Savory Puff Pastry Pies Stuffed with Meat and Rice (Ouzi)

Some requests have come in for more Middle Eastern dishes.  I LOVE to hear from the readers, thank you for your comments!  Please always feel free to post on the blog or email me directly at ChefSavvy@gmail.com!

Here's another classic Syrian dish, called "ouzi" in Arabic. It is carbohydrate heaven! Puff pastry stuffed with rice! This is paired with a cucumber yogurt sauce and the combination is dynamic! It is very common to eat the rice without filling it in a puff pastry, so feel free to do so. A great idea is to make extra of the rice and eat it as a rice meal one night and then fill into pies for another evening. Wrapped in puff pastry, these freeze very well and are ready to bake right from the freezer.

I always serve this with a cucumber yogurt sauce (laban bil khyar) and a simple salad.

To prepare vegetarian style leave out the meat and include the carrots.

These make 20 mini pies

Ingredients

--------------

-1 pound ground beef (80% lean)

-1 tablespoon allspice

-salt to taste

-2 cups calrose rice, soaked in water for 2 hours

-2 1/4 cups boiling water

-1 lb frozen peas

-optional: 1 cup finely diced carrots (the size of the peas)

-10 puff pastry squares

Assembly

----------

-In a large pot, brown ground beef and carrots with allspice and salt. Rinse soaked rice and add to ground beef. If using fresh carrots, add them now. Cook for two minutes while stirring frequently. Add 2 1/2 cups boiling water and peas. Once mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover rice and simmer for 18-20 minutes. Do not uncover rice during the 18 minutes of cooking time. After the time is up, turn off heat, uncover, stir rice, replace lid and let set for another 15 minutes. Uncover and let the rice cool.

-Preheat oven to 375. Using a rolling pin, extend the dough by 1/4 inch on each side. Cut each puff pastry square in half. Take an individual ramekin and press dough into the cup, letting the pastry extend out. Fill with 1/4-1/2 cup of rice and fold over the edges of the crust, pressing lightly to seal. Flip over onto a baking sheet. Repeat this process until the rice and dough are finished.

-Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is golden and flaky.
-Serve with  yogurt
-Enjoy!

Ouzi isn't complete without a side of cucumber yogurt sauce :)

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Grilled Vegetables

I dedicate this recipe to Azza, my pregnant bff who craved this dish from across the country :)

Everything about this dish is wonderful! The flavors are robust, the assortment is colorful, it is healthy, low fat, easy to prepare...the list goes on and on!

I ALWAYS serve up a dish of these at a BBQ, and it really is a nice side dish to accompany all the meat/poultry options. BBQ events are supposed to be fun and relaxing with minimal prep work, and these veggies are no exception! For an even easier version than outdoor grilling, I use my George Foreman grill and they taste just the same as outdoor grilled veggies.

Sometimes I toss all the ingredients together and grill them all at once, but in this picture I grilled each vegetable separate and arranged them as such on the serving dish.

TOTALLY experiment with the vegetables. Everytime I make these veggies the ingredients will differ. I like to add artichoke hearts, fresh bell peppers, corn bits, asparagus...whatever chunky vegetable I have! I would be interested to find out how pumpkin would taste...maybe I'll try it and update you guys :)

Ingredients

-------------

-1 cup baby zucchini (if using a large zucchini, chop into chunks)

-1 cup baby yellow squash (if using a large squash, chop into chunks)

-1 cup baby carrots

-1 large red onion, cut into large cubes

-1 cup crimini mushrooms

-1 cup grape tomatoes

Marinade

----------

-1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

-1/3 cup olive oil

-3 garlic cloves, minced

-1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

-salt and pepper to taste

To make

----------

-Mix all the marinade ingredients together and coat the veggies with the marinade.

-Grill for about 5-10 minutes on a George Foreman grill (depending on your grill and how well-done you like them). If you are using an outdoor grill these will take a few minutes longer.
-Serve and enjoy!

These are equally delicious as leftovers! You can chop them up finely and turn them into veggie quesidellas or use them for the  grilled vegetable couscous salad!

