Date Cookies

Cookie Dough 

• 200 gm butter          
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 eggs
• 1/2 cup powder milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon yeast
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
• 1/8 teaspoon mastic gum
•  1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 kilogram flour

 Step for cookie dough

• mix butter and oil well
• Now add the eggs and vanilla and beat till the mixer is pale in color.
• Add powdered milk and beat till the mix becomes creamy 
• Add the yeast, baking powder, mastic, cinnamon, ground fennel and mix well
• Add the flour slowly and knead the dough until you get a smooth and soft dough however,you may not need the whole amount of flour, Allow the dough to rest for 40 minutes.  Shape  dough into 1/2 the sized of golf ball, cover and set aside.

Cookie Filling 

• 1 lb date puree. 
• 1/4 cup butter, 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon,
•  1/2 teaspoon cardamom

Kneaded date puree, butter, cinnamon, and cardamom then shape small balls about 1/4 the size of the dough balls.

Shaping Date Cookies

• Flatten the dough ball then place the date ball inside and seal the dough around the date filling. Make sure the filling is completely cover by the dough and shape it into a ball.
• Use a cookie mold to shape cookies to your desire or shape cookies by hand.
• Bake cookies in a preheat oven at 325 degree for 9-12 minutes or until lightly brown
• please note...this cookie will burn easily so keep an eye on it.
• when cookies are bake to desire likeness, remove them from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet before removing it.

Miso Seaweed Soup

Ingredients:
😍6 cups water or vegetable stock
😍6 dry shiitake mushrooms
😍6-8 dry anchovies
😍1/2 med daikon peeled, washed, and cut into chunks
😍1 Lg carrot washed, peeled, and cut into chunks
😍8 ounes tofu cut into chunks
😍2 tablespoone minced ginger and garlic
😍1 tablespoon #soysauce
😍1 tablespoon sesame oil
Black pepper to taste
😍1/4 cup wakame
😍2 tablespoons miso paste dissolve in 1/4cup water
😍Chopped green onions

STEP:
1😋 In a soup pot over medium heat, add dry anchovies and heat for 10-15 seconds then add water, daikon, and dry mushrooms. Bring to a rolling boil then lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes
2😋Add all ingredients except wakame, creen onion, tofu, and miso paste. Continue simmer for another 10 minutes.
3😋 Add the ingredients listed in step2... Make sure you stove is definitely set to simmer ( do not want to loose the nutrients in wakame and miso) for 5-10 minutes.
4😍we eat, Enjoy!

Coconut Ricotta Squares

                             Ingredients                           
1 cup ricotta
1 can sweetened condense milk
1/4 cup icing sugar ... omit sugar if used sweetened coconut powder
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp almond extract
3-4 cups unsweetened coconut powder ... Ive toasted coconut powder lightly to bring out a fresh coconut taste
almonds for garnish
coconut for coating
Steps:

1. Mix ricotta, icing sugar, condense milk, almond and vanilla extract until smooth, stir in 3 cups coconut powder then mixed to combine all ingredients. Add a few drops of food color if desire. Keep adding coconut powder until truffles get firm.
2. in a pan line with parchment paper spread coconut ricotta mixture. Cut to desire sizes then garnish with almond and coconut flakes. Chilled for few minute before serving.
3. Enjoy :)

Lentil with Moroccan Spice Mix

Lentil with Moroccan Spice Mix 

Ingredients: 

2-3 Tbsp oil...olive or canola 

2-1/2 cups water 

1 cup whole brown lentils (I use Canadian small lentil) 
1tsp whole cumin 

1 small yellow onion, peeled and diced 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp turmeric 

1 tsp ground ginger 

1 tsp paprika 

½ tsp cayenne 

½tsp Ras al hanout (optional) 

salt and pepper to taste 

zest plus juice of half lemon 

Method:

1. Heat a pot over medium heat;add olive oil and chopped onion, cook for about 2 minutes. 

2. Add lentil and stir; allow to cook for another 2-3 minutes until onion is lightly golden. 

3. Add all other ingredients except lemon zest and juice. Cooked for another minute to bring together all flavors while spice mix coated lentil.  

4. Add water to lentil and bring to a rolling boil,lower heat,cover pot, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.   

