rosemary Sea Salt Bread
Lentils and rice. Rice and lentils. It’s simple, it’s meatless, it’s packed with protein and it’s DELICIOUS. Ingredients: 1 cup brown lentils 2 cups of medium gain rice (calrose rice) 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 heaping teaspoon cumin… Read More Mujadara – Lentils and Rice
I love love loveeeee bechamel pasta bakes …in all forms and variations. Whether it’s the Egyptian Ma’carona Bechamel or the Greek Pastitsio or a traditional Italian Lasagna …I’m all for it! The very first time I enjoyed this dish, I was visiting my Aunt Fedaa’ in Jerusalem and since then it’s been in rotation as… Read More Béchamel Pasta Bake
Falafel is best when it’s crispy on the outside and green on the inside. Here’s how I make my favorite Falafel recipe. If you’d like to enjoy your falafel in the morning, you’ve got to prep the night before. This is a fairly large recipe because the point is you make a big batch once… Read More Falafel
For so many years, my family would enjoy this savory “Turkish Pizza” known as Pide at a local restaurant. And when Wild Garden Foods came out with their Turkish Taouk seasoning, I decided to get a little creative. Ingredients 1 packet, Wild Garden Turkish Taouk Marinade 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Breast, finely cubed 1 bell… Read More Chicken Pide – Tavuklu Pide
Growing up, my siblings and I called these the “Mercedes Benz” Fatayer because the shape of them look like the inside of the famous logo. They’ve always been a favorite for my siblings and I and I believe they forever will be. Ingredients: 4 Cups Flour 2 1/4 teaspoons yeast 1 tablespoon milk powder (Nido)… Read More Fatayer Sabanikh – Spinach Pies
I sat down to write down this recipe and all I could think about is the Go Remy tabbouleh song from the early 2000’s — “Tabbouleh, Tabbouleh, Tabbouleh….makes me shake shake shake my booty” Everyone makes tabbouleh a little different — here’s how my cousin Nora taught me how to make it and this is… Read More Tabbouleh
Ka’ak Al-Quds. Stop anyone who has stepped foot in the old city of Jerusalem and ask them where or what they should eat. Of course, Ka’ak will be on the list. As you walk through the old city, you’ll see carts with stacks upon stacks of beautiful golden ka’ak. The smell and sight alone will make… Read More Ka’ak Al-Quds – Jerusalem Bread
You’re probably checking out this recipe because you’ve got some over-ripe bananas or you know that you’re going to have some in a few days 😉 Ingredients: 3 extra-ripe bananas (the more brown they are the better) 1/2 cup vanilla greek yogurt (if you don’t have vanilla yogurt, substitute plain greek yogurt) 6 tablespoons unsalted… Read More Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Muffins