and on..

my husband introduced me to the cotton candy flovoured icecream by baskin robbins and its AMAZING.

those beautifully colored bead looking things are actually pistachio covered i dunno what! tastes like milk but icecream at room temp? weird all i know is you cant stop poping them into your mouth!

those macaroons were crazy! my beautiful lil cousin “my chocolate” and i just sat there and took a bite of every single one just like you do with a box of chocolates lookin at each other like YAY? 🙂 or NAY ? 😦 lol its always fun with my chocolate i love her so much.

ok so there was green tea, vanilla , raspberry, mocha, lemon, and the best of all salted caramel! thats the pic i bit into

childhood favorites the list goes on

food, nostalgia,sugar,sugar crystals,almonds,simsim,rahash,tahina,bubblegum,oldschool,kulfi,icecream,candy,sprial lollipop

Munchies I L.o.v.e

Italian Icecream ..just look at it  its beautiful!

KDD kuwaiti brand raspberry ice lolly  ! mmm so refreshing !  they have it in most countries in the gulf.

its yUMMY its MIlky even though it says “lolly” its like a frozen banana milkshake!

a classic.

arabian soulfood. its amazing what miracles leftovers can make

arabian soul food

the recipe :

1.cooked shredded chicken – set aside

2.mice meat fried with onion,7 spice mix and a half Maggi chicken stock cube – set aside.

3.white basmati rice 2 cups cooked with vermecili 1/2 cup – you add some butter and a little olive oil to the pot , and a maggi chicken cube then add the vermicelli and fry it until it gets to a nice golden brown color, then add the rice mix it and add water . cook it as you would normally cook rice – set aside.

4. mix the cooked rice with the cooked mice meat and put in your dish.

5. add the shredded chicken on the top and scatter toasted almonds and pine nuts (the more the better)

6. drizzle tahina sauce over the dish …..mmmmm enjoy.

Tres leches cake

Tres leches cake spanish for ” three milk cake” a very poplular cake in latin america. its a sponge cake thats soaked in three types of milk..are ya’ll ready for this…here we go.. 1.evaporated milk 2.condensed milk and 3.heavy cream.  ( i just teared up there a little bit…just sounds so beautiful doesnt it?…condensed milk….oh my gosh my heart just skipped a beat again..

ok going back to the cake..its really light and airy the egg whites help give it that texture since it doesnt have any butter in it.

The story behind this Beautiful heaven sent cake.

one of my cousins first told me about this cake and i looked it up online and just stared at it ..imagining how amazing it would taste but i didnt make it because i wanted to try an authentic one first.. i know it sounds silly but i guess at the time i didnt have enough faith in my baking and i didnt want to get it wrong i wanted the full effect lol..anyway a few years went by and my brother had a friend over from university her name was mariah and she was mexican, really sweet girl and me loving mexican food got chitchatting i declared my eternal love for “pelon pelon rico” this Amazing tamarind sweet chilli candy paste that im addicted to its shaped like an injection and you push out the pulp ..my mouth is literally watering thinking of it ( i ran out i need to order another stash..) anyway i mentioned this cake and she was like yeahhh i know how to make it ill make it for you .. i was like ohh thanks thats so sweet ( never thought she actually would! ) 3 days later a ring at the door bell and this beautiful cake all 4 me ..i love her to this day! she even sent me the tamarind candy i love her! anyway i went on a crazy recipe for this cake last night talk about “MIDNIGHT BAKING” ( i love it its the best time to bake) and i found one on this amazing website “www.thepioneerwomen.com” i think im in love with her ! her food looks so yummy her recipes are fantastic you Must check it out . she’s got step by step photos on her website so you know how your going along.

Prep Time: 45 Minutes  |  Cook Time: 1 Hour  |  Difficulty: Easy  |  Servings: 12

1 cup All-purpose Flour

• 1-1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 5 whole Eggs
• 1 cup Sugar, Divided
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1/3 cup Milk
• 1 can Evaporated Milk
• 1 can Sweetened, Condensed Milk
• 1/4 cup Heavy Cream
• _____
• FOR THE ICING:
• 1 pint Heavy Cream, For Whipping
• 3 Tablespoons Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan liberally until coated.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate eggs.

Beat egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Stir in milk and vanilla. Pour egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir very gently until combined.

Beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer on, pour in remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Fold egg white mixture into the batter very gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a rimmed platter and allow to cool.

Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream in a small pitcher. When cake is cool, pierce the surface with a fork several times. Slowly drizzle all but about 1 cup of the milk mixture—try to get as much around the edges of the cake as you can.

