Archive
February 13, 2013
Tonight was one of those nights when I wasn’t really sure what to cook for dinner. So I decided to cook a favorite that my mom used to make, Hamburger Steak with Mushroom Onion Gravy. My daughter loves mushrooms so I figured I would add a few mushrooms to the mix to give it a little flair. I knew it would go great with my Vermicelli Rice or Sehriyeli Pilav. Boy was I right, it was a match made...
February 12, 2013
One would think that pita bread is difficult to make at home but it is really quite simple. Just a few ingredients, a pizza stone and a hot, hot oven and you can enjoy really delicious pita bread. Now it is not going to be as good as what you could get from a bakery in Turkey or a Middle Eastern Bakery but it will definitely be better than what you can buy packaged here in the States. So...
February 11, 2013
My great-nephew wanted me to make a cake for his grandmother. He said she liked Almond Vanilla cake with Fudge icing. I Googled it and saw several recipes for gluten free almond cakes but nothing that looked like what she would be wanting, so I made up my own recipe. The recipe makes three layers but since we had more people at my house, I iced one layer for her and two for us. So if you...
February 11, 2013
In my book, cauliflower is an underrated vegetable. It is pretty versatile as well. It can be used raw or blanched in salads, it can be mashed, it can be fried or roasted and it can be used in casseroles. You could also make my recipe for Cauliflower and Potato Gratin or Peynirli Patatesli Karnibahar. I came up with this recipe a little by accident. I had a few potatoes that I wanted to use up so I figured...
February 11, 2013
One of my favorite kinds of dolmas are etli kabak dolması which is zucchini stuffed with meat. I decided to make some tonight. My sister, Kim had given me some big beautiful tomatoes that she had bought at Smith Sisters produce stand in Attalla. I thought they would look really good with the zucchini so I used them as well. I think the tomatoes give a nice visual appeal. These dolmas are delicious on their own however they are...
February 7, 2013
Well, it has been cold again here the last few days so I thought I should make a nice hearty soup to warm us up. This Hearty White Bean and Kale soup really has a lot of flavor . The bright colors of the kale and carrots let you know that it is very healthy as well. If you are vegetarian, you could leave the meat out. I would love to be able to say my usual which is...
February 7, 2013
Around my house, I am known as the “Queen” of Sandwiches. I am not kidding. I can have some ingredients in the fridge that look like they might be sandwich material and my daughter might say something like “Were you planning on making a “sandwich?” Now I am not talking about two pieces of bread with a couple slices of deli meat and a little cheese sandwiches. Although I do make those well too ;-)! I mean a hearty,...
February 6, 2013
Silky, creamy potatoes are one of my favorite side dishes. They always take me back to my childhood. Sometimes, my mother would use a potato smasher but other times she would get out her handheld mixer and in a couple of minutes of clicking and whirring, she would produce the lightest fluffiest most delicious creamed potatoes. Of course, they were always served with something fantastic like meatloaf, fried cubed steak, fried chicken or salmon patties. I loved them...
February 5, 2013
Around our house, Mondays tend to be pretty hectic. Since we had already planned to go for a walk on the gorgeous Black Creek trail near my house with my sister and nephew, I knew I had better put something in the crock pot for dinner. Usually, I make the normal everyday ground beef tacos, but I was in the mood for something a little different today. The recipe I have for you is something I came up...
February 4, 2013
I bought some boneless chicken thighs from the grocery store yesterday and wasn’t really sure what I was going to make. I actually did not realize they were skinless until I started to open the package. I wanted to do something with lemon and garlic but I didn’t want it to be too lemony. Well, the recipe I came up with was fantastic. The sauce was so delicious that I literally wanted to drink it by itself. The garlic...
February 3, 2013
While there are over a hundred varieties of potatoes in America, there are thousands of ways they can be prepared. Potatoes are broken down into the following categories: yellow, white, russet, red, blue or purple, fingerling and petite. Potatoes can be sliced, chopped, diced, cubed or served whole. They can be boiled, fried, creamed, pureed, or baked. They can be used in soups and stews and casseroles. When we were small and my mother would be cooking dinner, we would even sneak...
February 1, 2013
Americans are crazy about Ranch Dip or Ranch Sauce with just about everything including Chicken Fingers, Baked Potatoes, Salads, Fries and raw veggies. I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of raw veggies on their own, but give me a little dip that tastes delicious and I really enjoy them. I like Ranch too, but not the stuff you get out of a bottle with all those preservatives. I started making this creamy feta sauce for my...