Creamy Spinach Lasagna Rolls

I love this recipe. It looks so pretty, and each bite is a burst of flavor. Rolling the lasagna is even easier than layering a traditional lasagna dish! I made this up years ago when I was looking for a creative twist on pasta in red sauce. It was a hit and I make it pretty frequently for dinner parties. Its a vegetarian dish, loaded with spinach, but still creamy and cheesy!

Ingredients

------------

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 red onion, diced into small cubes

-5 garlic cloves, finely minced

-1 pound frozen chopped spinach

-8 ounce package cream cheese (go with the light version)

-1/2 cup milk

-2 tablespoons pesto sauce

-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

-1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

-1 cup chopped artichoke hearts (optional)

-1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)

-salt and pepper to taste

-12 lasagna noodles, boiled al-dente

-1 jar prepared marinara sauce

-Parmesan cheese for garnish (or mozzarella)

Assembly

-----------

-Boil the lasagna noodles in hot water until al-dente. Drain and keep aside.

-Heat olive oil and cook onions and garlic until caramelized. Add the spinach and optional artichokes and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning.

-Add cream cheese, milk and pesto sauce and stir until cream cheese is melted.

-Pour the marinara sauce into a 9x13 baking dish. Add 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning and stir into sauce.

-To roll the noodles, lay them out flat and spread 1/2 cup spinach mixture on each noodle. Roll the noodles and place seam side down into the marinara sauce. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and additional Italian seasoning, then bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

Baklava

This Middle Eastern dessert has gotten so popular in America that Costco has commercialized it and brought it into their stores! I've got to say, they definitely knew a good thing when they saw it, because these little pastry bites are nutty, crunchy, and filled with sweet goodness!

People who have experiences with phyllo sheets usually shy away from using them because of the annoying process of spreading EACH thin sheet with butter over and over and over. Don't be intimidated, this recipe just breaks the phyllo dough into sets of sheets instead of buttering each individual sheet (I'm not sure of the EXACT number but there is about 50 sheets in each package...and the traditional buttering process is so tedious they feel like a million sheets!)

Here's what sets this recipe apart from others....it has NO butter! My neighbor gets all the credit for the ingenious idea of using butter flavored non stick spray instead of the butter! This cuts the fat BIG TIME and also the prep time!

To serve these in a presentable manner, my friend Amira and her mother place each piece of baklava (after it is baked and cooled) into a cupcake paper cup. The cups mold to the diamond shape of the baklava and look very pretty when they are arranged on a platter.

I especially love these now that the fall is here because of the nutty cinnamon flavor. These hold up very nicely in the fridge and maintain they're freshness for about 10 days.

Ingredients

------------

-1 package phyllo dough sheets

-3 cups walnuts

-1/2 cup sugar

-1 tablespoon cinammon

-Butter flavored non-stick cooking spray

Syrup Sauce

-------------

-1 cup sugar

-1 cup water

-1 teaspoon lemon juice

*Optional: You can drizzle honey all over the baklava instead of making the syrup sauce. I usually do a mix of both.

Assembly

----------

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate phyllo sheets in half. Then separate each half into 4 smaller sets. Spray a baking sheet liberally with non-stick spray. Place first layer of sheets and spray again with non-stick spray. Repeat this process until the first 4 layers of sheets have been layed out.

-Grind the walnuts in a food processor with the sugar and cinnamon until it is a crumbly mixture. Spread them out on the phyllo sheets. Repeat the layering and spraying process for the 4 remaining sets of phyllo sheets.

-Carefully cut the baklava into diagonal shapes. This is easy to do if you cut diaganoly from the bottom left corner to the top right all the way across the baking sheet. Then when cutting linearly just cut straight down. Make sure to cut all the way down to the bottom layer of phyllo, so the syrup can reach the bottom and to make removal of the pieces easier.

-Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the top looks browned and flaky.

-While the baklava is baking, prepare the syrup sauce by heating a small sauce pan on high with the sugar and water. Stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. When it begins to bowl, lower the heat to low, add the lemon juice and let simmer for 5 minutes.

-Add the syrup sauce all over the baklava when it comes out of the oven. Allow dessert to cool (this is going to be tough to do!) and serve with tea!

Southwestern Chicken Pasta

The picture is terrible but the recipe rocks!