5. Stir the lemon zest  and allow lentils to fully cooked.Gentle stir lentil to prevent breaking and to hold their shape until sauce is absorbed. P.S.If the lentils look too dry, just add a bit more water. When lentil is finish, remove from stove and let rest10-15 minutes to absorb any excess sauce). 

6. Before serving, taste to adjust seasoning . Stir in lemon juice and garnish with cilantro or parsley also drizzled with some good olive oil. 

7. Enjoy! 
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Meatless Stuffed Peppers topped with Gouda and Pamesan Cheese

Meatless Stuffed Peppers

Great dish for vegetarian and a lovely way to incoporate basmatie rice into stuffings.

1. 5 large italian peppers
2. Washed pepper, cut into halves and blanced for 5 minuted to remove bitterness then drain off excess water and set aside. 

Preparing basmatie rice and vegetable stuffing:

• 1 cup basmatie rice, 1 cup water,
• 1 carrot diced, 1 tablespoon olive oil
• In a pot over medium heat, add oil and rice and toasted lightly. 
• Add water and carrot; stir and bring to a boil then
•  lower heat to simmer for 15 minutes.

Add 1/4 cup green peas
5 chopped mushrooms ( your choice or optional)
2 sprigs chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
5 cloves chopped garlic
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
salt and pepper to taste ...
 simmer over low heat for another
5-7 minutes until all liquid is absorbed

Vegetables Rice Stuffing

Making Sauce and Stuffing Peppers:

1. Tomato puree with a dash  garlic powder, some chilli powder, and herbs or your choice. Sauce is about 1 cup
2. In a oven prove dish, add enough sauce to coat bottom of baking dish

add a bit more sauce
before add cheeses of your choice

Already looking Yummy!

Add a little sauce to
 the peppers before filled
 with vegetable rice stuffing 

 Baking Time:

1. Sprinkle stuffed peppers with cheeses of your choice. Here I've used gouda and parmesan cheese.
2. Bake in a pre-heated oven @350 degrees for 30 minutes or until pepper is tender

 ENJOY!

Orange Basmatie Rice

Orange Basmatie Rice

I love rice whether it's plain or infused with unique flavors. Here I've prepared fresh orange infused basmatie rice and it's very simple to do.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil (I used either canola or olive)

1 cup basmatie rice

1/4 small onion peeled, washed and chopped

2 tablespoons raisins or currants

1 orange zested and juiced

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup shredded carrots

pinch of cinnamon, sea salt, and black pepper to taste

For garnished:

raisins

semi orange slices

powder sugar

roasted chopped almond

cinnamon

OR simply garnished as you please

Method:

• In a pot over medium heat, add oil and rice. Gentle stir until lightly toasted. Now added chopped onion and cooked for another 1-2 minutes until onion is soft.
• Add water, orange juice, carrot, raisins,cinnamon, salt, pepper, and orange zest... bring to a boil...when boiled, stir again and cover pot then lower heat to simmer rice for about 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
• Removed from heat and let rest for another 3-5 minutes before fluffed with a fork. Becareful not to break the beautiful long rice grains.
• plate into a serving platter and garnish as you please.

Enjoy!

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For instant sweet dessert jalaibee / zalabeya

I've made jalaibee quite a few time and found the flavor to be too bland and sugary. So with a little experimenting with different flavors, I came up with the recipe below that is pleasing to my family's taste. I do hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy the pleasant taste and aroma along with a really nice crunch to every bite . 

Jalaibee / zalabeya Ingredients:
1 cup durum flour
1 cup water
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon yeast 
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder
1/8 teaspoon fennel powder
1 teaspoon vinegar
few drop of yellow food color

• Mix all ingredients together to form a pancake like batter. Covered and allow to rise in a warm place for about 1-2 hours or until double in size.

For the syrup:                      

1 cup sugar
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
pinch of saffron (optional)
pinch of cardamom
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup honey

• For the syrup, dissolve the sugar in water in a saucepan, adding the lemon juice and almond extract, saffron, cardamom, and honey. Bring syrup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes before setting syrup aside.

• Heat the oil over medium heat in a pan. Put jalaibee mixture into  a squeeze ketchup / mustard bottle and squeeze into oil in a circular motion to form circular pattern as shown in the picture.Every circular pattern is unique. Fry until light brown. 
• Remove from oil and place immediately into the syrup (syrup should be warm when dipping jalaibee)for about 1-2 minutes. Now remove from syrup and drain off excess syrup.
• Enjoy!