Allow the cake to absorb the milk mixture for 30 minutes. To ice the cake, whip 1 pint heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of sugar until thick and spreadable.
Spread over the surface of the cake. Decorate cake with whole or chopped maraschino cherries. Cut into squares and serve.

and here is my cake 🙂

The perfect Date cake

 

my one and only date cake recipe, Iv tried so many and at last i adapted this from a couple of recipes and its the only one I’ll ever use again… perfect I tell YA .

recipe:

200g dates (remove seeds)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup warm milk

150g butter (room temp)

120g sugar (or less depending on how sweet your dates are)

3 eggs (room temp)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1. sift the flour, baking soda and baking powder set aside.

2. steam the dates with 1/2 cup water till soft about 10min them mash with the milk as smooth as you can get it .

3. beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy.

4. add eggs one at a time beating well in between.

5. add the vanilla and the mashed dates mix well.

6. fold in the sifted flour mix dont over mix just until well incorporated.

7. pour into a well-greased pan lined with parchment paper.

8.decorate with sliced almonds.

9.bake in preheated oven at 180 C for about 45 min and skewer is clean.

tips : you can add desiccated coconut to the batter and some chopped pecans. yumm.

bil3afia. enjoy.

perfect with afternoon tea. hey i live in London Tea time is like breakfast what do you want from me? 😛 ( im not even a tea fan Shh doNT Tell the Queen.)

 

my yummy Bachamel

 

recipie for this is so easy all you need is :

1. pasta (penne or macaroni) boilled with some olive oil drained and set aside.

2. mince meat fried with white onion a little garlic , half a maggi cube, fresh diced parsley and ( 7 spice mix) I use the “abido” black packets. cook that and udjust the taste to your liking. once cooked set aside.

3. Bachamel (white sauce) :  you could buy the ready mix and read the back of the pack or make your own :

4 to 5 heaped TBS of cornflour (you could also use plain flour ): in a dry pan cook the flour for about 5 min on med heat. then add some butter and some olive oil and mix just until the mix starts to form a Roux basically all sticks together .

4. slowly add warm milk (about 1 litre or more depending on how thick you want it and how much your making) you’ll know as you go along.

keep whisking as it thickens add milk if you feel its to thick. to that add a chicken maggi cube and a 1/2 a tsp of yellow powder and 1/2 a tsp of paprika. and taste . i add a handful of cheese to the bachemel but be careful its not too salty ( i used mozarellla ,cheddar,and leister) .

5. once your done with those steps its just a matter of layering . so layer and cover the top with cheese. i used the same blend of cheese on the top and put in the over untill golden brown .

let me know if you have any Q’s. bil3afia.

Pineapple upsidedown cake Um burhan’s Recipie

this pineapple upside-down cake is honestly one of the best my family and I have tried first of all it’s not the usual vanilla sponge base its more of a Basboosa base its light its caramely its sticky and its got a hint of something “3arabi” that i cant put my finger on… oh I know it’s probably that motherly love that went into it 🙂

thank you so much khalty we DESTROYED it in 24hours 🙂  shukran.

I love giving food as gifts ,cookies, cakes whatever it is its that much more special when its homemade. the fact that someone made the effort to take time out of their day to make you something is really sweet.

so thank you again khalty we LOVED IT !

as soon as i get my hands on the recipe I will for sure post it inshalah.

here’s a little piece for you all to admire 🙂

karabij halab?

crunchy biscuity pistashioey nutty base with a creamy thick marshmellowy cream.

what more can i say.. other than…

O.M.G i saw it on this tv show called “food safari” the show on syrian food part 2/2 ( really cool show check it out on you tube)

anyway. it looks way cooler on the show. i went crazy trying 2 find out what this was ..i even asked my syrian friend and SHE WAS FASCINATED by it 2 coz its from Halab thats not where she’s from ANYWAY ANYWAY. just look at it. … again… and  again…
I did my research and good news. 1st of all that marshmallowy cream is made of something called “natef” also known as Roots of saponaria officinalis. Also used to wash carpets. Weird I know. Anyway what happens is it’s boiled Then whipped up. I’ll post recipe below . Then the biscuiti base can be made as cookies too names whipps of aleppo

Whips of Aleppo (Karabij Halab)

Superfine sugar is also known as fruit sugar; it is sold in supermarkets. Mahlab (ground black cherry pits) is sold in Middle Eastern shops. So is rose water.

1/4 cup warm water + 1-1/2 tbsp water

8 g package yeast (2-1/4 tsp)

1 tbsp + 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup finely ground pistachios

1/4 cup superfine sugar

1 tsp rose water

1 lb (450 g) fine semolina

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tsp mahlab

1/4 cup warm whole milk

Marshmallow cream or whipped cream to taste (optional)

In measuring cup, stir together 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and yeast. Let sit 10 minutes, until frothy

Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir together pistachios, superfine sugar, 1-1/2 tablespoons water and rose water until blended.