This started as a copycat version of Red Robin's southwestern pasta, but as it evolved over time it has turned into a completely different recipe! Several of my friends and I make this regularly, and whoever gets to try it always loves the flavors. Just like everything else on this blog: its deceptively easy!!!

For a vegetarian version replace the chicken with 1 1/2 cups frozen spinach. It tastes great!

Ingredients

------------

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 pound chicken breast, diced into small chunks

-1 large red onion, chopped into strips

-1 each: red, yellow and green bell peppers, julienned. OR use 1 pound bag of frozen bell pepper mix.

-1 tablespoon paprika

-1 tablespoon coriander

-1 tablespoon cumin

-1 package taco seasoning 

-3 cups half and half

-1 pound tri-colored pasta

-salt to taste

Assembly

----------

-Boil water in a pot and add pasta. Cook al-dente according to package instructions.

-Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pot and add chicken. Once it is cooked halfway, add the paprika, coriander, cumin and some salt. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from pot and place in a bowl.

-Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pot and add onions and bell peppers. Cook until slightly blackened.

-Return chicken to pot and toss with cooked pasta.

-Heat a small saucepan and add the half and half. Stir in taco seasoning. Cook until well heated and just about to start bubbling. Toss the sauce with pasta and serve immediately.

Kabobs and Potatoes in a Tomato Cilantro Sauce

Super easy. Super yummy. This is an altered Syrian dish. I personally like this version a LOT more than the classic. The additions are just cilantro and potatoes. Small change but big result ;-)

Ingredients

------------

-1 pound ground beef

-1 onion, quartered

-1 tablespoon allspice

-salt and pepper

-1 cup parsley

-1 large onion, chopped into strips

-1 large Yukon gold potato, washed and cut into strips

-1 large can tomato sauce

-1 bunch cilantro, minced

Assembly

----------

-Mix ground beef and onion with allspice, parsley and salt in a food processor until the onion in pureed and mixed with the beef. Shape into 2 inch long log shaped patties.

-Heat a pot and brown kabobs until they are halfway cooked. In the same pot, caramelize onions.

-Add onions and kabobs into a slow cooker and layer potatoes, tomato sauce and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 hours on low or 2 hours on high. Serve with pita bread or white rice.

Chicken and White Sauce Lasagna

This is not your traditional lasagna recipe. No red sauce, no meat. Lots of chicken, cheese and yummy veggies instead! The sauce came about by me opening my fridge and adding whatever I felt would taste relevant. I think you can leave out or substitute some of the ingredients for this because it isn't one specific flavor that makes it taste good, but rather the combination of smooth creaminess. My home girl Nora made an amazing similar version of this and it reminded me of my recipe, so thank you!

For a vegetarian dish, leave out the chicken and increase the vegetable quantities.

This isn't one of my low calorie/low fat recipes, but soooo worth it...

Ingredients
---------------
-1 lb chicken breast, cut into small cubes
-2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (or olive oil)
-1/2-1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
-2 cups fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
-2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped (frozen is ok)
-1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts (I used the frozen bag, not the marinated), roughly chopped
-1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

-1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

-garlic salt and black pepper
-9 lasagna noodles, boiled 2 minutes under al dente
-1 1/2 cups Italian cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, or a mix)
-1/2-1 cup fresh basil (optional)

Sauce

--------
-1 jar alfredo sauce
-8 ounce package of cream cheese
-3/4 cup half and half
-3 tablespoons pesto sauce
-3 tablespoons fresh oregano (optional)
-3 tablespoons Italian seasoning

Assembly

-------------
-Cook the chicken in a pot on high heat with mascarpone cheese. Once it is cooked halfway through, add the mushrooms. After 3 minutes add the spinach, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper and sun dried tomatoes. Continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes. Season the chicken mixture with garlic salt and black pepper.
-Add the alfredo sauce to the chicken mixture. Stir in the cream cheese, half and half, pesto, oregano and Italian seasoning. Stir mixture and cook on medium heat until it boils. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
-Using a 9x13 inch baking dish, ladle some sauce on the bottom of the dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles and spoon 1/3 of the chicken mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Arrange another 3 lasagna noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat the process one last time (noodles, chicken mixture, cheese). Decorate the top of the lasagna with additional sliced red peppers and sun dried tomatoes. Add the 1 cup fresh basil or you can sprinkle some additional Italian seasoning.
-Cover with foil and bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Shawerma Chicken Wraps

This is as a homemade American version of the Middle Eastern shawerma sandwich. This is my mom's recipe and it is always a great hit for dinner parties. Shawerma sandwiches are a very popular street food in the Middle East, and they are made with chicken or lamb. The Greeks have a similar version called 'gyro' and the Turks also have a version of shawerma called 'donner'.

