Ground Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers

Biber Dolmasi
Originally uploaded by Ashley van Gerven.

Ingredients

12 large green bell peppers (cleaned, tops cut off, seeds and membranes removed)
250 gr. ground meat
1 medium onion (chopped)
½ cup rice
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
½ bunch fresh dill (optional)
3 tomatoes (chopped)
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ tablespoon tomato paste
½ tablespoon red pepper paste
1 dessert spoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint or 1 dessertspoon dried mint
1 tomato (thinly sliced)

Directions

Wash the rice twice and soak the rice in salted (1 dessert spoon) lukewarm water for about 15 minutes. Then put them into a rice strainer and drain the water.

In a mixing bowl, combine drained rice, ground meat, chopped onion, minced parsley, minced dill, tomato and pepper paste, olive oil, chopped tomatoes. Season with salt, black pepper and mint, mix well.

Stuff the peppers with the mixture. Keep in mind to stuff only ¾ of pepper cups. Because during the cooking rice will enlarge and fill the cover. Put tomato slices on top of them.

Place stuffed bell peppers in a large saucepan. Pour enough water to reach depth of 2 inches (water level is slightly below the peppers) and cook over low heat until tender, do not overcook. As an alternative cooking technique, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the stuffed peppers in a shallow baking dish. Bake until fork tender, turning the stuffed peppers halfway through the cooking time.

Serve with yogurt and garlic dressing. To prepare yogurt and garlic dressing, pour 2 cups yogurt into a small bowl, add 2 cloves of crushed garlic and whisk together.

Have a good appetite!

Quotation from Yunus Emre

Wing Sweep
Originally uploaded by jedrek.

“We love the created
For the Creator's sake”.

Yunus Emre

Manti (Turkish Ravioli)

Manti (Turkish Tortellini)
Originally uploaded by Tulipa Turcica.

Manti is a traditional dish in Turkey. Sometimes it is called “Turkish Ravioli”, “Turkish Dumplings”or “Turkish Tortellini”. Homemade manti is very delicious and superb meal. It takes time to prepare, but it's worth it.

In Turkey, the most famous manti is Kayseri style manti, their size is very tiny. People from Kayseri say “40 pieces of manti have to fit in one tablespoon”. The size of the manti is the choice of the cook and does not affect the taste. Some people like to make manti in different sizes.

Ingredients

Dough
2,5 cups flour
1 egg
100 gr. milk
½ dessert spoon salt

Filling
250 gr. finely ground meat (rib roast of heifer )
1 onion (finely chopped)
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Boiling
6 cups hot beef stock or water
1,5 dessert spoons salt

Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive or corn oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika powder
2/3 cup hot beef stock or water

Yogurt & Garlic Dressing
3 cups yogurt
3 cloves garlic

Directions

Put flour into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt over flour. Make a pool in the centre.Crack the egg and gradually pour the milk into the pool. Mix the ingredients to form a dough.

Place the dough on a working surface. Knead well until making a smooth dough (knead aproximately 10 minutes).

When the dough is smooth and elastic, return it to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth or wrap the dough with a plastic wrap, let it rest at room temperature for one hour.

Meanwhile, combine ground meat, finely chopped onion, minced parsley, freshly ground black pepper and salt into a mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover with cling film and set it aside.

Divide the dough into 2 balls. Work on a lightly floured surface and put some flour on each ball. Using a rolling-pin, roll out each ball of dough into a round layer (as thin as possible). Cut the round piece into 3 x 3 cm squares.

Take each square seperately, put 1/2 teaspoon of ground beef, onion and parsley mixture into the center of each square. Seal crosswise edges firmly over filling by pressing with your fingers.

Carefully transfer the dumplings onto a greased baking tray. Bake the dumplings in a preheated oven for ten minutes until crisp. Set them aside to cool.

Pour 6 cups of hot stock /water into a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add 1,5 dessert spoons salt. Add dumplings into the boiling stock and cook for ten minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, heat a small sized nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Combine olive oil, butter, tomato paste, hot beef stock or water, red pepper flakes and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the sauce into the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon. 1 minute later, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Using a slotted spoon, gently remove dumplings from the saucepan, place them on a warmed serving platter.

Spoon sauce into the bottom of the warmed plates. Spoon yogurt & garlic dressing over each plate of dumplings.

To prepare yogurt and garlic dressing, pour 3 cups yogurt into a small bowl, add 3 cloves of crushed garlic and whisk together.

Have a good appetite!

Leek With Olive Oil

Leek, Oliveoil and Lemon - Purjolök, olivolja och citron
Originally uploaded by pixi's.

Leeks like onions and garlic, reduce bad cholesterol levels, while raising good cholesterol levels. Leeks lower high blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar. Regular consumption of leeks reduce risk of prostate and colon cancers, protect colon cells from cancer-causing toxins. Leeks are a good source of manganese, magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin A-C-K, folate, and iron.

Ingredients

750 gr. leek
1 onion
1 big carrot
3,5 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons rice
1,5 cups hot water
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 dessert spoon sugar
1 dessert spoon salt

Directions

Wash the leeks and cut them into 2 inch pieces. Put the sliced leeks into a strainer and drain the water. Be sure to drain it thoroughly.

Cut the carrot into 1/8 inch thick slices.

Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat the oil in the saucepan.

Add finely chopped onions and the sliced carrots and saute over medium heat until the onions are golden brown.

Add the leeks and sauté until the leeks are well coated with the oil (about 1-2 minutes).

Pour lemon juice into the saucepan. Put the lid on the saucepan. Sauté the leeks gently until they begin to soften and just barely beginning to colour.

Add drained rice, salt, sugar, hot water, stir gently with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Have a good appetite!

Quotation from Abraham Lincoln

Wayne's appealing for Flickr Friends
Originally uploaded by WayneWho?.

“If you want to test a man’s character give him power”.

Abraham Lincoln

Turkish Half-Round Pastries

Making the Dough
Originally uploaded by sustenation.

Half-Round Pastry is called “peynirli pogaca “ in Turkey. “Pogaca” is pronounced like “po-ah-cha”.

Ingredients

Dough
5+ 3/4 cups flour
1 dessertspoonful fresh yeast
½ cup lukewarm water
125 gr. margarine or butter (melted)
90 gr. corn oil
1+1/6 cups milk
1 cup yogurt
10 gr. baking powder
2 eggs
1 dessert spoon salt (2 teaspoons)

Filling
1 egg white
1,5 cups white cheese crumbled with a fork
½ bunch fresh parsley

Topping
2 egg yolks
1 dessert spoon corn oil
2 tablespoons black cumin or sesame seeds

Directions

Put the fresh yeast into a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the yeast completely in ½ cup lukewarm water.

Put flour into a large bowl. Sprinkle salt and baking powder over flour. Make a pool in the centre.

