January 16, 2013
Scrumptious Strawberries Aren’t these the most scrumptious Strawberries you have ever seen? These strawberries were so delicious that I had to share a pic of them. They would have made yummy strawberry preserves, but unfortunately they will not see tomorrow. They were polished off almost as fast as I got them washed and put on the serving plate. This is probably my daughter’s favorite fruit. They are full of Vitamin C and are great on their own or in pies, shakes,...
January 14, 2013
Baklava – Everybody’s Favorite . . . just the sound of it is intoxicating. Once you try baklava, you will be hooked for life. Baklava is like potato chips, you can never eat just one piece. Once piece becomes two, becomes three and so on. It is a food that I often get requested to make. If I make this sweet and intoxicating sweet for you, I LOVE you!!!! Contrary to popular belief, it is not hard to make, it...
January 14, 2013
Out of this world mac n cheese! My sister, Kim cooked a delicious lunch for us today. She made the most amazing mac-n-cheese ever. My daughter said “No offense Mom, but that is the best mac-n-cheese I have ever eaten!” Well, I tried to get her recipe but she just told me how she made it without giving me the actual recipe. I thought you guys would like to see the picture – that is how delicious it...
January 13, 2013
Salami and Pepper Jack Cheese on White Mountain Bread As some of you may have noticed, I was unable to post yesterday. It was my daughter’s 20th birthday and I was busy celebrating her birthday with family and friends. Here is a pic of my delicious breakfast I had yesterday. I had my cheesy toast with a couple of pickles. The salami gets crispy and the pepper jack cheese is so gooey. This would also be good with a dollop of...
January 11, 2013
Well, it is cold and raining here in Alabama so what better time for Sulu Kofte than now, right? Sulu Kofte is one of those foods that can make your mouth water just thinking about it. It is super easy to make and it tastes even better the second day – if you have any left, that is. Click here for recipe! Sulu Köfte Save Print Meatball soup Author: April Ozbilgin Recipe type: Soup Cuisine: Turkish Ingredients...
January 11, 2013
Kiymali Ispanak is one of my favorite Turkish comfort foods. I made it often after my weekly trip to the pazar (bazaar) because I would want to use my fresh spinach right away. It warms my belly and my heart each time I make it. Memories of the rows and rows of fresh vegetables, fruits, cheeses and olives come back to me like they were just yesterday. I can’t believe it has been fifteen years since I have been back...
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 ...