IT IS MY FAVORITE SANDWICH OF ALL TIME!

Depending on the size of the chicken and how much mixture is used in each wrap, these should make about 15-20 large sandwiches. I slice them in half for a total of 30-40 pieces.

Ingredients

------------

-1 rotisserie chicken, remove skin and bones and shred chicken

-1 tablespoon coriander

-1 tablespoon paprika

-10 tablespoons mayonnaise

-5 garlic cloves, crushed

-15-20 dill pickles

-15-20 flour tortillas

-3-4 tomatoes, sliced (optional)

Assembly

----------

-Mix shredded chicken with coriander and paprika.

-By hand or in a blender, whisk mayonnaise and garlic cloves together.

-Spread about 1/2 tablespoon garlic mayonnaise on a flour tortilla. Spread out 1/3 cup chicken. Place a dill pickle in the middle of the tortilla.

-To wrap, fold the right and left side of the tortilla into the middle. Then fold over the top and bottom of the tortilla. (In other words, wrap burrito style).

-Bake for 20 minutes in a preheat oven at 400 degrees. Remove when the tortilla has started to brown.

-Slice and serve with tomato wedges!

These freeze very well. Freeze after wrapping and bake when ready to eat.

Cheese Pastries

In Arabic these are called "fatayir bil jibneh" and that means dough/pastry with cheese. I love them. So does every single other person I know that has tried them. I'm not even exaggerating ;-) No Syrian dinner party is complete without them. Regardless of how much is made, if they are served hot from the oven there will never be leftovers. There are many versions these scrumptious pastries, and I am listing the best and the classic.

This makes 8 large pastries. These can be made a day ahead and stored ready to bake on a baking sheet covered in foil.

Ingredients

------------

-1 Pillsburry grands flaky layers refrigerated biscuit dough

-1 cup Queso Fresco Mexican cheese

-3/4 finly chopped parsley

**optional additions:

-Mix 1/4 cup fresh mint with parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried mint.

-Add 1 tablespoon paprika and 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds.

Assembly

----------

-Preheat oven according to package instructions of biscuit dough.

-Crumble cheese and mix with parsley and optional additions.

-Press down the biscuit until it is shaped like an oval. Spoon 1 large tablespoon of the cheese mixture onto the dough. Pinch up the edge on the longer sides until the edges are sealed and the middle is open, exposing the cheese mixture.

-Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until biscuit is golden and cheese is melted.

ENJOY. I know you will!

Morrocan Honey Chicken Tagine with Raisins

My friend Bushra made this for a recent gathering and it was so flavorful and unique. Luckily it was also very easy to put together, and therefore it became SavvyChef blog worthy!

She cooks this either in a tagine or a regular pot. It is a GREAT dish for the slow cooker because it is supposed to simmer for a long time. As it simmers the sauce thickens and the flavors intensify.

If you're looking for a unique dish to try this is it! I'm not a huge fan of raisins but their texture changes as they cook and they are just so soft and yummy. I made this dish for a dinner party and my guests loved it! Because of the cinnamon flavor and the fact that it cooked in the slow cooker I felt like it was such a great dish to welcome the fall season!

This serves about 3-4 adults.

Ingredients

------------

-1 pound chicken thighs or breast tenders

-1 large onion, chopped into strips

-1 tablespoon butter

-1 tablespoon cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)

-1 tablespoon ginger powder (or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger)

-1 teaspoon turmeric

-1 pinch saffron

-1/2 cup honey

-1/2-3/4 cup black raisins (I also added golden raisins)

-2 cups water

-1/2 cup mixed nuts toasted in cinnamon (optional)

Assembly

----------

-Heat butter in skillet and cook onions until caramelized. Transfer to slow cooker and add chicken, cinnamon stick, ginger, turmeric, saffron, honey, raisins and water. Season lightly with salt.