Pour the yeast liquid, milk, yogurt, melted butter or margarine, ½ cup corn oil into the pool. Add 2 eggs. Mix the ingredients to form a dough. Place the dough on a working surface. If the dough is wet and sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. If the dough is very firm, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time. Knead well until making a smooth dough.

When the dough is smooth, and earlobe-soft return it to the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth or wrap the dough with plastic wrap, let it rest at room temperature for one hour.

Mix egg white, cheese and parsley in a bowl.

Divide the dough into balls, take each ball, flatten each into disc form (approximately 3 inches), take each piece seperately, put 1 dessert spoon of cheese & parsley mixture just below the centre of each disc and spread out and down, leave a slight border at the bottom and sides. Fold top of pastry over filling to form half-round pastries. Press the edges with your fingers or the tines of a fork.
Carefully transfer the halfrounds onto a greased baking tray.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolks and 1 dessert spoon of corn oil together and brush over the surface of each half-round. Sprinkle black cumin or sesame seeds over them.

Bake halfmoons in a preheated oven until the crust is lightly browned.

Serve with a cup of tea or coffee.

Have a good appetite!

Quotation from Confucius

"If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day.

If you teach a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime".

Confucius

What is a dessert spoon measure?

In Turkey, you will find three basic spoon measures: the teaspoon, the dessert spoon, and the tablespoon. A measuring teaspoon holds 5 ml; a dessert spoon holds twice as much as a teaspoon (10 ml); and a tablespoon holds three times as much.

Penne With Tomatoes, Parsley and Mint

Penne Arrabiata da Piazza delle Erbe
Originally uploaded by KAGoldberg.

Ingredients

250 gr. penne
2,5 liters of water
25 gr. salt (1+1/4 tablespoons)
5 medium sized tomatoes
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic (smashed)
4 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
2 tablespoons fresh mint (chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sugar if necessary
1/4 cup Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (grated)

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add salt(1+1/4 tablespoons). Then add the penne and cook according to package instructions. Usually 8-10 minutes, I cooked for 10 minutes in order to achieve the right texture. Stir for 2 or 3 times in order to avoid the penne sticking together. Drain the pasta and reserve ½ cup of pasta water.

The tomato sauce should be prepared while you are boiling the penne.

Peel the tomatoes. If you want to peel them easily, put the tomatoes into boiling water and count to ten. Then put them quickly into cold water, don’t leave the tomatoes in the cold water more than one minute, quickly peel off their skin with your fingers or with a knife. Chopped the tomatoes and put them into a strainer and press down with a spoon and remove the seeds. Use a food mill to puree the tomatoes.

Heat a medium sized sauteing pan over medium-low heat. Heat the extra virgin olive in the sauteing pan.

When the oil is hot, add the garlic, and saute over medium heat until the garlic becomes slightly golden.

Add the strained tomatoes. Stir occasionally, continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little of the pasta water to thin out the sauce (I usually don't need). Add a pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper, red-pepper flakes to taste. Taste the tomato sauce, if you think that the sauce is a bit acidic, you should add a pinch of sugar.

In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add chopped mint and parsley.

Add the penne to the tomato sauce. Stir to coat all the pasta with the tomato sauce. Remove the skillet from the heat and serve immediately.

Preheat the plates. Just before serving, add some freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese on pasta (not too much).

Have a good appetite!

Quotation from Confucius

Los Angeles
Originally uploaded by it is what it is....

"Don't complain about the snow on your neighbor's roof when your own doorstep is unclean".

Confucius

Six Ways to Make People Like You

Thank you for caring!
Originally uploaded by carf.

“Rule 1: Become genuinely interested in other people.

Rule 2: Smile.

Rule 3: Remember that a person’s name is to him or her
the sweetest and most important sound…

Rule 4: Be a good listener.
Encourage others to talk about themselves.

Rule 5: Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.

Rule 6: Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely”.

By Dale Carnegie

Nine Possibilities!

Trio of Red Stars
Originally uploaded by lanimilbus.

"What you think,
What you want to say,
What you thought you said,
What you said,
What they wanted to hear,
What they heard,
What they wanted to learn,
What they thought they learned,
What they learned..

may all be different!
So, there are nine possibilities for being mis-understood".

by Sylviane Herpin

Chicken Balls

Ingredients

½ cup milk
1 cup corn oil
1 egg
3 fresh scallions (thinly sliced)
1/2 bunch fresh parsley (minced)
3 tablespoons grated parmesan
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast (2 breast halves)
3 tablespoons fine bread crumbs
1 cup bread crumbs (3- 4 bread slices, do not use stale)
1 teaspoon tyme
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Directions

Bake fresh bread slices in a 300 degrees F / 150 degrees C / Gas mark 2 oven for aproximately 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from oven and let it cool.

Tear the bread slices into smaller pieces. Use a food processor to turn the pieces of bread into bread crumbs. Continue to grind until a coarse texture.
The chicken breast halves should be cut into 1-inch cubes before it is placed into the food processor. Grind the chunks in a food processor until coarsely grounded.
Combine grounded chicken breasts, grated parmesan, 1 cup bread crumbs, milk, minced scallions and parsley in a medium sized bowl and knead well. Sprinkle salt, thyme and black pepper and continue to knead. Cover with cling film and place in a fridge to set for 1 hour.

1 hour later, take it out of the fridge, knead well until well mixed. Shape the mixture into small balls and flatten each into a circle about 2 inches in diameter. Dip the chicken balls in the whisked egg first and then in the breadcrumbs. Be careful to ensure that the the entire chicken ball is completely covered with the breadcrumbs.

Heat the corn oil in the frying pan. If the oil is not hot enough, the meatballs will absorb too much oil and become greasy. If the oil is too hot, the surface of meatballs will burn from the direct heat of the oil.

Add the chicken balls in small batches and fry them until cooked through. Fry both sides of chicken balls. Repeat with the remaining chicken balls, returning oil to the same level between batches.

Remove the fried chicken balls with a slotted spoon, drain them on a paper towel. Once the excess oil has drained off the chickenballs, place them on a warmed serving platter.

Have a good appetite!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Ana Luiza
Originally uploaded by ediosofka.

Wishing you piece, prosperity and happiness in the year ahead...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Anchovy Pilaf

It's not difficult to cook, reasonably cheap and very tasty.
8 Servings

Ingredients

2 kg. fresh anchovies
3 cups long grain rice
4 cups lukewarm water
1 dessert spoon salt
3 cups boiling water or chicken stock
1,5 cups hot water
2 medium onions (finely chopped)
½ cup currants(washed)
½ cup slivered blanched almonds or shelled pistachio nuts or pine nuts
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
1 lemon (peeled, sliced)
2 dessert spoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 dessert spoon dried mint
1 dessert spoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 dessert spoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup olive oil

Directions

1. Wash the anchovies thoroughly, cut off the heads and remove the bones. Dry anchovies on a paper towel. Scatter salt over anchovies.