In medium bowl, mix semolina, butter, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and mahlab with fingers, blending well. Form well in centre. Pour in yeast mixture and milk. Mix with hands, then knead into dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Form dough into walnut-sized balls. Take 1 ball and form hollow with index finger. Place 1 teaspoon pistachio mixture in hollow, then pinch to close. Shape into cylinder. Place on greased baking sheet. Pat down into oval shape. Repeat with remaining balls.

Bake in preheated 300F oven 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before serving. If desired, serve marshmallow cream or whipped cream alongside for dipping.

Makes 30 to 35.

And for the marshmallowy natef it’s made like this :

Natef

Makes 500 g

60 g soapwort root

600 ml water

For the syrup

350 g sugar

100 ml water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon rose water

1 tablespoon orange blossom water

Rinse the soapwort under cold water to clean it from the earth that is still clinging to it. Put in a pan together with the water. Place over a medium heat and bring to a boil. Watch the soapwort as it comes to the boil as it will foam up and may boil over. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by three quarters. You should be left with 150 ml of the water, which by then will have become brown.

While the soapwort is simmering, prepare the syrup. Put the water, sugar and lemon juice in a pan and bring to a boil over a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Let boil for 3 minutes then add the fragrant waters. Mix well. Take off the heat.

Strain the soapwort liquid into a large mixing bowl and, using an electric beater, whisk until the water has become a white, rather shiny foam – rather unbelievable but true. The miraculous transformation is due to the saponin in the soapwort.

Gradually add the sugar syrup to the foam as the beater is still whisking until you have used it all up and you have a fluffy, stretchy dip/sauce – you can use a little less syrup if you want your dip less sweet.

Check out For full details and pictures
http://www.anissas.com/blog1/?p=2432

I havent yet tried it but I will as soon as I get my hands on that root! If your gonna do it u gotta do it right! Right.

my mission. FIND AND EAT.

maglooba (Dima Dib’s MOMs recipie)

“Be who you are & say what you want, coz those who mind don’t matter , and those who matter don’t mind”

heard that somewhere..cant remember where…I probably wouldnt have remembered it at all if I didn’t find it written on a piece of paper today in all my junk, my long-term memory is…wait what was i saying..? 😉 lol that’s what pregnancy does 2 ya girlzz ! that’s y it was written down!

im so hungry!.. whats new right…trying out one of my Best friends mom’s recipes of betinjan maglooba! calm down… i will post the recipe ..after i EAT! mm love betinjan .

(it’s basically a layered aubergine,rice and mince meat dish) that you FLIP upside down once its done.mmmm i remember my best friend ,she’s more like a sister she’s family. inviting me over eveytime her mom made it..we pretty much grew up next door to eachother then they moved to Canada.. 😦 but that’s life everyone moves ..but 7amdulla we get to see each other often .. dont you just Love Skype ! love it love it love ! its Genius.

i had this crazy craving for it yesterday and made her email me the exact recipie to the T. at about 6 in the morning her time . lol just befor she had to go to work . i love you D 😉 shukran!!! mwah mwah mwah mm this spells so good .. gtg

i love you Dimz  😉

here’s the email she send me :

Hello my precious sister…

 
U’re very lucky that I love you sooooo much cuz I just woke up…. 
 
anyways… I can’t believe I’m doing this!!!!! U’ve turned me intoo another you!!! AAGGGHHHHHHHHH
 
Start by peeling 3-4 eggplantes, remove the skin and slice 2 cm thick, preheat oil in a pan, once oil is hot, start to fry the eggplant, remove when the eggplante turns golden brown.
 
in a pan add 5 table spoons on vegitable oil and add ground beef (1.2 lbs) add salt, black pepper, all spice, nutmeg (to your liking). Keep stirring until cooked.
 
In a bowl, add 3 cups of basmati rice, rinse it out in hot water until water is clear, then add hot water to cover the rice and keep on the side for 5 minutes. This will soak the rice to make it easier to cook.
 
In the pan with the beef, keep beef on the bottom, smooth it in the pan, then add half the rice on top of the beef, smooth it out in the pan, then add the eggplantes to ensure a layer of effplantes in the pan, then lastley add the remaining rice. Then add water to the pan (6 cups), then add some salt (to your liking) *IMPORTANT* Cover the pan with the lid….keep on medium heat until water starts to boil, then bring the heat down to low and let it cook slowly. It should take around 10-20 minutes depending on your stove. Please keep an eye out incase water runs out quickly, if so taste the rice,if it is still uncooked, add a little bit of water  ensure heat is on low and cover it back with the lid until it is cooked.
 
Once it is cooked, remove the lid, grab a big tray put it on topof the pan facing downwards and flip the pan into the tray, it should look like a cake and then you can serve it…
 
This dish can be served with salad or yogourt
 
Hope you like it =)


Regards,
Dima Dib