-Cover and cook 5 hours on low or 2.5 hours on high.

-Serve with optional mixed nuts. These add a nice crunch! Eat with toasted bread or white rice.

**If cooking stovetop, reduce heat to medium low after carmelizing onions and allow chicken and sauce to simmer for 1 hour.**

Fat Free Cilantro Garlic Dressing

The pictures are terrible but the sauce is good!

You may remember this from the Mexican salad I made in the past. Here is the dressing recipe on its own because I've found that it is a great topping for grilled chicken, shrimp or steak. It is also a great dip for veggies and chips! Get creative!

Dressing

---------

-1 cup fat free plain yogurt

-1/2 cup packed cilantro

-1 clove garlic

-green tips of green onions

-salt to taste

-seeded jalapeno (optional)

**you may want to use 1 tablespoon sour cream or mayonnaise to thicken dressing**

To make

------------

-Blend dressing ingredients using an immersion blender (or use a normal blender). If the sauce is too liquidy (yes, that is a real word in kitchen talk), add a tablespoon of sour cream or mayonnaise.

Walnut Stuffed Chocolate Covered Medjool Dates

Being a food blog and all, I wanted to pass on this AMMMAAAZZZIIINNGGG food product that I've come across!

How many of you fellow Muslims have wished to have something readily available that represents Ramadan?! I know I always have! Apparently I wasn't alone in that wish, because someone has finally done it!

QUALITY, GOURMET, DELICIOUS treats just for Ramadan! I'm talking about Sweet Pillar Bon Dates! Sweet Medjool dates are stuffed with delectable walnuts and dipped in delish Belgium chocolate...then packaged in a super nice box and shipped anywhere!

Check out the website: www.SweetPillar.com

Of course I think its important I mention that I am not part of this business and don't make any money on this! Just a satisfied customer who wants others to share in the yumminess!

Polka Dot Fudge Cookies

My sister Layla made these up and she's getting a patent on the title :) After a quick search I discovered the basic version of this recipe is already all over the internet, but her's are still better ;-)

These are gooey and fudgy and soft and crumbly and JUST SO GOOD. They only take 10 minutes of prep time before they're baking in the oven, and I'm willing to bet 99% of people already have these ingredients in their kitchens. I love when I read a recipe and realize I can make it on the spot because I have everything needed and a bit of time to spare, and this is one of them!

The add-in possibilities are ENDLESS with these: chocolate chips, m&ms (these look SO cool), shredded coconut, nuts, toffee bits, chewy caramels...

Depending on the size (and how much batter you eat) these measurements should make about 36 cookies.

Ingredients

------------

-1 box chocolate cake mix

-2 eggs

-1/3 cup of vegetable oil

-1 cup mix-in (white chocolate chips, etc...)

To make

-----------

-Heat oven to 350 degrees.

-Mix cake mix, eggs and oil for 2 minutes until well blended.

-Stir in mix-in

-Shape into rounded teaspoons and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 7 minutes. This is for soft and chewy cookies. Bake an additional minute or two if you want them crispy. Cool for a couple minutes.

-DEVOUR!!!

Zucchini Dip

This is a spin-off of hummus, for those who are bothered by beans, or for those who just want to try something new. I learned this from my mother-in-law, who is a very creative and talented cook :) I make this as a low carb alternative to hummus, or just when I have a lot of extra zucchini lying around. We eat this with pita chips, pita bread, or any assorted variety of veggies. This dip makes a great sandwich or base layer for a veggie wrap.

Ingredients

------------

-4 large zucchini or squash, washed and cut into cubes

-1 cup fat free yogurt

-1/3 cup tahini paste (you can use 1/2 cup for a thicker dip, but start with 1/3)

-1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (this can be replaced with 1 squeezed lemon, but it won't taste as good :) )

-optional: 1 clove garlic

-salt to taste

optional garnish
---------------------
-pomegranate seeds
-fresh chopped parsley
-sliced tomatoes

-drizzled olive oil
-black sesame seeds

To Make

----------

-Heat pot filled halfway with water and some salt. When water boils, drop in cubed zucchini and cook until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and place zucchini in a medium sized bowl.
-Mash zucchini until it is broken up and smooth. Sometimes I leave it a little chunky for a firmer texture.

