MARBLED Easter Cookies in Minutes!

Hello Friends! Easter preparations are well underway in our family, and if you have been following my blog for a while, you know this is Mamoul time! These semolina date ring cookies usher in the beginning of spring, Jesus’s resurrection, and in the Muslim world, Ramadan, which is happening right now as well. If you…… Continue reading MARBLED Easter Cookies in Minutes!

Dramatic Dessert: Wine Poached Pears!

Growing up eating a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean diet, the primary dessert in my family was fruit, perhaps with a side of cheese. During hot summer days my mother took breaks from cooking to give us a dinner of fruit, cheese, and bread–usually grapes or watermelon with farmer’s cheese. She would apologize that the house was too…… Continue reading Dramatic Dessert: Wine Poached Pears!

The Black Ingredient that Cures “Everything But Death” in a Cake!

There is a mysterious black ingredient, touted to cure “everything but death” in the Arab and Islamic world. This ingredient, called qizha in Arabic, or nigella seed paste, looks like black tar toothpaste or engine oil, and tastes a little like tahini, with undertones of mint and oregano.   This ingredient is found Turkey, Syria and…… Continue reading The Black Ingredient that Cures “Everything But Death” in a Cake!

A Double Feature of Treats for Valentine’s Day!

As Valentine’s Day is upon us, I thought I would share two fun discoveries with you! As the price of chocolate has skyrocketed, making homemade gifts is a great alternative to store bought chocolates. Lindsay from Food La La shared this lovely recipe for Sweetheart Toffee on the set of California Live for NBC. If…… Continue reading A Double Feature of Treats for Valentine’s Day!

OH LALA- FRENCH MACARONS in your KITCHEN!

I am going to keep it real right now, are you ready? When I went to France recently, I couldn’t wait to try their macarons, but my jaw dropped at the price. Each itty bitty 1 inch diameter cookie was 4 bucks! Are you kidding me? If I wanted to buy a dozen it could…… Continue reading OH LALA- FRENCH MACARONS in your KITCHEN!

Ever Wanted to Eat A Whole Pan of Brownies?

Did you ever make brownies according to the package, then get dissappointed that an itty bitty 1 inch piece is 150 calories? Who could honestly eat that little and be satisfied, especially when that piece is loaded with sugar and no protein? I have been making these 40 calorie brownies for years now, and I…… Continue reading Ever Wanted to Eat A Whole Pan of Brownies?

Halawet El Jibn: An Iconic Syrian Dessert for My Baba’s Bday!

It all began in the 1870s with a sweets vendor in Hama Syria. The patriarch of the Salloura family figured out a way to make sweet cheese pancakes rolled around sweet cream, called Halawet El Jibn, which in Arabic means “sweetness of the cheese.”  The cheese rolls were scented with rose or orange blossom, then doused…… Continue reading Halawet El Jibn: An Iconic Syrian Dessert for My Baba’s Bday!

Bringing My French Cooking Class to YOU!

Hello Friends! With restaurant prices rising to insane levels in my neighborhood, I have resorted to making more fancy restaurant favorites at home. My favorite Japanese nabeyaki udon (soup with noodles, veg, and protien) at a nearby restaurant used to cost me $17 last year–this year the cost climbed to a whopping $27! For a…… Continue reading Bringing My French Cooking Class to YOU!

Ka’ak Asfar: The Original Easter Bread of the Holy Land

The special recipe I am going to share with you today is a big reason why I started this blog in the first place–to share and preserve ancient Arab traditions before they become a lost art. When Palestinians, Lebanese, Jordanians, and Syrians celebrate Easter, no bunnies or chocolate creme eggs enter into the equation. Instead,…… Continue reading Ka’ak Asfar: The Original Easter Bread of the Holy Land

The Decadent Arab Food Vlog from Dearborn Michigan!

Happy New Year Friends! How have you all been? It has been an extra chilly winter here in California so I have been making a different soup every week, using whatever seasonal produce I can find from the farmer’s market. For those of you that live in California, I will be on NBC’s California Live…… Continue reading The Decadent Arab Food Vlog from Dearborn Michigan!