Focaccia

 

Focaccia is my favorite my bread to make! I adapted this recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

Ingredients

• 2 cups warm water (100-110 F)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 6-7 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 rosemary sprig (or 1 tbsp dried rosemary)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 5-6 cups all purpose flour
• Toppings: olive oil, rosemary, whatever you would like

Instructions

1. In a small pot, warm up olive oil with garlic and rosemary until aromatic. Set aside and allow to cool.
2. Whisk 1 cup water, 1 tsps sugar, and 2 tsps yeast in a bowl. Cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
3. Add the other cup of water, 1/4 olive oil from above (making sure to not allow rosemary or garlic to get in), salt, and 1 cup of flour. Beat for 20 seconds. Add the remaining dough slowly, continuing to beat on low.
4. Knead the dough with your hands, the dough should be soft but not sticky. It should not break either. 
5. Allow dough to rise for 2-3 hours.
6. Grease a large baking pan (with 1 inch tall sides) with olive oil. I use a pastry brush because it helps.
7. Once dough is ready, punch it to release dough. Place on the oiled baking pan and stretch it to fit the pan. You might need to let it settle a little before it fits the entire pan. Allow to rest for another 2-3 hours.
8. Pre-heat oven to 450 F.
9. Then poke the dough to make dimples into the bread. Pour olive oil rosemary/garlic mixture from above. Allow it to get into the grooves. Sprinkle any other toppings of your choice.
10. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until light browned on top.

Pizza

 I have adapted my pizza dough from Sally's Baking Addiction.

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/3 cup warm water (between 100-110 F)
• 2 and 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (standard packet)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups flour (spoon and leveled)
• Optional: oregano, basil

Instructions:

1. Mix sugar and water. Add yeast and whisk. Cover and let set for 5 minutes. It should get frothy.
2. Mix flour, salt, and olive oil. You can add the oregano basil here if you would like.
3. Slowly pour in the the yeast mixture.
4. Mix and knead the dough. The dough should be soft. It should not be sticky! If you poke it, it should slowly bounce back.
5. Grease a pot, add dough mixture, cover with a wet clean kitchen towel. You can place in a warm oven (less than 150F) to help with rising.Allow to rise for 60-90 minutes.
6. Pre-heat oven to 475 F.
7. Punch the dough to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough in half. Flatten out dough with rolling pin or hands.
8. Add sauce and toppings.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Tabooleh

 

Ingredients

• 3 bunches parsley
• 2 medium tomatoes (beefsteak are good)
• 4 green onion sprouts
• 1 cup fine bulgur wheat
• 3-4 lemons
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt

Instructions:

1. Squeeze lemons for juice.
2. Add lemon juice to cover bulgur wheat. Add some oil and water. Continue to monitor as the wheat will soak up the fluids. Keep adding lemon juice/water until bulgur wheat is soft and edible.
3. Cut off parsley stems. Cut up parsley into small pieces. 
4. Chop tomatoes and green onions.
5. Mix parsley, tomatoes, green onions, and bulgur wheat.
6. Add lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to taste.

Safiha (Arab meat pies) using Impossible meat

 

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 1 packet yeast
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup oat milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
  
  
• 1 small onion
• 2 lb impossible meat
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small tomato, chopped,
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp baharat
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• 2 tbsp tomato paste

Instructions

1. Mix yeast, sugar, and 1/4 cup warm water. Cover and leave for 10 minutes.
2. Mix flour, honey, salt, egg, warm milk, oil. Add yeast mixture. Knead and allow 1 hour for dough to rise.
3. Make meat mixture: onion, meat, tomato, spices, yogurt, and tomato paste.
4. Make meat pie mixtures as shown by pictures below.
5. Cook for 10 minutes at 450F.

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• A bunch of celery, sliced
• 3 cups butternut squash, cut
• 5 garlic gloves
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger

Instructions:

1. Heat butter in pot on medium heat.
2. Add onions and cook until aromatic.
3. Add vegetables until slightly browned. Add stock and spices.
4. Cook on high for 40 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
5. Once vegetables are cooked, puree using immersion blender.

Apple banana bread

 

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 medium apples, peeled and diced

Streusel Topping

• 6 tbsp flour
• 8 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp melted bugger

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray two 9" loaf pans with baking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, yogurt, and vegetable oil. Add ripe bananas, sugars, and vanilla. Mix well until combined.
3. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well until combined.
4. Fold in apples.
5. Pour half of batter into each baking pan. 
6. Combine Streusel ingredients. Sprinkle half of streusel mix over each loaf.
7. Bake for 60-70 minutes. 
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Tomato Bisque Soup

More soup! This time one of my favorites, tomato bisque.
I based my recipe, on this.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. butter
• ½ onion
• ½ cup carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 2.5 cups broth (or water with 1 tbsp/cup)
• 3.5 cups tomatoes, chopped, peeled
• 1 tsp. Dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ cup heavy cream (I didnt have heavy cream or enough milk, so I combined 1/4 cup milk and 1.5 tbsp. butter)
• 1 tsp. salt
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp. brown sugar
• 10 fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Boil water and add whole tomatoes. boil until skin starts to crack. Then remove from heat. Allow to cool then peel and chop. Make sure to conserve the juice.
2. Heat butter in large pot over medium.
3. Add onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook, covered, until soft, which takes about 8 minutes. Make sture to stir occasionally.
4. Stir in flour, and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Stirring constantly.
6. Add in spices.
7. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
8. Remove from heat, and allow to cool.
9. Remove bay leaf, and puree in blender until smooth.
10. Whisk in heavy cream and salt. Pepper to taste.
11. Garnish with basil, cilantro, cheese, and so on.

Serve hot and enjoy!

PS. It had a rich tomato taste. If you like it to be creamy add more heavy cream.