Archive
January 10, 2013
Oven Roasted Zucchini, Carrots, Cabbage, Sweet Peppers & Onions Nothing tastes better in winter than piping hot oven roasted veggies. My daughter had been wanting me to make some for her. Since I had everything I needed, I made some tonight to go with our fried chicken. They were delish!! You could do pretty much any hearty vegetable. I had zucchini, carrots, cabbage, onions, garlic and sweet peppers so that is what I used. Here is how I made them...
January 9, 2013
Oven Roasted Turkey with Pepper Jack Grilled cheese is one of my favorite foods. I think this goes back to my childhood when I was about 3 or 4 years old and had not yet started school. My mother would make me an ooeey gooey grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of Campbell’s soup. I would watch Lassie while enjoying my lunch. Unfortunately, those days are gone but I can count on a grilled cheese to take me back to...
January 7, 2013
One of the most used tools in my kitchen is a brass mortar and pestle from Turkey. It was a gift from my former mother-in-law and I have had it for more than 25 years. It has been used to crush enough garlic to kill thousands of vampires ;-). Maybe it is just me but there is something so relaxing about smashing garlic! The reason it is such a perfect tool is because it is essential for making the best...
January 7, 2013
Potatoes provide 45% of our daily vitamin C requirements. In addition, potatoes are also high in fiber and are also a good source of vitamin B6, copper, and potassium. Besides being good for us, potatoes are versatile with endless ways of being prepared. Boiled, fried, mashed, roasted, baked . . . wait we could be here all day. Instead of listing all the delicious ways to prepare potatoes, I am going to give you one of my favorite potato recipes...
January 6, 2013
One of my favorite soups is Ezogelin Çorbası (Ezo Bride Soup). It is a smooth creamy soup that has a robust flavor and is very nutritious. While pregnant with my daughter, Stella, I was living in Turkey. Ezogelin soup was my life line. It was one of the few things I could eat and feel completely satisfied. There were many soup restaurants near our house and it was always a treat to have a hot bowl of soup with a squeeze...
January 4, 2013
I have been cooking perfect rice for over 20 years and I must give credit where it is due. Sevim Ozbilgin, who was my mother-in-law at the time, taught me how to make perfect rice. It is always fluffy and delicious every time. I am giving you the recipe below for plain rice but you can take this simple technique and make countless versions. I will give you some ideas for variations in upcoming posts. Perfect Rice Every Time ...
January 3, 2013
My Favorite Food . . . How do you choose one? Choosing a favorite food is difficult when you are a foodie! After much consideration though, I would have to say my favorite food is my Angel hair pasta with meat sauce. It is so simple and it is better the next day (if you have any left)! You could also use this sauce on with regular spaghetti or your favorite pasta. You could also use it to make a...
January 2, 2013
Hi everyone! Do you know the names of these vegetables in Turkish? Well, today I have been working on a little project I have been wanting to do for a long time. . . translating some cooking terms from English to Turkish. I was trying to think which way would be best and since I am a little impatient, I am posting some of them now. I will update them and if anyone finds mistakes or has a better...
January 1, 2013
Well, contrary to what the Mayan’s predicted, we made it to 2013 and we are still here with hungry bellies awaiting our next delicious meal. As tradition would have it, the house is filled with the aroma of collard greens and black eyed peas. I really love collard greens but for some reason only cook them on New Year’s Day. In the South (where I am from) collards are eaten for wealth and black eyed peas for luck, so I...
