Homemade Pesto Sauce

 Sauces are one of my favorites to make. I love combining different ingredients such as; fresh herbs, spices and oils together. Pesto is one of the easiest sauces you can make. My girls Hanna and Amani love helping make this delicious sauce because they too help put the basil into the food processor ... one by one....by one!



 Ingredients you will need:

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic
2 cups of fresh Basil
1/4 cup Parmigiana cheese
1/4 cup Romano cheese
1/4 cup roasted Pine Nuts or toasted Walnuts
1 teaspoon Black pepper
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper

Wash then dry the Basil. Once the Basil is dried pick the Basil leaves off of the stems (side aside). Set up a large plate lined with paper towel. Then, on HIGH heat place a sauté pan with 1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Allow the oil to get hot (when the oil runs across the pan) place the Pine Nuts in the oil and with a large spoon constantly move the Pine nuts around(or they will BURN). Once they are a golden brown color remove and drain the oil quickly onto the paper lined plate.
If you use Walnuts instead of Pine Nuts; lay the Walnuts on a flat sheet and place in toaster oven. Toast until they are golden brown....DO NOT BURN!

In the food processor, combine the garlic, Parmigiana cheese, Romano cheese, Basil, Pine Nuts or Walnuts, Crushed Red Peppers, Black Pepper and E.V.O.O (slowly add the E.V.O.O as the ingredients are blending together.) Once the consistency is slightly thick ... sauce like, it is ready!

Add it to pasta, dipping with bread, mozzarella & tomatoes, Toasted Salami and Goat cheese sandwich, scrambled eggs and to whatever else you may have a taste for. ENJOY!

Spicy Pan-Seared lamb Chops

One of my absolute favorite meals to eat anytime are Lamb Chops! My girls, Hanna and Amani love watching me make my delicious "chops ".... they love eating them even more. I must say I do make the best lamb Chops.....so I'm told! I hope you enjoy making and eating these tasty Chops as much as my family does. Enjoy!


Ingredients Needed:

1 Large zip loc bag
3 lamb chops
2 TBSP curry powder
2 TBSP cumin
2 TBSP black pepper
2 TBSP sea salt
2 TBSP crushed red pepper
3 splashes of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ACCENT
2 TBSP onion powder
3 crushed cloves of garlic
1 lemon
1/4 cup E.V.O.O

Wash the lamb chops with cold water and rinse. Place them into the Large Zip loc bag and combine all the ingredients. Cut up the lemon in 4 quarters, squeeze into the bag and add the remains to the bag too. Next, seal the bag air tight and mix all the ingredients up. Refrigerate over night.

Preheat the oven on 450 degrees. Heat a large pan with E.V.O.O on High. Once the pan is hot pull the lamb chops out of the bag and place in the pan. With a pair of tongs sear all sides of the lamb chops. Once all sides are seared cook each side for 1 minute. Then, place in the oven for 2 mins (no flipping needed). After 2 mins, pull them out place them on a cutting board, cover with foil and let them rest for a 5 mins. Finally, Plate them in a in a trier (meaning, let them fan out in a circle resting on one another) garnish with a little sprinkle of chopped parsley and ENJOY!

Crushed Lentil Soups

Winter is here....burrrrrrrrrr! This is another one of my childhood recipes. My mother used make this soup like she was cooking for the "Soup Kitchen" for the masses. The masses we were ... with 5 hungry and cold kids, mom always had Crushed Lentil soup on the stove during winter time. During these cold months me and my girls love soup! Crushed Lentil soup is one of our favorites.


Ingredients needed:

2 cups of red lentils
8 cups of water
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 white onion
3 Tablespoons Curry
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 teaspoon Accent
salt & Black Pepper t.t


In food processor puree the following:

3 cloves of garlic
1/4 white onion
1/4 water


Place the lentils and water in the pot over HIGH heat for 20 mins. Skim the surface for impurities. Add the puree, chicken base, curry, cumin, accent, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Let simmer for 30 mins. (The longer it simmers the thicker it will be.)

