Kousa Mahsi with Rice and Lamb in a Tomato Sauce

This dish is going back to basics...."Old school style!"  A dear friend of mine has been craving and asking for this delicious dish!.....without further Ado, KOUSA MAHSHI ( stuffed marrows/zucchini).....This is for you...Brad! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED:

15 medium size Kousa (marrow squash)
1 LB. ground Lamb
2 cups Long grain rice or Basmati Rice (my preference)
4 cups water
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup Chicken broth
2 TB. salt
1 TB. black pepper
1/2 ts cumin
1/2 ts allspice
1/2 ts Accent
4 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 cup dried crushed mint
1 cup Extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE:

Add 4 cups water
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup E.V.O.O
1TB salt
2 TB black pepper
1/2 ts Accent
1/2 ts cumin
1/2 ts allspice
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaves

Mix all the ingredients in a pot on HIGH heat and bring to a boil. Then, let simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.

FOR THE KOUSA (marrow squash)
Scrub marrows well. Hollow/crave the marrows/Kousa out from one end (small end) with apple corer or small spoon. Soak the rice in water for 20 mins. Mix the rice, lamb and seasonings together. Stuff squash three-quarters full (rice will expand;over stuffing will result in thee Explosion of the Kousa). Lay several meat bones on bottom of a large pot. Arrange stuffed marrows in layers over bones. Pour the finished Tomato sauce over the Pot with Kousa. Cover the pot and simmer for an hour, or until squash is tender. Uncover and simmer to thicken sauce.


Place a saute pan with 1/4 cup of E.V.O.O on HIGH heat. Once the oil is hot flash fry 3-4 crushed cloves of garlic.Quickly pour over the top of the Kousa with 1/2 cup dried crushed mint. Allow to simmer a few minutes more.

Once the Kousa/marrows are tender serve in a Plate top with the Tomato Sauce!
Enjoy!

Lamb Shank with Navy Beans over Basmati Rice

I decided to go back to my roots and cook up some delicious and oooooh so tender.....LAMB. Lamb....lamb...lamb....lamb...lamb and more.........LAMB! My girls just absolutely LOVE lamb. They especially loved this delicious and oooooooooooh so flavorful dish!


Ingredients needed:

2 Lamb Shanks
Mirepoix (1 carrot, 1 celery and 1/2 white onion)
2 Bay Leaves
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
8 cups water
2 cups Basmati Rice
1 large can of whole tomatoes
2 Cloves garlic
1 Tablespoon chicken base
1/2 teaspoon 7 season spice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 Tablespoon Black Pepper
2 -3 Tablespoon Sea Salt
1/4 cup E.V.O.O

Let's get started...
First, boil the Lamb Shanks in a large pot with 8 cups of water on HIGH. Add the mirepoix, bay leaves, and 1 Tablespoon Black Pepper and E.V.O.O. Bring to a boil. Let the lamb cook on MED-HIGH for about  4 hrs....skim the fat/grease off the top as it's cooking. (the stock will reduce so add 1-2 cups of water as needed)

Second, Strain the the lamb stock. Place the stock , shanks and bay leaves back into the pot. Take the mirepoix and puree in a food processor with a little water. Puree the can of whole peeled tomatoes. Rinse the Lima and Navy beans. Small dice 1 carrot and 1 celery. Combine all the above ingredients with cumin, black pepper, 7 season spice and sea salt to the pot. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 2-3 hours (skimming any/or all impurities) or until beans are tender. Once the beans are tender.. flash fry 2 cloves of garlic with E.V.O.O and pour over the pot let simmer for 5-15 mins.

Third, Take 2 cups of Basmati Rice, 3 cups of water 1 Tablespoon of chicken base and a heavy splash of E.V.O.O. Cook on HIGH uncovered until the water reduces by half. Then, cover tightly and let it cook on LOW for about 10 mins or until rice is tender.

Grab a plate add some rice top with Lamb and  beans sqeeuze a bit of lemon over it and sparkle with chopped parsley! Enoy!

Simple Tomato with Meat Sauce

My little girls said,"Mommy I'm hungey!"
We decided on the famous "Pasta".....Mmmmm.
However, I wanted it to be much more tastier than the basic pasta served with thee "jar" of spaghetti sauce. So, tonight we're cooking a very simple tomato with meat sauce. I hope you enjoy this!

You will need the following ingredients:

1 can peeled whole tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce (plain)
1/2 lb. ground beef
3 cloves garlic
4 pearl onions or (1/2 white onion)
1 large carrot
1/2 large celery
olive oil
sea salt, black pepper & white pepper
basil, oregano, thyme and crushed red peppers

First, brown the ground beef on HIGH in a saute pan with some olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Use a fork to break up the meat as it's cooking. Once it's cooked drain the grease/fat and put the meat to the side.

Next, you will need a medium sauce pot. Peel and crush the garlic. Then, small dice the onions, carrots and celery. On MED-HEAT pour some olive oil in the pot and sauté the garlic, onions, carrots and celery until they are tender (not carmelized). Then, add the tomatoes to the pot; using a masher, mash the tomatoes up in the pot. Add a little chicken stock, the cooked ground beef, Bay leave, basil, thyme, oregano, crushed red peppers, sea salt and white pepper (black pepper will do as well). Let simmer for 30-45 mins. During this time choose your favorite pasta and boil it with sea salt and olive oil until cooked for al denta 5-7 mins.)
Drain the pasta and serve in a large bowl with the Meat sauce sparkle some chopped parsley over it and DONE!

Enjoy!

Middle-eastern Spicy Chicken Dumplings Soup

Mmmmm...Mmmmmm! This is a delicious quick and fairly easy soup to make that will last a few days...if you're Lucky. My girls, Hanna and Amani literally duke it out ...I mean elbows in the air; for this tasty soup. I hope you enjoy my soup as much as we do! Enjoy!






Ingredients Needed:

2 Chicken Breasts, cut into small pieces (I prefer Amish Chicken)
1/2 cup small diced white onion
1 cup small diced peeled carrots
1 cup small diced celery
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 corn
8 cups cold water
3 cloves crushed garlic
2 TBSP curry
2 TBSP black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 TBSP Crushed red peppers
4 TBSP sea salt
1 TBSP ACCENT
1/4 cup E.V.O.O
2 TBSP chicken base
1 cup flour

First, Place all the vegetables ( NOT the garlic), spices, E.V.O.O and chicken base into the pot with the water on HIGH heat.Bring to a rapid boil then turn down to MED heat let that cook uncovered for 30 minutes, then let it simmer. Next, place a saute pan on HIGH heat with some E.V.O.O, add the cloves of crushed garlic and quickly flash fry (once you smell the strong garlic aroma its done...DO NOT BURN!)pour over the soup(oil and all). In the same saute pan, heat on HIGH with E.V.O.O and add the chicken season with salt and pepper and only brown the chicken. Once browned drain the oil and fat and add to the soup.

 Now for the dumplings....mix a little water with the flour until it becomes dough like. Once it is dough like pull small pieces off and drop them into the soup until there is no more dough left. Let the pot continue to simmering for 30 more minutes during this process skim the top of the soup for impurities.

Pour a bowl squeeze a little fresh lemon over it and garnish with some chopped parsley! Enjoy!

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!