Banana Nut Bread

Sooo....some of you may remember when I claimed this was the BEST banana bread recipe ever and to not bother trying another one...well, I've changed my mind :) That one is definitely good, but THIS is in another league! I played around a bit with the old recipe and came up with an improved version. Less oil and sugar, all banana and more of the moistness and texture that I loved from the first recipe.

Makes 16 servings.

Ingredients

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

-2 eggs

-1/2 cup of sugar

-1/3 cup of oil

-4 medium sized bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)

-2 teaspoons pumpkin butter (found in the jam section)

-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

-1 2/3 cup flour

-1 teaspoon baking soda

-1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (or cinnamon)

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1 cup walnuts

Assembly

-----------

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spread walnuts on a baking sheet. Toast for 8-10 minutes, then chop roughly.

-Whisk sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, for about 5 minutes. Drizzle in oil as you continue whisking. Add bananas, pumpkin butter and vanilla.

-In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Stir just until combined, do not overmix. 

-Spray a bundt pan OR 2 loaf pans with cooking spray and spread toasted walnuts onto the bottom of the bundt pan. Pour the batter over the walnuts. Bake for 44-50 minutes for bundt pan (baking time will be around 30-35 minutes for 2 loaf pans) or until center of cake is set.

-Slice and serve!

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

I just finished making these and HAD to share them with you guys right away! They're that good...and simple! I spent the better half of the morning searching for oatmeal cookies, but everything called for 1 stick+ of butter, and thats just not my style. I finally found a low fat oatmeal cookie recipe and then discovered that I only had 1/2 cup of oats :-/

So to improvise and satisfy my oatmeal cookie craving, I came up with these :) Feel free to add your own mix-ins. Macadamia nuts would go great in these cookies...

Makes 26 cookies

Ingredients
------------
-1 box yellow cake mix
-1/2-2/3 cup of oats
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup of vegetable oil
-1/2 cup of shredded coconut (go for the unsweetened)
-1/2 cup of white chocolate chips
-1/2 cup of dried cranberries (I used orange flavored)

Directions
-----------
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
-Mix cake mix, oats, eggs and oil until combined. Add coconut, chocolate chips and cranberries.
-Scoop into balls using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon. Arrange 13 cookies per sheet and bake 8-11 minutes.
-Cool and enjoy!

Egg-less Tiramisu

I've got nothing against eggs (in fact, I love eating them), but something about using half a carton of raw eggs in a dessert is really grossing me out. Which was a big issue when I started craving tiramisu. My friend Lubna makes an AMAZING homemade tiramisu, so we colaborated on substitutions for the egg. After a lot of research we decided that replacing the eggs with vanilla pudding should achieve the same custard-like texture as the eggs. I gave it a try and was quite pleased with the results!

Just to clarify, this is not completely egg free, since the lady fingers have eggs. The recipe is free of RAW eggs.

Serves 6.

Ingredients
-----------
-1 package lady fingers (you will need 28 total)
-1 1/2 cups strongly brewed coffee, cooled and mixed with 2 tablespoons sugar (I used hazelnut flavored, and the subtle taste really added depth to the tiramisu).
-1 tablespoon coco powder (for garnish)

Mascarpone Cream Filling

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

--3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

-4 ounces mascarpone cheese (1/2 of the 8 ounce package, about 1/2 a cup)

-3/4 cup vanilla pudding

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Assembly

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

-Place heavy whipping cream in a bowl and freeze for 5 minutes. Remove from freezer and whisk with an electric mixer for a few minutes until the cream forms stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, mix together mascarpone cheese, pudding and vanilla until well blended. Stir in the whipped cream.
-Soak each lady finger in coffee and place in an 8x8 inch baking dish. Place 7 lady finger side by side in two rows on the bottom layer of the baking dish. Spoon half of the mascarpone filling over the lady fingers. Repeat the soaking process of the remaining lady fingers and arrange a second layer over the mascarpone cream. Spread the  rest of the mascarpone cream and sprinkle with coco powder. 
-Cover and refrigerate over night. Because of the coffee and cream, the longer this soaks the better it will taste.
-Enjoy and leave a comment :)