-Add yogurt, salt, tahini, optional garlic and pomegranate molasses to the bowl and mash together until well mixed. Garnish with optional toppings and serve.
-Enjoy :)

This holds up pretty well in the fridge, can be kept for about a week.

Grilled Vegetable and Couscous Salad

I sort of overdid it with the vegetables at my local farmer's market, and now I'm looking for creative ways to use them!

I've had a salad in the past that combined roasted veggies with couscous and I liked it a lot. After searching the internet for a good recipe, I didn't find one I was crazy about, so I basically made this up.

This looks very pretty because of the various colors. Feel free to play around with the veggie mixture, add or omit whatever you want. Other good additions would be artichoke hearts, corn, grilled onions or roasted garlic.

This salad has a bit of a Moroccan feel to it because of the couscous and coriander, but I'm not claiming any authenticity!

This can be served warm or cold. Serves about 4 adults.

Ingredients

------------

-2 cups arugula leaves (fresh spinach or baby spring mix also work)

-1 cup cooked couscous

-3 baby Japanese eggplants, thinly sliced

-1 medium sized yellow squash, thinly sliced

-1 medium sized zucchini, thinly sliced

-1 cup sliced mushrooms

-1 sliced red bell pepper (optional)

-1 cup baby tomatoes

-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Dressing

---------

-1 finely diced shallot

-zest and juice of 2 lemons

-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-1/3 cup olive oil

-1 teaspoon coriander

-1 teaspoon paprika

-salt and pepper to taste

Assembly

----------

-Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and roast in an oven or on a grill. I used my GeorgeForeman grill.

-Layer the arugula, couscous and vegetables on a serving dish. Top with feta cheese.

-Drizzle the dressing over the salad, toss ingredients together and serve!

Sesame Chicken Flat Bread Pizza

Ingredients

----------------

-8 flat breads

-4 tablespoons sesame seeds

-1/2 pound chicken breast cut into small cubes

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-3 cloves garlic, finely diced

-3/4 cup teriyaki sauce or dressing

-1/2 red onion OR 3 green onions, julienned

-1 cup carrots cut into matchsticks

-1 red bell pepper, julienned

- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

-1/2 cup chopped cilantro

-salt to taste

To make

------------

-Preheat oven to 425 degree Fahrenheit. Place the flat bread on baking sheet, brush 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake for 10 minutes.

-Cook chicken pieces in 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce and garlic until cooked through.

-When the flat bread comes out of the oven, spread the remaining 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce on all the pieces.

-Layer chicken, onions, red bell pepper and carrot sticks on the flat bread. Season lightly with salt and sprinkle with cheese.

-Toast in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Turn oven to broil and lower baking pan to lowest rack. Broil for 5 minutes or so.

-Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped cilantro. Slice and serve!

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Pie

Want to make a 5 minute dessert? Well, 6 minutes if you count licking the bowl clean...

No stove! No oven! No microwave!

I came up with this recently when I was having guests over and needed a super fast but super yummy dessert to round off a great meal...I had these ingredients on hand, and it turned out delicious!

Ingredients

------------

-1 ready oreo crust

-1 8 ounce package cream cheese

-1 cookies and cream pudding mix

- 1 3/4 cups milk

Assembly

----------

-blend cream cheese with an electric mixer until it is soft and fluffy

-stir in milk and mix until the cream cheese has blended with milk and there are no lumps

-stir in pudding mix and blend for 2 minutes

-pour mixture into the oreo crust

-refrigerate for about 30 minutes and ENJOY!

**note: you may have some extra filling that you can just refrigerate and top with fruit and granola for a parfait**

Arugula and Roasted Beet Salad

This is my new favorite salad. All thanks goes to Giada for this one! A testament to the goodness of this recipe is that I only altered one thing, which is rare for me ;-) Its funny that I'm so obsessed with this dish because I'm not a huge fan of beets. Something about their soft texture and sweetness never appealed to me, but after reading the ingredients for this salad and roasting the beets, I love them!