2. Wash the rice twice and soak the rice in salted (1 dessert spoon) lukewarm water for about 30 minutes. Then put them into a rice strainer and drain the water. Be sure to drain it thoroughly.
If you don’t have time wash the rice three or four times, until water runs quite clear.

3. Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat the oil in the saucepan, add the slivered almonds and saute until almonds are lightly browned.

4. Add finely chopped onions and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.

5. Add the drained rice and stir for 5 minutes until well coated with the oil. Add currants. Season with two dessert spoons salt, 1 tea spoon sugar, ground black pepper, dried mint, ground allspice and ground cinnamon.

6. Then add 3 cups of boiling water or chicken stock into the saucepan.

7. Bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed.

8. Remove from heat, add minced parsley and stir gently with a wooden spoon and then place a paper towel between pan and lid to absorb moisture. Let it stand for 10 minutes.

9. Place half of the anchovy fillets skin side down in a baking tray. Pour the pilaf over the anchovy fillets. Place the rest of anchovy fillets the skin side up over the rice. Cover pilaf completely with anchovies. Place lemon slices on top. Pour 1,5 cups of hot (not boiling) water over the anchovies.

10. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

11. Bake the anchovy pilaf in a preheated oven until the liquid is absorbed and the anchovies are just cooked.

Serve with Turkish Shepherd's Salad and arugula leaves.

Have a good appetite!

Giving Is Good for You

Originally uploaded by travisbda.

Excerpted from realage.com

It's official -- giving is better than receiving.

Acts of kindness such as serving meals at a homeless shelter, running to the pharmacy for a sick friend, or lending emotional support to a significant other may help people live longer, a recent study concluded. Do something kind and compassionate for someone else each day and you'll reap health benefits as well. Lend a hand to friends, family members, and neighbours when the need arises.

Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi

Clivia Close-Up
Originally uploaded by Reini..

In generosity and helping others be like a river,
In compassion and mercy be like the sun,
In concealing others' faults be like the night,
In anger and fury be like a dead,
In modesty and humility be like the earth,
In tolerance be like a sea,
Either exist as you are or be as you look.

*
Come, come, whoever you are;
Whether you are an unbeliever, a fireworshipper or an idolater,
This is not a gate of despair.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve broken your repentance a hundred times,
Still come again.

Paintbrush

お釣り公園
Originally uploaded by hippoMum.

I keep my paint brush with me
Wherever I may go,
In case I need to cover up
So the real me doesn't show.

I'm so afraid to show you me,
Afraid of what you'll do - that
You might laugh or say mean things.
I'm afraid I might lose you.

I'd like to remove all my paint coats
To show you the real, true me,
But I want you to try and understand,
I need you to accept what you see.

So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
I'll strip off all my coats real slow.
Please understand how much it hurts
To let the real me show.

Now my coats are all stripped off.
I feel naked, bare and cold,
And if you still love me with all that you see,
You are my friend, pure as gold.

I need to save my paint brush, though,
And hold it in my hand,
I want to keep it handy
In case someone doesn't understand.

So please protect me, my dear friend
And thanks for loving me true,
But please let me keep my paint brush with me
Until I love me, too.

Written by Bettie B. Youngs

Rice Pudding

rice pudding
Originally uploaded by stu_spivack.

Turkish rice pudding is called “Sutlac” in Turkish. “Sutlac” is derived from the Turkish words “Sutlu As” which means “Meal with Milk. Sutlac or Turkish rice pudding is a traditional dessert from the Ottoman Empire. There are two basic ways to make rice pudding - baking or boiling. The pudding is thickened with wheat starch and sometimes flavored with gum mastic, vanilla, cinnamon. It is generally served cold.

Ingredients

3 cups water
1 lt whole milk
3 tablespoons wheat starch
1 + ¼ cups sugar
100 gr – 4 tablespoons long grain rice
¼ cup cold water
½ teaspoon pounded gum mastic (optional)
1 egg yolk
Cinnamon
Oven proof small bowls


Directions

Wash the rice three or four times, until water runs quite clear.

Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Put the rice into the saucepan, cover it with 3 cups of water. Simmer over medium heat until almost all the water has been absorbed. When the rice is cooked, drain it.

I usually don’t use vanilla and gum mastic. If you desire, add gum mastic pieces and 1 sweetspoon sugar into the mortar. Pound with a pestle.

In a medium size nonstick saucepan, combine milk, pounded gum mastic and drained rice and simmer until the rice is tender. Stir frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Put wheat starch into a small bowl, pour ¼ cup water and whisk together until well mixed. Add 2 tablespoons of milk from the saucepan to the starch mixture and continue to whisk.

When the mixture begins to boil, pour gently the wheat starch mixture into the saucepan. Add sugar into the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat.

Pour the rice pudding into small bowls. Dress with a pinch of cinnamon. Place the bowls in a fridge to cool over night and serve it the next day.

The rice pudding is ready. If “baked rice puding” is desired, use oven proof cups. Don’t dress with a pinch of cinnamon before baking process.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoonful rice puding until well mixed. Spoon the egg mixture onto surface at the desired thickness.

Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400 °F, Gas Mark 6.

Pour rice pudding into oven proof cups, place the bowls in a baking tray, fill half of the baking tray with water.

Bake until the top is browned, this creates a distinctive skin on the surface. Remove from oven and let it cool.

It can be served either warm or cold.

Have a good appetite!

Can you name three close friends that you see regularly?

Excerpted from realage.com

Can you name three close friends that you see regularly? If you can't, you're not alone. Twenty years ago, each American had about three close confidants; today, we average about two. That doesn't bode well for long-term health and well-being. Is your world getting smaller? Give -- and get -- the gift of friendship this year. Grab a plate of goodies, head next door, and say, "Hi."

Cell phones, e-mail, and text messaging let you reach out to anyone, anywhere, anytime. But despite being better connected, Americans have fewer confidants to turn to when they need help, advice, or just a willing ear and an open mind. So nurture the friendships you have, and work toward building new relationships. You'll be doing a good thing for yourself -- and your new friends. A supportive social circle can make you years younger by acting as a shield against the aging effects of stress.

The Popular No-Knead Bread

No Knead Bread
Originally uploaded by Foodmomiac.

I finally made the popular no-knead bread. Mmm…I actually love fresh baked bread. The bread is delicious. It has chewy crumb and thin crisp crust at the same time- the way bread is meant to be. Glad to see that this recipe works in the real world. You can find the recipe here. The recipe has four basic ingredients: Flour, water, salt and yeast. I used
1 +1/2 cups of water instead of 1+ 5/8 cups and 1+3/4 teaspoons salt instead of 1+1/4 teaspoons. Use parchment or waxed paper instead of cotton towel so the dough will not stick. I recommend oven temperature at 475 degrees F / 240 degrees C / Gas mark 9. It is a recipe that you don’t knead, infact you do very little to it at all and it comes out just great. Time does all the work in creating the gluten that gives bread its outstanding texture.