Caprese and Meatball Orecchiette Pasta

The name of this pasta is SO difficult to pronounce: "oh-reck-ee-et-tay." It means "little ears" in Italian, which I thought was cute :)  I was intrigued to make it because everything that goes into it is small and round, which sounded so adorable. I didn't realize that I would set out on a year long search in order to find this pasta. Funny how when I didn't have an interest in using it, I always saw it at the markets, but when I sought it out, suddenly it disappeared. If it is difficult to locate where you live, please be more mature than I was and replace it for pasta shells or bow-tie pasta :)

I love anything well seasoned and with plenty of sauce, two things this recipe does not include. However, it is --much to my surprise-- still very tasty because of the freshness of the ingredients and the enjoyable flavors of the fresh mozzarella and basil. It would have been a shame to disguise their flavor with a sauce. The meatballs provide a lot of flavor, so take care to season them well. The chicken broth is also well seasoned and adds a bit of salt, so be careful not to over salt this.

This is loosely based on a Giada recipe and it serves 4 adults.

Ingredients
------------
-1 1/2cups boccini, halved (mini sized fresh mozzarella balls)
-I 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (I used half yellow and half red tomatoes)
-1 pound orecchiette pasta (or shell shaped pasta)
-1 pound meatballs (ready or homemade)
-2 cups chicken broth
-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
-3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
-1/2 cup fresh parmesan shavings

Assembly
----------
-Boil the pasta according to package instructions, al dente.
-Prepare the meatballs. A tip for cooking these is to bake them in the oven instead of in batches over the stove. Although I haven't included these ingredients above, I make my meatballs using 1 pound ground beef and throw random things in like marinara sauce, pesto and crushed red pepper.
-Simmer the cooked meatballs with the tomatoes, red pepper flakes and chicken broth for 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to half.
-Toss the meatballs, tomatoes and sauce with the pasta, fresh mozzarella and basil. Serve hot with parmesan shavings on top.
-Enjoy and leave a comment :)

Greek Pizza

This is a total copy-cat recipe from the California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) restaurant. It really wasn't too hard to copy because all the ingredients were layered in plain sight to be seen...and eaten. Using fresh vegetables and baking it to the right temperature (cooked crust but not soggy cooked cucumbers) is what makes this pizza fresh and crispy. Imagine eating a yummy Greek salad on a warm crust...and that's the pizza!

I've made this several times. In the pictures I'm posting, it was the first try and I made it (as the restaurant does, with chicken) and I layered the yogurt sauce like a traditional sauce for pizza: after the crust and before the pizza. When it cooked, I wasn't too happy with the warm yogurt, so the next time I made it I drizzled the sauce on top after the pizza was cooked and it tasted more like CPK's.  I also made it without chicken (you can add avocado instead) and I personally liked it more that way...

This is really easy to make because the crust is the refrigerated kind and all that its left is some chopping of veggies!

Easily serves 6.

Ingredients
------------
-1 pizza crust
-1 cup mozerella cheese
-1 large tomato (or 2 medium ones) chopped
-3 Persian cucumbers, chopped
-1/2 red onion, finely chopped
-1 cup kalamata olives, chopped
-1/2 cup pepperchinis, rinsed
-1 cup feta cheese
-1 cup cooked and cubed chicken breast pieces (optional)
-1 cup diced avocado (optional)

Sauce
-------
-1 1/2 cups yogurt
-1 tablespoon dried oregano
-1 tablespoon dried dill
-salt to taste
OR
-2 cups cilantro and chive yogurt dip from Trader Joes

*Optional: Drizzle buffalo sauce for a spicy kick

Assembly
----------
-Bake the pizza crust for 8-13 minutes.
-Remove from oven and spread half the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese, layer all other ingredients and return to oven for 5 minutes.
-Remove from oven and drizzle remaining sauce over the pizza and serve.  Drizzle buffalo sauceThis tastes good hot or cold.
-Enjoy and leave a comment :)

Guacamole

Holy mole, its time for some guacamole! :) There are a million and one ways to make an avocado dip, and most of them are good. I've found that there are a couple key ingredients that need to be part of the mix for a superb guacamole.

1. Ripe, GREEN avocados. If the avocado isn't ripe enough, it won't mash easily and you won't have a smooth consistency. Ripe avocados are soft to the touch.
2. Garlic or onions (red or green). These ingredients add a spice to the guacamole and make it so tasty.
3. The use of cilantro. If its in there, the dip is going to taste better. Guaranteed!