The presentation of this salad is beautiful because it is so colorful with the green arugula, purple beets, white feta and green avocado! Everyone who's tried this recipe has really loved it, so I REALLY recommend this one :)

Ingredients

---------------

-7 ounce package of arugula (I've also made this with mixed baby greens)

-1/3 cup cranberries

-1/3 cup diced walnuts

-1 large beet, peeled, boiled, and sliced (I'm sure you can use canned, but I haven't tried it)

-1/2 cup feta cheese, I used a Mediterranean seasoned type(Giada uses goat cheese, but I can't stand goat, so I use feta)

-1 sliced avocado (Giada uses only 1/2 of one)

Dressing

-----------

-1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

-1/3 cup olive oil

-1 tablespoon honey

-Salt and pepper to taste

-3 tablespoons shallots (about 1 medium sized shallot). If this is hard for you to locate, red onions are a good substitute

To make

-----------

-Mix 1-2 tablespoons of dressing with beets. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I've used my toaster oven for this to avoid preheating the oven, and it worked great.

-In a serving bowl, mix the arugula with cranberries and walnuts. Toss with dressing.

-Layer the beets on top of the arugula, then layer the cheese and avocados.

-Serve and savor every bite as you enjoy this scrumptious salad!

Couscous Salad

I LOVE making salads! Especially when its a hearty dish, and includes all the food categories...like this one! I learned this from my friend Sarah, who altered the recipe from a cooking show.

Since its a salad, there is little heat involved, so your kitchen can stay nice and cool during these hot summer days. For a vegetarian or lighter version, skip the chicken.

Serves 2 people for a main meal and 4 people as a side dish.

Ingredients

---------------

-1 cup prepared couscous (boiled according to instructions on box)

-1/2 cup diced tomatoes

-1/2 cup diced cucumbers

-1 cup garbanzo beans

-1 cup cooked and cubed chicken (optional)

-1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts

-1/3 cup diced green onions

Dressing

------------

-1/2 cup marinade from artichoke hearts

-1/4 cup white vinegar

-1/2 cup fresh minced mint

-salt and pepper to taste

Assembly

-------------

-Toss all the ingredients together and season with salad dressing.

-Serve!

Stay tuned for a SUPER AMAZING salad recipe coming your way...

Turkey and Olive Tapenade Panini

I made this up recently using ingredients I already had around the kitchen. We loved it so much I made it for three days in a row! I had no plans of posting it because technically it is just a turkey sandwich, but the olive tapenade took it to such a new level that I felt I had to share this easy recipe :)

There is no need for mayonaise or any other 'sauce' in this sandwich because the tapenade keeps it moist and adds INCREDIBLE flavor. Look for a tapenade with green olives and sun-dried tomatoes, it'll taste the best!

This makes 1 sandwich, alter as needed!

Ingredients

---------------

-2 slices of your favorite sandwich bread

-3 slices lean deli turkey breast

-1 tablespoon olive tapenade

-1 slice cheese (I used a dill white cheddar)

-freshly cracked black pepper

Assembly

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-Spread olive tapenade on 1 slice of bread

-Layer with turkey slices, black pepper and cheese. Top with second piece of bread

-Toast in a panini or sandwich maker (I use my George Foreman grill)

- Slice in half and serve!

Lemon Pepper Chicken and Potatoes

This is my youngest sister's favorite meal...when I make it! She says its so lemony and good, and literally jumps for joy when I make it for her. Good news for me is that it only takes 15 minutes to prepare, and the oven does the rest!

This is a classic and staple meal in Syrian households, and is literally called "chicken and potatoes" in Arabic.

This serves 4 people, 2 pieces of chicken each.

Ingredients

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-8 pieces of red meat chicken (I always use boneless skinless chicken thighs)

-2 large onions, slivered (you can replace this with 1 large head minced garlic)

-3-4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into rounds

-1 and 1/4 cup lemon juice (use fresh or bottled)

-1/2 cup olive oil

-lemon pepper sesasoning (use enough to coat all the chicken)

Assembly

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-Preheat oven to 450 degrees farenheit

-Layer the potatoes, chicken and onions in a 13x9 baking dish

-Season with lemon pepper and add lemon juice and olive oil

-Cover with foil and bake for 1 and 1/2 hours. Uncover and broil the tops for 5-10 minutes, until chicken and onions are slightly crisped.

-Serve with pita bread or white rice.