Thai Green Curry Paste

A visitor of Brunette, Darrell, emailed me the recipe. Darrell, thank you so much for the recipe you posted. Thai green curry paste is easy to make and very tasty! It is a great complement to grill marinades, meat dishes as well as seafood, sauteed vegetables, pasta & rice sauces and soups.

Yields 360 ml 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 tablespoon (15 ml) whole coriander
2 teaspoons (10 ml) cumin seed
2 teaspoons (10 ml) black peppercorns
4 garlic cloves
1 ounce (30 g) ginger or galangal
1/2 cup (120 ml) chopped shallots
2 jalapeno peppers, with seeds
2 lemongrass stalks
4 scallions
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) red chile flakes
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon (15 ml) salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) peanut oil

Directions

Toast the coriander, cumin and peppercorns in a hot dry skillet until fragrant. Cool and grind into a fine powder.

Slice off the root ends and the top 2-thirds of the lemon grass stalks. Peel away the outer layer of the remaining bottom pieces and discard the trimmings. Roughly chop the lemongrass.
.
Combine all of the ingredients, including the ground spices, in a food processor. Pulse several times, and stop to scrape down the sides. Puree to a smooth paste. Transfer to a clean jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

Coconut milk can be added to make a sauce for vegetables. The paste can also be used sparingly to flavour soups.

Turkish Meatballs (Kofte)

According to a research of Yasar Group, Turkish cuisine features 291 different kinds of “kofte”. The most common form of kofte is grilled kofte. Before preparing your kofte, keep in mind, hand-chopped meat tastes better. Use a cleaver for mincing until fine grind texture. It is best to leave a little fat with the meat to add flavor and tenderness. As an alternative to cleaver, grind the meat twice in a meat grinder or a food processor could also be used to grind the meat.

Ingredients

400 gr. finely ground meat (rib roast of heifer )
1 large onion (grated)
3-4 bread slices (do not use stale)
1 egg
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons dried thyme or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tyme leaves
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
3 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons corn oil for frying (optional)

Directions

Bake fresh bread slices in a 300 degrees F / 150 degrees C / Gas mark 2 oven for aproximately 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove from oven and let it cool.

Tear the bread slices into smaller pieces. Use a food processor to turn the pieces of bread into bread crumbs. Continue to grind until a coarse texture.

Combine minced rib roast, egg, grated onion, bread crumbs, grated garlic, 3 teaspoons olive oil, minced parsley, salt and spices into a mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover with cling film and place in a fridge to set for 2 hours.

2 hours later, take it out of the fridge, knead well until well mixed. Shape the mixture into small balls and flatten each into a circle about 2 inches in diameter. Place meatballs on a lightly greased charcoal grill. Do not overcook; it results in tough, dry meat. Turn halfway with cooking tongs, do not use fork. After taking it out of the grill, wait for 5-10 minutes to redistribute the juices inside the meat. Serve hot.

As an alternative to grilling, heat a medium size nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat the corn oil in the frying pan. If the oil is not hot enough, the meatballs will absorb too much oil and become greasy. If the oil is too hot, the surface of meatballs will burn from the direct heat of the oil.

Add the meatballs in small batches and fry them until cooked through. Fry both sides of meatballs. Repeat with the remaining meatballs, returning oil to the same level between batches.

Remove the fried meatballs with a slotted spoon, drain them on a paper towel. Once the excess oil has drained off the meatballs, place them on a warmed serving platter.

Serve hot with grilled tomatoes & green anaheim chili peppers, onions and sumac mixture or shepherd’s salad and Turkish rice pilaf.

To prepare onion and sumac mixture:
Ingredients
2 onions
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon sumac
1 dessertspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt

Cut the onions in half first and then slice them into half-moon shapes. Soak onion slices in water for 10 minutes. Drain well. Mix olive oil, onion slices, sumac, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and salt.

Have a good appetite!

Pesto Linguine

"The photo taken by CY Phang”.

The name of pesto comes from "to pound"(pestare) ingredients with a wooden pestle and marble mortar. I've made pesto both with mortar and pestle and with a food processor. The food processor method is definitely easier but the mortar method gives more flavor. Pesto made with a mortar and pestle is definitely better. The taste of pesto depends on size and flavor of basil leaves, cheese and olive oil you are using. With pestle and mortar you can taste and decide the right amount of ingredients during the process.

Ingredients

500 gr. Linguine (or trenette similar to linguine)
5 liters hot water
2,5 tablespoons salt
1/3 cup Riviera Ligure Extra Virgin Olive Oil
30 Genovese Basil leaves
1/3 cup freshly grated Italy’s Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
¼ cup freshly grated Italy’s Pecorino sardo cheese
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (or kosher salt)
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 clove of garlic (roughly chopped)

Directions

Clean the basil leaves with a moist towel instead of washing them, this method protects their valuable aroma and flavor. Put the leaves on a paper towel and let them dry naturally.

Add half of the basil leaves and the salt into the mortar. Pound with a pestle in a steady rhythm when rotating the marble mortar. Don’t squash the leaves it destroys fibres. Thanks to the rotating movement the basil give up all its flavor. Continue to add more leaves.

Add the garlic into the mortar. Pound the garlic with the pestle.

Add ½ of the pine nuts into the mortar and mash them. Add the other half of the pine nuts. When all of the pine nuts are pounded, add freshly grated Pecorino Sardo and Parmigiano-Reggiano and continue to pound with the pestle.

Slowly add olive oil drop by drop and stir.Bring a pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add salt (2,5 tablespoons). Then add the linguine and cook according to package instructions. Usually 8-10 minutes, I cooked for 10 minutes in order to achieve the right texture. Stir for 2 or 3 times in order to avoid the linguine sticking together. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 tablespoon of pasta water.Put the pesto into a large bowl, add 1 spoonful of hot pasta water and whisk. Add the linguine to the pesto sauce. Stir to coat all the pasta with the pesto sauce.

Preheat the plates.

Have a good appetite!

Fried Anchovies

anchovy
Originally uploaded by savluv.

During fishing season, I eat anchovies every Friday. I am fond of anchovies. Anchovies are a big source of healthy fat, the omega-3 fatty acids.

Ingredients

1 kg. fresh anchovies
1 cup corn flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup corn oil
Arugula leaves
Lemon slices

Directions

Wash the anchovies thoroughly, cut off the heads and remove the bones. Dry anchovies on a paper towel. Put 1 cup of corn flour in a bowl.

In a tray, lay half of the anchovies skin side down. Place the remaining anchovies skin side up over the first fillets.

Make sure the anchovies are dry. Dredge both sides of anchovies in the flour, coat well with flour. Shake in a sieve to remove excess flour.

Heat a medium size nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat the corn oil in the frying pan. If the oil is not hot enough, oil will reach the anchovies before the corn flour forms a protective layer. If the oil is too hot, the coating will burn from the direct heat of the oil before the anchovies has had time to cook.