Serve in a bowl with sliced onions, black olives, lemon wedges and toasted pita on the side! Enjoy!

NY Strip Steak and Eggplant topped with a Garlic-Lemon Sesame Sauce

Last night my girls and I made a couple of 2in NY Strip Steak with a delicious Eggplant topped with a garlic-lemon sesame sauce...yummy!

I have a great butcher that I found in Eastern Market. I have been buying all my meat from Barry at Embassy Foods for years! His Quality and quantity of meat is so much better and fresher than any chain store. Not too mention he butchers and trims it to your liking.


For the Eggplant:

Garlic-lemon Sesame Sauce:

Combine the following ingredients in a food processor:

1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed oil)
1/4 cup E.V.o.o
1/4 cup water
2-3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup parsley
1-2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 juice of lemon

Blend and you have Garlic-lemon Sesame sauce.

I thawed out 2-2in NY strip steaks overnight in the fridge. Once thawed, season the steaks with a generous amount of salt, Black Pepper, and accent,let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking. This allows the steak to absorb the seasoning and makes it more tender. Heat a large pan on HIGH with a generous amount of E.V.O.O, place the steaks in the pan and sear all side. Cook each side for 2 mins then place the entire pan in the oven for about 4 mins (Med-Rare). If you like it a little more done add on another minute or so. Pull the pan out and place the steaks on a cutting board to rest for about 5mins.

Peel and slice the eggplant in 1/2 inch slices (Round slices). Lay the Sliced pieces on a flat tray salt both sides and soak in shallow water for 30 mins. (Soaking the eggplant in water reduces excess oil absorbing once fried) Place a medium sauce pan with 3/4 vegetable oil over MED-HIGH heat. Gently squeeze the excess water from the eggplant rings. Place 1-2 eggplant slices/rings into the frying oil. Flipping once...once it is turns a golden brown color then strain and remove.Lay flat on paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

Plate the steak and eggplant side-by-side pour some of that tasty Garlic-lemon sesame sauce on top of the fried eggplant and a sprinkle of chopped parsley for garnish! Enjoy!

*PLEASE READ ENTIRE RECIPE BEFORE YOU START*

Last Night's Menu: BBQ Ribs with a Balsamic- Fig Sauce

I took 1 slab of Beef Ribs and started by washing and generously coat them with sea salt and Black pepper then, set them aside.

I whipped up a delicious sauce...Oooooh my, I definitely out did myself with this sauce. Hope you enjoy it as much as me and my girls did!

In a food processor combine the following:

1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup "Bone Suckin Sauce"....this is the name of the BBQ sauce
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
healthy splash of Balsamic Vinaigrette
3 cloves garlic
2 TBSP Crushed red peppers
2 TBSP grd Black pepper
2-3 TBSP sea salt
1 TBSP Accent
2 TBSP sesame seeds
2 dried figs ( chop em up then add to the processor...makes it easier to blend)

Take a large pan heat on HIGH, add some E.V.O.O then pan sear the ribs. Next place them on a cookie rack on top of a baking sheet...this will drain all the juices and fat and make them nice and crisp! Pour some of that delicious BBQ sauce just made all over the ribs. Then, take a brush and evenly coat the ribs. Cover with foil toss em in the oven to bake at 250 degrees for 3 hrs. YUMMMMMMMMMMMY!!...outside will be nice and crisp as the inside is so so tender. Use the left over sauce for dipping!

For a Side Dish:

Sauteed Spinach w/ Balsamic Apricot, Figs, Raisins and Pine Nuts
So easy.

Cut up and combine the following ingredients in a bowl with 1/2 cup of Balsamic Vinaigrette: let soak for 30 min.