Tabbouleh

This is a classic, 100% authentic Syrian salad. It is typically very time consuming when made for a large family, but thanks to my friend, the food processor, the prep time is chopped in half ;)

Some people add lettuce or finely chopped cucumbers, but I've just listed the basic traditional recipe. Feel free to experiement! I've made this with spinach instead of parsley, and you can barely taste the difference :)

Ingredients

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-1/4 cup bulghur #1

-juice of 2 lemons

-2 large tomatoes, chopped finely

-4 green onions, chopped finely

-2 bunches of American parsley (if chopping in a food processor)  or Italian parsley (if chopping by hand)

-2 tablespoons dried mint (or fresh)

-1 teaspoon paprika (for color)

-salt to taste

-2-3 tablespoons olive oil

optional:
-1 cup finely diced cucumber

Assembly

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-Combine bulghur and lemon juice in a bowl. Let the bulghur soak up the lemon juice for about 30-45 minutes.

-Add the tomatoes, green onions on top of the bulghur mix. This lets the juice from the tomatoes be soaked into the bulghur

-Soak the parsley in water, and then drain and rinse. Repeat this process 3 times or until your water is clean. Once it is clean and well drained, place in batches into the food processor. Chop by pulsing in 3 second intervals until the parsley is finely chopped. Be careful not to turn it into mush. (Alternatively, you can use Italian parsley and finely chop by hand with a sharp knife. Either works :)

-Place chopped parsley on top of the tomatoes and green onions. Add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil, mint, salt and dash of paprika. Add optional cucumber. Toss together and serve!

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

This is a spin-off version of two soups in one. Panera's chicken and wild rice soup and Olive Garden's new gnocchi soup.

Ingredients
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-1 cup packaged gnocchi (half of the 16 oz package)

-3 cups boiling salted water

-1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-1 cup frozen or fresh chopped spinach

-1/2 cup diced carrots

-1/2 cup diced mushrooms

-1/2 cup diced celery

-4 minced garlic cloves

-2 cups chicken broth

-2 cups half and half

-1/2 cup fresh basil

To make

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-Place water in a pot and turn on high. Once the water boils, add the gnocchi. Follow package directions for cooking time. Drain and set aside.

-Heat olive oil in a pot and saute carrots, celery and mushrooms until tender. Add garlic halfway through. Stir in shredded chicken and spinach, then add the half and half and chicken broth. Add salt to taste.

-Simmer on medium low heat for about 15 minutes, then add the gnocchi and simmer for another 15 minutes. Add fresh basil and black pepper.

**Serve with crusty french bread and enjoy :) **

Awesome recipe book tip

I saw this on the Rachel Ray show a while back, and I HAD to share it with you guys. I think it is a GENIOUS idea, I've already tried it!

Soft cookbooks are kind of hard to keep open while cooking, and if you prop them open on the table they flip closed or can get dirty while you use them. So a viewer of Rachel's show submitted a tip that goes like this:

Get a pants hanger and clip each side of the cookbook to one side of the hanger, and HANG from the cabinet knob! Isn't it great?!

How about you guys post some of your own great ideas, I know you have them... :)

Herb Citrus Chicken and Vegetables

Dude, this one rocks! It smells good, looks good and tastes GOOD. All the ingredients are so fresh and flavorful, and it is really low fat and healthy! With summer basically here, this is a super easy recipe to grill on the bbq...let the fun begin!

Ingredients

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-1 lb chicken tenders

-4 cups fresh veggies (I used zucchini, mushrooms and red potatoes)

Marinade

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-zest of 1 lemon

-zest of 1 orange

-2 tablespoons of each fresh herb: mint, oregano, thyme and basil (I recommend at least 3 different kinds of fresh herbs. Others you can use include parsley, rosemary, cilantro, etc.)

-3-4 cloves fresh minced garlic

-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

-optional: some olive oil would probably taste great, but I was trying to cut the fat...feel free to drizzle some

Assembly

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-Mix marinade ingredients in a bowl. Separate half the marinade into another bowl.

-Place chicken in one of the bowls with the marinade. Place veggies into the other bowl. Let them marinate for at least 20 minutes. During this process, pour whatever liquids accumulate from the veggies over the chicken.

-Place chicken and veggies on pre-heated grill (I used a George Foreman) until they cook.