Add the anchovies in small batches and fry them for 2 minutes until crisp, golden and cooked through. Fry both sides of anchovies. Repeat with the remaining anchovies, returning oil to the same level between batches.

Remove the fried anchovies with a slotted spoon, drain them on a paper towel. Once the excess oil has drained off the anchovies, place them on a warmed serving platter.

Sprinkle salt and black pepper. Avoid adding salt before frying. Decorate with lemon wedges and arugula leaves.

Serve hot with green salad.

Have a good appetite!

Steamed Anchovies with Lemon

"ma tutto questo le alici non lo sanno”...
Originally uploaded by Frengo.

Ingredients

1 kg. fresh anchovies
1 medium tomato(peeled and sliced)
1/2 bunch fresh parsley (minced)
2 lemons (one of them is peeled and sliced)
½ cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Directions

Wash the anchovies thoroughly, cut off the heads and remove the bones. Dry anchovies on a paper towel. Scatter salt and black pepper over anchovies.
Make sure you have a frying pan with lid. Place the anchovies in a non-stick frying pan.
Sprinkle minced parsley over anchovies.
Slice the tomato and put the slices of tomato and slices of one lemon on top.
Pour the juice of one lemon and olive oil over anchovies. Put the lid on the frying pan.
Cook over medium heat until they are done, approximately 15 min., but do not overcook.
Serve with green salad.

Have a good appetite!

Stuffed Zucchini With Yogurt Sauce

Zucchini Duck
Originally uploaded by Alex Gee.

Stuffed Zucchini is called “kabak dolma-sı” in Turkish. “Dolma” is a well known Turkish food. All kinds of food associated with stuffing are called dolma in Turkish. The word “dolma” is derived from the verb “dolmak” in Turkish which means “stuffed”. Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bosnian people call it “dolma”. Georgian says “tolma”, Persian “dolmeh” and Greek people call it “dolmades”. The origin of dolma sounds Turkish. The most common dolmas are eggplant, zucchini, pepper and tomato. The stuffing may include meat or not. I am fond of stuffed zucchini with yogurt sauce.

Ingredients

1 kg. zucchini
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
90 gr. olive oil
1 cup rice
2 tomatoes (peeled and grated)
1 tomato (sliced)
2 tablespoons pine nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons currants (optional)
½ bunch fresh parsley (minced)
½ bunch fresh dill (minced)
Parsley and dill stems
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
2 cups water
1 dessert spoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
salt

Directions

Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat the oil in the saucepan.

Add finely chopped onions and pine nuts and saute over low heat until the onions are golden brown.

Add the drained rice and stir constantly until well coated with the oil.

Add grated tomatoes into the saucepan. Season with salt and sugar. Add 1 cup of water. Add currants and put the lid on. Cook over medium heat until most of the liquid is absorbed, then reduce the heat to low and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.

Add ground allspice, cinnamon, dired mint, ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, minced parsley and dill, stir gently with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut off the top of the zucchinis. Cut the zucchinis in half (or in three equal parts)
Use a melon baller or a dessert spoon, scoop out the centers, leave a thin border all around.

Stuff the zucchinis with the mixture. Keep in mind to stuff only ¾ of zucchini cups. Because during the cooking rice will enlarge and fill the cover. Put tomato slices on top of them. Put parsley and dill stems at the bottom of a nonstick saucepan and place stuffed zucchinis over them side by side. Pour the remained 1 cup of water and cook over low heat untill fork tender, do not overcook.

Serve with yogurt and garlic dressing. To prepare yogurt and garlic dressing, pour 1 cup yogurt into a small bowl, add 1 clove of crushed garlic and whisk together.

Note: I usually don't use pine nuts, currants and ground cinnamon.

Have a good appetite!

Strawberries

schrodinger's berries
Originally uploaded by Splat Worldwide.

Delicious fresh strawberries remind me of chocolates. Smooth, rich chocolate filling pair well with fresh strawberries:)

Blackberries

The most irresistible blackberries which complement yogurt perfectly. A lovely pair, indeed.

Turkish Coffee

Turkish Coffee
Originally uploaded by HandMadeGod.

When I drink sugarless Turkish coffee, I usually want something with it, a Turkish bitter almond cookie, an almond paste, a cezerye or a Turkish delight. Turkish coffee is different, but once you are used to drink it with one of Turkish confections it is a marriage made in heaven.

2 Servings

Ingredients

2 dessert spoons extra fine ground Turkish coffee for each cup of coffee
2 dessert spoons sugar for each cup of coffee (the amount of sugar may change according to taste)
2 demitasse cups of water for each person
Essentials
2 demitasse cups (called fincan)
1 Turkish copper coffee pot (called cezve, long handled pot)
Charcoal Grill

Directions

Put water into the copper coffee pot. Add freshly ground Turkish coffee and sugar into the coffee pot and stir with a wooden dessert spoon before heating.

Low flame is necessary for Turkish coffee. For this reason, heat the pot slowly over charcoal embers for 15 to 20 minutes, several times take the copper coffee pot away from the fire before it boils over. Do not stir the foam will collapse. Foam forms on the top as it boils. Just before it overflows, remove the pot from fire, share the foam between the cups.

Continue heating until coffee boils again and pour the rest of the coffee into the cups.

Serve with two glasses of water and two Turkish delights.

Have a good appetite!

Red Lentils Kofte

Nar ve Mercimek Köftesi
Originally uploaded by dèpresif vişne ®.

Some Turkish women prepare red lentils kofte for lunch or for teatime (btw.3-5 PM)

8 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup red lentils
1,5 cups fine bulgur/cracked wheat
3 cups water
6 scallions (thinly sliced)
1 bunch parsley (minced)
2 medium onions(chopped)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red pepper paste
1 egg
1/4 cup olive oil
1.5 tablespoons minced fresh mint or ½ tablespoon dried mint
1 tablespoon pomegranate sour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dessert spoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Lettuce leaves

Directions

1.Cover the lentils with 3 cups of water. Simmer until the lentils are tender. Remove from the heat.
2. Add fine bulgur over the lentils and let it stand for 30 minutes to absorb the liquid.
3. Heat a small size nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat the olive oil in the frying pan. Add chopped onions and saute for 5-6 minutes. Then add both tomato and red pepper pastes and saute for 3 minutes. Crack the egg and cook for about an additional 3 minutes.
4. Combine onion mixture with the lentils and fine bulgur mixture. Season with salt, spices and knead well.
5. Add scallions, parsley and mint.
6. Pour lemon juice and pomegranate sour over it and mix well with a wooden spoon.
7. Shape the lentils into thick sticks.

Serve with lettuce leaves and pickle.

Have a good appetite!

