Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken and Vegetables is one of my favorite comfort foods. Comfort food by definition is, ” food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal.” For most, that means lots of carbs and lots of sugar. For me, comfort food really does fit the Merriam Webster definition, that is, a traditional dish that brings back childhood memories. So what is it about One Pan Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Bake that makes me nostalgic? I have so many childhood memories of being at my Tayta’s around dinner time. She’d whip up her chicken and vegetable bake. She always had a way of making even the hardest dish seem easy to pull together. It must be all her years of cooking for 8 children. Yes, eight. The apartment always smelled amazing. It was wafting with aromas from a mix of garlic, onion and Arabic spices that made me practically drool as I waited not-so-patiently in the family room watching TV. (more…)
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Lemon and Herb Roasted Potatoes
I love planning things. I almost think that in another life, I should have become an event planner. The only downside is that I don’t like to deal with rude people, and you never know what kind of clients you’ll get. I’m obsessed with planning anything and everything from my outfits, to dinner parties, to weekend trips, to big vacations and beyond. I’m a little biased, but I think I have some pretty good ideas. (more…)
Parsley Pesto
I’ll be honest, when I think of pesto, I generally think of a basil-based chunky spread. But that’s because it’s the most popular flavor on grocery store shelves and at our favorite restaurants. What most people don’t realize is, there are so many variations of pesto, basil and parsley pesto being only two of them.
Last year, Bon Appetit showed us that that we can make pesto out of anything. Really, almost anything. Did you know that you can even use arugula?! (more…)
Garlic Rosemary Lamb Chops
Simplicity is so underrated.
When it comes to cooking, the less steps, the better. At least in my personal opinion. Roasted lamb chops sounds pretty complicated, but in fact, it isn’t. I’m telling you, your friends and family will be so impressed when you bring out this elegant-looking dish. They’ll have no idea that it was actually easier to whip up than some of your side dishes. (more…)
Pasta with Yogurt Sauce
It isn’t until very recently that the concept of eating plain yogurt has become more popular. It’s with the rise of Greek Yogurt’s popularity that more Americans are open to the idea of eating yogurt that isn’t Vanilla or Strawberry flavored.
It took me a long time to realize that most people (Arabs not included) don’t use plain yogurt or keep it in their house. It’s practically unheard of to spinach, malfouf or kubbeh bel sineyeh without it! And Mansaf is basically yogurt and lamb. (more…)
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
It’s pumpkin season. Not that it wasn’t already made obvious by the Halloween and pumpkin decorations all over the Metro DC area. I’ve finally given in, and treated myself to a pumpkin spice latte (tall, skinny). It’s insane how into pumpkins we are around here! And yet, October would not be complete without a trip to the pumpkin farm. I haven’t been out to the pumpkin farm since I was a kid … and let me tell you, you are never too old to enjoy the hay rides, the face paint, the slides and the hot apple cider. Even in my late 20s, I’m transformed into a small child the minute I get near the pumpkin farm — go figure! (more…)