Serves 1 or 2.

Ingredients
------------
-1 large avocado, peeled and mashed.
-1 green onion, finely chopped (green and white tips)
-2 tablespoons minced cilantro
-juice from 1/2 squeezed lemon
-salt and pepper to taste

Assembly
-----------
-Mix all the ingredients together and serve with tortilla chips!

Peanut Butter and Fig Jam Crackers

This is a really yummy snack. Its kind of a more presentable version of a pb&j sandwich. The fig jam is what adds the classy touch. I'm sure it will taste good with other jams, but seek out the real stuff!

It takes all of 30 seconds to make, with no heating or cooking required. My daughter LOVES when I make this and we enjoy it as a quick snack or dessert. Its also great to serve as an impromptu appetizer for guests.

Makes 2 crackers

Ingredients
------------
-1 stick graham cracker (4 squares connected), broken in half
-1 teaspoon peanut butter (I like using the chunky kind for texture)
-1 teaspoon fig jam (any other flavor works)
-optional: top with flax or chia seeds for an added boost of protein and nutrition

Assembly
-----------
-Spread peanut butter and then fig jam onto graham cracker.
-Enjoy!

Mini Fruit Tarts

This recipe has two HUGE shortcuts...but not on flavor! I love homemade tart (not store bought, eww...) but I don't love slaving away in the kitchen to make it. One day I put this together and it was so good that I've dubbed it my mini tartlet recipe!

These taste best when eaten the day they are made, otherwise the cookie gets really soft. Bake the cookies so that they are more crispy than soft.

Makes 24 tarts.

Ingredients
------------
-1 package break and bake sugar cookies (24 pieces)
-1/2 package vanilla pudding
-1 cup milk
-Optional: 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest
-5 kiwis, peeled and cut into rounds (5 slices per kiwi)
-2 cups strawberries (stems removed and cut into slices)
-optional: chocolate chips for melting (I used semi-sweet and white chocolate)

Assembly
----------
-Arrange cookies on baking sheet and bake to package instructions. (Congratulations, you've just made the crust of your tarts)
-Mix pudding mix and milk according to package instructions. Stir in optional lemon or orange zest and place in refrigerator to set. (That's your custard!)
-Once cookies have cooled, flip them upside down. This gives a slight elevation to the cookie and allows for more surface space.
-Spread 1 tablespoon of pudding onto each cookie. Place one slice of kiwi and one sliver of strawberry on each cookie.
-Optional: Melt chocolate and drizzle over tarts.
-Serve and indulge!

Butternut Squash Salad

This recipe is very appropriate for the fall (I know its technically winter, but the weather in California has been bipolar lately) and the colors are just BEAUTIFUL! Red, green, orange, white...so festive. The vinaigrette and butternut squash are served warm, and they slightly wilt the arugula and make everything taste so good.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

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

-2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash

-1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-salt and pepper to taste

-4 cups loosely packed arugula

-1/4 cup dried cranberries

-1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

-1 avocado, peeled and cut into cubes

-1/3 cup toasted almonds or walnuts

Dressing

---------

-3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

-2 tablespoons diced shallots

-1/3 cup oil

-2 tablespoons dijon mustard

-salt and pepper

Assembly

-----------

-Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread nuts on a baking pan and toast for 8-10 minutes. Chop coarsely.

-Toss butternut squash with olive oil, honey, salt and pepper and bake for 25 minutes or until roasted. Add the cranberries during the last 5 minutes of baking.

-While the squash is roasting, heat the apple cider, vinegar and shallots over medium heat until the mixture is reduced to 1/2 a cup. Turn off the heat and whisk in oil, dijon nustard, salt and pepper.

-Toss the arugula with the dressing, and layer the butternut squash and cranberry mixture, avocado, toasted nuts and Parmesan cheese.

-Serve warm or cold and enjoy :)

I'd love to connect with you! Like SavvyChef on facebook and follow Savvy_Chef on instagram. Tag Savvychef in your creations and pin the recipes on pintrest :)

Olive and Garlic Cheese Dip

I made this as a spur of the moment appetizer for some guests, and it was a hit! Everyone loved it and I was surprised at how quickly it came together. It's ready in less than 5 minutes!