Chocolate Crepe

Dessert Crepe is not a traditional dish in Turkey, but I like chocolate crepe. “Gozleme” is called "Turkish Crepe". Gozleme may resembles the French crepes filled with vegetables or ground meat. In Turkey, favorite gozlemes are filled with cheese, spinach, ground meat or potato. I don’t know any kind of sweet Turkish gozleme.
Gozleme is usually cooked on a very big upside down Chinese Wok, it is called “sac” in Turkey. Once I have tried in the frying pan but the taste was not the same. My mother helps me when I cooking gozleme on the "sac".

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 egg
1 dessert spoon sugar
1/2 cup milk (cold)
1/2 tablespoon cacao powder
6 tablespoons oil (45 gr.)
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter or 1 tablespoon cooking oil
2,5 tablespoons or ½ cup flour
1/4 cup finely ground or finely chopped walnuts
1/4 cup honey
2 bananas (peeled)

Chocolate Sauce

3 tablespoons milk
80 gr milk chocolate
1 tablespoon cacao powder
1 tablespoon water
¼ tablespoon unsalted butter
1 liter water

*
Sweetened coconut flakes, powdered sugar or finely ground pistachio (optional)

Directions

Beat egg and sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour cold milk into the bowl and whisk together. Gradually sieve cacao powder into the bowl and whisk vigorously. Pour oil and gradually sieve flour, whisk until a smooth batter forms. A blender may also be used.

Warm a small crepe pan over low heat and add butter or 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Heat the butter over medium heat until foam subsides.

Pour half of the batter into the pan, then tilt the pan and rotate it in a circular motion to spread the batter evenly over the surface (a thin layer). Cook the crepe until lightly browned. When the edges of the batter start to look dry, flip the crepe over and cook the other side. Slide the crepe onto a plate.

Spoon half of the honey over the crepe and sprinkle half of the walnuts. Place the banana on the edge of crepe and roll up. To serve, place roll- up seam side down on a serving platter and pour chocolate sauce over it. You may sprinkle sweetened coconut flakes, powdered sugar or finely ground pistachio on top. Repeat this process with other half of the remaining batter.

For chocolate sauce melt the chocolate using bain-marie technique. Pour 1 lt. of water into a medium sized sauce pan. Bring water to a boil. Break chocolate into small pieces. Add 1 tablespoon water into a small sized sauce pan or a porcelain bowl. Put the chocolate pieces in and add cacao powder. Place the small sized sauce pan into the medium one containing boiling water. Allow chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally. When melted gently add the milk and stir until well combined. Add butter and stir to melt. Remove the pan from the heat.

Have a good appetite!

Eggs All Together

Class of 2006
Originally uploaded by RINAJO.DK - away.

Everybody has feelings. All of us may feel excited, scared, confused, sad, joyful, bored, opressed, unsure, surprised, worried, embarrassed, interested, sorry, thoughtful, angry, happy, unhappy, pleased, nervous, concerned, stressed, loving, proud, hurt, satisfied, fed up, dreamy, shocked, and so on.

Her insanın duyguları vardır. Hepimiz heyecanlı, korkmuş, kafası karışmış, üzgün, neşeli, bıkmış, utanmış, canı sıkılmış, şaşırmış, şok olmuş, düşünceli, kızgın, mutlu, mutsuz, hayalci, cana yakın, sinirli, gururlu, stresli, aşık, incinmiş vb. hissedebiliriz.

Crying

Life is a foreign language; all men mispronounce it”. / Christopher Morley

“Hayat yabancı bir dildir; her insan yanlış telaffuz eder”. / Christopher Morley

Surprised

"Always try to do something for the other fellow and you will be agreeably surprised how things come your way - how many pleasing things are done for you". / Claude M.Bristol.

"Bir insanın gerçek zenginliği , onun bu dünyada yaptığı iyiliklerdir". / HZ. MUHAMMED

"Bir mum diğer bir mumu tutuşturmakla, ışığından bir şey kaybetmez". / Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumî

Not a Happy Egg

"When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, a hundred". / homas Jefferson

"Öfkeli olduğunuz zaman konuşmadan önce 10’a kadar sayın, eğer çok öfkeliyseniz 100’e kadar sayın". / Thomas Jefferson.

Smile

Sly Smily
Originally uploaded by RINAJO.DK - away.

"Life is a mirror and will reflect back to the thinker what he thinks into it ". / Ernest Holmes

"The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up". / Mark Twain

"Hayat bir aynadır güler yüzle bakarsanız size güler, siz suratınızı asarsanız o da size suratını asar ". / Ernest Holmes

Turkish Delight

Lokumm..
Originally uploaded by sacidu.

Have you ever tasted Turkish delight? I like the taste of it. When I drink sugarless Turkish coffee, I usually want something with it, a Turkish bitter almond cookie, an almond paste, a cezerye or a Turkish delight. Turkish coffee is different, but once you are used to drink it with a Turkish delight it is a marriage made in heaven.

Turkish delight is a confection made from sugar, corn starch, cream of tartar, natural/artificial colors, natural/artificial flavors (especially rose flavor, lemon, orange, mint flavored). Turkish delights are usually filled with nuts (pistachio, almond, hazelnut or walnut), sweetened coconut flakes and vanilla. They are dusted with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.

Thank you God for Turkish Delight :)

My Lady D'Arbanville

3 birds 20061020 _0270
Originally uploaded by CoastRanger.

My Lady D'Arbanville
Why do you sleep so still?
I'll wake you tomorrow
And you will be my fill
Yes you will be my fill

My Lady D'Arbanville
Why does it grieve me so?
But your heart seems so silent
Why do you breathe so low?
Why do you breathe so low?

My Lady D'Arbanville
Why do you sleep so still?
I'll wake you tomorrow
And you will be my fill
Yes you will be my fill

My Lady D'Arbanville
You look so cold tonight
Your lips feel like winter
Your skin has turned to white
Your skin has turned to white

My Lady D'Arbanville
Why do you sleep so still?
I'll wake you tomorrow
And you will be my fill
Yes you will be my fill

My Lady D'Arbanville
Why do you greet me so?
But your heart seems so silent
Why do you breathe so low?
Why do you breathe so low?

I loved you my Lady
Though in your grave you lie
I'll always be with you
This rose will never die
This rose will never die

I loved you my Lady
Though in your grave you lie
I'll always be with you
This rose will never die
This rose will never die

By Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)

Morning has broken...

Morning has broken...
Originally uploaded by Mieke Vos ^..^.

I was very heavily influenced by Cat Stevens during my first two years at university.


Morning has broken
Like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird

Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the world

Sweet, the rain's new fall
Sunlit from heaven
Like the first dew fall
On the first grass

Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness
Where His feet pass

Mine is the sunlight
Mine is the morning
Born of the one light
Eden saw play
Praise with elation
Praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

Morning has broken
Like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird

Praise for the singing
Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing
Fresh from the world

By Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam)

Pretty Flowers

pretty as a picture
Originally uploaded by qofd.

Beautiful colors and composition! So pretty!

A Fresh Flower Blue

blue flowers
Originally uploaded by _Kempton_.