1 hand Full dried Apricots
1 hand Full dried Figs
1 hand full of Raisins (no need to chop)

In a large saute pan heat on HIGH add E.V.O.O, add 3 crushed cloves of garlic then add 2 bags of spinach (spinach reduces down to half) and saute, add sea salt and black pepper. Once the spinach has reduced/wilted turn the heat to MED, add the dried fruit mixture (drain the excess balsamic first) add roasted Pine Nuts let all the ingredients cook together for a few minutes. Serve with shaved Parmigiana on top! Enjoy!

Last nights dinner....Garlic Herb Baked Chicken with Vegetables

The girls and I wanted something just a bit lighter and ooooooh, not so middle-eastern...although, middle-eastern is our FAV! Soooo, here it is....Lemon-Garlic Herb Baked Chicken with Vegetables.

We started with a 1.5lb AMISH chicken, wash the bird in cold water, salt and squeeze 2 lemons over the entire bird.Then,lightly flour the bird (this gets all the slime and stench of the chicken.) Rinse the chicken once more.

Add 2-4 TBSP of the following: Salt, Black Pepper, Tarragon, Crushed Rosemary,and Thyme.

1/4 cup Olive Oil (i love Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 Lemons

Combine all the above and coat the chicken with (don't be shy)

Next, Raise,Peel and cut (byes cut= a cut on an angle) the following vegetables

Green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, onions and mushrooms.

Place the Veggies in a deep tray and add the herbs and spices as above. Also, add 2 TBSP of ginger and vanilla. Mix all the ingredients very well together. Then, place the Chicken over the vegetables and cover with foil.

Bake it at 350 degrees for about an 1-1.5 hours. The last 5-10 mins turn the broiler on HIGH to brown the chicken.

Once its done. Plate the Chicken on a pretty platter surround with the vegetables. chop up some parsley and sparkle over the chicken!

Enjoy!!

What to do with Turkey left overs??

My girls are very bored with the Turkey left overs....Hmmmm,what to do? Well,if you're like me....I over did it with the 18 pounder!! So, I have over 10 lbs off this bird left and we've been eating it everyday since Saturday....BoooOoRing. I decided to bag up small portions of turkey by having one bag all dark meat, a second bag of mixed meat and so on...I tossed em into the freeze.

Hanna says,"Mommy, I'm HuuUuNgry"
For Lunch today I decided to use the Turkey in place of chicken.I made:

Potatoes on a Prayer...(Translation from Arabic to English) 30 mins.
This is a dish my mother made with chicken/turkey for me and my 5 siblings growing up. She was single mom raising 5 kids....nothing went to waste in our house.This is dish is one of my favorites!

I placed a large pot on the stove top and filled it 1/2 full of water I added 1 TBSP chicken base to it, bring to a boil. Then, reduce to Med-High heat, cut up 1 Turkey Breast ( or 2 Chicken Breasts....however,we are working with left overs.)a little salt, black pepper, cumin, curry, of course ACCENT....my fav.. add to the pot.
Peel and medium dice 2 large potatoes then deep fry them.Drain the grease from the potatoes ( I line a plate with paper towel to soak up all the excess grease.)Add the potatoes to the Pot.
Wash,peel and chop (small slices) 1 chive (you may use any type of onion u have laying around...if you are using a small onion only use 1/4 of it and just dice it up.)..this happens to be what I have laying around. Add to the pot.
Take a small saute pan on HIGH and add some olive oil to it,let the oil heat up in the pan then add 2-3 smashed cloves of garlic to it. Just flash fry the garlic cloves....just enough to bring out the flavor, DON'T BURN EM! (you'll know they are ready once you smell the garlic...yum!)takes just a few seconds if the pan is hot. Pour the garlic and oil right over the pot with everything else.let it simmer for a few seconds.
Finally, grab a plate put some rice in it and pour a couple of scoops of the Turkey and Potatoes on top then sprinkle chopped parsley on top and a squeeze of lemon. There you have it..."Potatoes on a Prayer"

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as me and my girls!

If you would have a questions...just ask!