It's a fresh flower blue.
I wrap it in a sheet.
I love its scent, it's hues.

It sips the mist, the dew
and leaves an odor, treat
It's a fresh flower blue.


Its pets, the bees and crew
they meet, they greet, they eat.
I love its scent, its hues.


From dawn to dusk they woo
and bask in rain or heat.
It's a fresh flower blue.


There's a flower for you
There's one for me. A treat!
I love its scent, its hues.

The day I say adieu
I send you one so sweet.
It's a fresh flower blue
I love its scent, its hue.

A Fresh Flower Blue by Agatha Lai

White Flowers

White Flowers - Further
Originally uploaded by m00by.

I hope you don't mind if I keep posting pictures that were taken in summer. I was looking through some pictures yesterday and realize how much I miss summer.

Mushroom Omelette

chop chop
Originally uploaded by dps.

Researches show that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but a recent study has revealed that there is a decline in the amount of people who eat breakfast as people prefer to eat on the run due to their busy lifestyles.

Do you have breakfast?

Ingredients

4 fresh button, chestnut or oyster mushrooms (thinly sliced)
1,5 tablespoons olive oil
½ tablespoon butter
2 eggs
¾ tablespoon milk
1/2 tablespoon chopped scallion
½ tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/5 cup coarsely grated aged cheddar

Directions

Heat a small-sized nonstick frying pan over medium-low heat. Heat the olive oil in the frying pan and put the thinly sliced mushrooms. Fry mushrooms for 4 minutes over medium-high heat until tender. Stir occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. Transfer mushrooms into a bowl and keep aside .
Beat the eggs and milk and season with salt and ground black pepper.
Melt butter over medium heat. Swirl the butter in the pan and when the foaming has subsided pour the mixture into the pan and rotate the frying pan slightly. Wait for 30 seconds to set up. Shake the pan to allow the uncooked liquid to set and cook. Cook for additional 3,5 minutes.
Once the omelette is almost set, spread the mushrooms on top. Grate the cheese over them. Sprinkle chopped scallion and minced parsley. Cook for one minute and slide the omelette onto a serving dish. If desired, put filllings on one side only and fold it in half over the fillings.

Have a good appetite!

Two on one

Two on one
Originally uploaded by Reini..

Pretty butterflies on the sunflower. Perfect composition.

Cornstarch Cookies

cookie time
Originally uploaded by m.a.r.c..

Take a warm, freshly baked cornstarch cookie right from the oven. Quick and easy cornstarch cookie will literally melt when you take a bite.

Ingredients

2 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon powdered sugar /confectioners’ sugar/icing sugar (all are the same thing)
100 gr. unsalted butter (Let butter stand at room temperature until softened)
1 cup + ½ tablespoon flour
1+1/4 cups cornstarch
10 gr. baking powder
5 gr. vanilla sugar
¼ cup sweetened coconut flakes
50 gr. finely ground or finely chopped nuts or almonds (optional)

Directions

Using a hand mixer, beat together the shortening and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed until creamy and light. Add butter and knead.
In another bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and vanilla sugar. Gradually add dry mixture to egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Add powdered sugar, sweetened coconut flakes and nuts and continue to stir. Knead well until making a smooth and earlobe soft dough. Make sure the dough does not stick to the bowl. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1 inch and form into 1 inch balls.
Preheat the oven to 160°C, 350 °F, Gas Mark 3 and lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Place the balls on the greased cookie sheet leaving about 1 inch between cookies.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until light golden (cracks appear on the tops of the cookies). Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes or until firm.
Serve freshly baked.

Have a good appetite!

Sardine Bento(u)

sardine bento(u)
Originally uploaded by chotda.

That's so funny. That made me laugh!

Turkish Cacik

Turkish cacik pronounced like “Jajik”. It is a very refreshing dish especially during the summer months. Cacik is served as an accompanying dish to a main course or any kind of kebab. It is more liquid than "tzatziki". Tzatziki is a kind of yogurt dip/sauce in Greece.

Ingredients

1 large cucumber
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1,5 cups yogurt
3 tablespoons cold water
1,5 tablespoons minced fresh mint or 1 dessert spoon dried mint
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh dill
1,5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Pour the yogurt into a medium-sized bowl, add crushed garlic and whisk together.

Season to taste with salt.

Coarsely grate the cucumber into the bowl.

Dilute with cold water.

Add minced mint and dill, stir to combine.

To prepare dressing, combine the olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl and whisk together until well blended. Pour the dressing over the cacik and mix well. Just before serving, pour into very small bowls.

Have a good appetite!

Genovese Basil

Basil
Originally uploaded by Just Peachy!.

I've been growing basil for nearly 2 years. I put it in a pot outside to grow. Basil really needs lots of sunlight to grow. I grow a couple of special basils but Genovese basil is the one I have to have every year! For culinary I mainly use the Genovese basil. Other basil species are fine to use in cooking if you like the flavor, so I suggest you try for yourself.

Do you want to start growing basil? Just do it! Grow your own, preferably from seeds labeled Genovese basil. It's very easy to grow. Simply keeping the flowers pinched off will continue to give you a good harvest until the plant is felled by frost.

I just love the smell of basil. The basil plant outside is overgrown, so its time to turn it into pesto!

The Best Yogurt: Homemade

Excerpted from Probiotics: Nature’s Internal Healers by Natasha Trenev

The friendly bacteria used to culture true yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. When these bacteria are added to milk and allowed to ferment, the resulting culture is a naturally sweet, mildly tangy, smooth, fresh-tasting custard-like treat. And, thanks to the action of the bacteria, true yogurt is almost a "predigested" food. Within an hour after eating yogurt, 90 percent of it is digested. Compare this to a glass of milk, of which only 30 percent is digested in the same amount of time.

Unfortunately, those colorful little cups of stuff in the supermarket don’t qualify as true yogurt. You should be aware that the commercial production of yogurt isn’t regulated. There are some loose guidelines that give a list of bacteria that are acceptable as starter organisms, but the bacteria are not ranked according to their health-promoting benefits. Many organisms will cause fermentation, but only living specific strains of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus provide proven health benefits. Often, the least expensive organisms are the most popular with profit-oriented producers.

Although it is frowned upon, some manufacturers still pasteurize their products after the culturing process is complete. This destroys any harmful bacteria lurking in the yogurt; however, it also kills the microorganisms used to cause the fermentation. Therefore, even if the very best bacteria have been used as culturing organisms, they will be destroyed in the pasteurization process. Only living bacteria provide proven health benefits.

If you are like most people, you probably like the sweet fruit-flavored yogurts best. They are the bestsellers. But if you think the addition of fruit adds to the healthy qualities of yogurt, you’re mistaken, for several reasons. First, the fruit that is added to most commercial yogurt is processed, not fresh. Second, the live bacteria used as a culturing agent like the sugars in fruit as much as you do; in fact, they would much rather nibble on the fruit sugar than ferment the milk. Whether the fruit is layered on the top or the bottom, or swirled throughout the yogurt, chemical additives are placed between the fruit and the cultured milk to keep the live bacteria from coming into contact with the fruit.

The manufacturer of one very popular, fruit-flavored yogurt uses a culture called pima, which is not a lactobacillus (milk-based) culturing agent at all. What pima produces is slime. This allows the manufacturer to skip adding a thickener to the yogurt. The end result of the pima culture is a homogenous slimy mass that does not separate. If it was sold as plain yogurt, you’d probably spit it out. To hide the slimy texture and odd taste, the manufacturer adds a lot of processed fruit and sugar.

Unfortunately, for all of these reasons, I can’t recommend any of the commercially produced yogurts on the market today. I urge you to read labels carefully and try to make an informed choice. It’s a shame that this simple, nutrient-rich, health-promoting food has been so commercialized.

Some health food stores promote their own brand of yogurt. Unfortunately, even yogurt sold as "old fashioned" or "homemade" may not have the quality you’re looking for. This is because even your health food store suppliers shop for starter cultures in the same places commercial producers shop. It’s easier and less expensive to use a manipulated bacteria that has been designed to shorten production time, rather than use truly beneficial strains of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus cultures. The milk will still sour, and the end result will look right and taste right, but, without the right starter culture, the healthy benefits you’re looking for will be missing.

If you won’t settle for less than the best yogurt, make your own using a starter of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus, which is sold in most health food stores. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is. True homemade yogurt is smooth and creamy, faintly sweet, and mildly tangy with a refreshing aftertaste. I promise you, one taste of your own homemade yogurt will convince you it is well worth the very small effort.

If you like yogurt that is sweet and fruity, add your own fresh fruit. If you like it crunchy, add some low-fat, no-sugar-added granola cereal. Health food stores offer a variety of healthy, whole grain cereals that make perfect toppings for a morning bowl of true yogurt.

Homemade Yogurt

Homemade Yogurt

I like the taste of homemade yogurt more than commercially produced yogurts on the market. I make a smooth, creamy and great-tasting yogurt every time. It is really easy to make yogurt. If your attempt is unsuccessful, don’t give up. Try another yogurt starter culture. It also depends on temperatures and milk. Don’t use watery milk. You have to add the culture when the milk is really warm. Whole milk yogurt always taste better than the one made with low fat milk. Don’t use plastic containers.

I wish you good luck!

Ingredients

2 liters dairy whole milk
2 tablespoons yogurt starter cultures (yogurt with active culture, ingredients: L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus)
Kitchen thermometer (optional)

Directions

Pour the milk into a stainless-steel saucepan. Bring the milk to a boil (about 185 degrees) . Reduce the heat and simmer a few minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Pour the milk into a container (optional). I don’t change my saucepan:). Wait untill the milk become lukewarm. If you use a thermometer the milk should be at 115 degrees so you don’t kill the bacterias when you add the yogurt culture. If you want to speed up the process fill your sink with cold water and place the saucepan in the water.

Add 2 tablespoons of the warmed milk to the active-culture yogurt and stir untill it gets smooth. Add this mixture into the rest of the warmed milk and stir. Put the lid on the saucepan.

Keep the yogurt culture added milk warm. So, during the incubation period, the temperature of the milk should remain at about 100-115 degrees for several hours. If the temperature of yogurt gets to high or to low the bacterias will die.

Try one of these ideas to keep your homemade yogurt warm: put the saucepan in a warm place maybe in an oven or in a microwave on very low heat and turn the oven light on or wrapp the saucepan in a small blanket or as an another alternative put the saucepan inside of a bigger container and fill it with hot water. If the water is cooling down, replace with 110 degree water again. I wrapp my saucepan after adding the yogurt culture.

During summer months, the weather is too hot here, so I don’t wrapp the saucepan and I use a strainer as a lid. If you live in cold places, try to keep your saucepan/container in an oven after adding the yogurt culture. Whatever method you choose, try not to disturb the saucepan for 6-8 hours, untill set. The yogurt firms up as it cools.

After the yogurt is set (8 hours later), place the saucepan in a fridge to cool over night and serve it the next day.

Have a good appetite!

Bulgur Pilaf with tomato, onion and green chili peppers

3 Servings

Ingredients

1 cup extra coarse bulgur /cracked wheat

2 cups chicken stock or broth(hot)

1 medium onion (very finely chopped)

2 green anaheim chilies or banana peppers (finely sliced)

1 tomato, finely chopped

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 dessert spoon salt

Directions

1. Heat a medium size nonstick saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat the oil in the saucepan, add the onions and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes stirring.

2. Add the sliced green anaheim chilies or banana peppers and saute for another 3 minutes.

3. Add tomato and saute for 1 minute.

4. Add bulgur and continue to saute until well coated with the vegetables. Season with salt and the black pepper.

5. Then add hot stock or broth into the saucepan.

6. Bring to a boil (simmer for 5 minutes). Then reduce the heat to low, and simmer until broth/stock is absorbed.

7. Remove from heat, stir gently with a wooden spoon and then place a paper towel between pan and lid to absorb moisture. Let it stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Have a good appetite!

Cigarette Shaped Pastries

Cigarette shaped pastry is as a snack for teatime or as a finger food at parties. The pastries are typically served with tea at Sunday breakfasts. While cigarette shaped pastries are usually fried, they can also be baked.

Ingredients

2 phyllo pastries

1 cup feta cheese crumbled with a fork

½ bunch chopped fresh parsley

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon sesame and black cumin seeds

1 dessert spoon red pepper flakes

1 cup olive oil

If you bake, additionally 1 tablespoon melted butter,

1 dessert spoon olive oil

Directions

1. Mix cheese and parsley in a bowl. Season with red pepper flakes.

2. Put the pastries on top of one another. Cut phyllo pastries from 12 o'clock to 6 o'clock, then from 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock, now you get 4 triangles for each pastry. Then cut each triangle into 2 or 3 so that you get 8 or 12 triangles for each pastry, it is up to your choice.

3. Take each piece seperately, put 1 dessert spoon of cheese and parsley mixture on wide edge, fold the corners, then roll like a cigarette, seal the narrow edge with one drop of water.

4. Beat the egg yolks. Brush over the cigarette pastries. Sprinkle sesame and black cumin seeds over each pastry.

5. Heat a large frying pan over medium-low heat. In the frying pan, heat 1 cup, or more, of olive oil over medium high heat. Make sure you have at least 1 cup of oil, so it will cover the cigarette pastries. When oil is hot, carefully add the cigarette pastries in batches and fry until golden on both sides. Add more oil, if necessary.

6. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, set aside on paper towels to absorb excess oil, and discard any leftover oil.

As an alternative to frying, brush each piece with melted butter before rolling. Beat the egg yolk with 1 dessert spoon of olive oil and brush over each piece and bake them in a preheated oven until they become golden.

Serve freshly fried.

Have a good appetite!