Ingredients
-----------
-8 ounce package cream cheese
-1 cup ricotta cheese
-1 1/2 cups green olives with pimento
-4 peeled garlic cloves
-a couple splashes of hot sauce
-1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Assembly
-----------
-Toast the chopped walnuts in a skillet or oven until lightly browned.
-In a food processor, puree the garlic cloves, then add the olives, cream cheese, ricotta and hot sauce. Pulse until combined.
-Transfer dip into a serving bowl and garnish with toasted nuts. Serve with tortilla chips, crackers, veggies or baguette slices.

Soups!

To my fellow chefs,

I know its been a while, and I haven't forgotten about you guys! I promise a bunch of yummy recipes are coming your way soon.

Its raining here, and this type of weather always gets me craving soup. To keep your creative juices flowing, check out my favorite soup recipes:

Tortilla soup...receives RAVE reviews every time!

Chicken Gnocchi soup...it made this blog famous on Google!

Enjoy :)

Hearty and Healthy Chicken Pot Pie

 YUM. I loved this! Probably because I love chicken pot pie in general...but I must say, I've tasted my fair share of not-so tasty ones. Once I ordered this in a restaurant and the middle of it was FROZEN. That was the last time I ever did that...

Anyway! This version is delicious...and healthy! Not a drop of butter! So go ahead, indulge :)

The crust is not flaky like traditional pie crusts. Flakiness comes from cold butter in the dough, which I didn't use. This crust is more like a biscuit or muffin batter. It tastes good with the sauce of the chicken and vegetables because it absorbs the flavor...

Ingredients
------------
-1 pound chicken breast, diced into small cubes
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 cup chopped carrots
-1 cup chopped celery
-1 cup chopped mushrooms
-3/4 cup frozen peas
-1 tablespoon dijon mustard
-1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
-1 tablespoon dried dill
-garlic salt and pepper to taste
-1 tablespoon flour
-1 1/2 cups milk

Crust
------
-1 cup Heart Smart Bisquick mix
-1/2 cup milk
-1 egg

Assembly
-----------
-Heat olive oilk in a pot and add chicken pieces. Cook for 2 minutes and add carrots, celery and mushrooms. Add the Italian seasoning, dill, garlic salt and pepper, and dijon mustard. Cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked through.
-Mix the milk slowly into the flour while whisking constantly. Once the flour has dissolved, stir into into the chicken and vegetable mixture. Add the frozen peas. Mix and simmer on low for a couple minutes.
-In a separete bowl, mix the Bisquick mix with the egg and milk until well blended.
-Pour the chicken mixture into a pie dish. Spread the Bisquick mixture on top and bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees.
-Serve and savor each hearty bite!

Pumpkin Banana Nut Bread

I promise, this is the BEST banana bread recipe you will EVER try. That's a pretty confident claim, and if I wasn't so in love with this cake I'd never say/write it!

My husband and my daughter both love the banana bread from Starbucks, so I made it my mission in life to make a better version at home.

Requirements:
1. MOIST, MOIST MOIST.
2. A manageable amount of fat, so I wouldn't feel guilty with each bite.
3. Easy ingredients I already had

You can either make this completely a banana bread or pumpkin bread by leaving out one or the other and substituting the difference. So either 3 cups banana or 3 cups pumpkin.

So here it goes! As the picture says....Have your cake and eat it too!

Makes 16 servings.

Ingredients
------------
-2 eggs
-1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
-1/3 cup vegetable oil
-3 medium sized bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)
-1 cup pumpkin puree
-2 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt
-1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

-1 2/3 cup flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice (or cinnamon)
-1/2 teaspoon salt

optional
-----------
-1 cup walnuts
-1 cup chocolate chips

Assembly
-----------
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spread walnuts on a baking sheet. Toast for 8-10 minutes, then chop roughly.
-Whisk sugar and eggs until light and fluffy, for about 10 minutes. Drizzle in oil as you continue whisking. Add bananas, pumpkin, sour cream and vanilla.
-In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Stir just until combined, do not overmix. Add toasted walnuts.
-Spray a bundt pan OR 2 loaf pans with cooking spray and spread mixture into pans. Bake for 44-50 minutes for bundt pan (baking time will be around 30-35 minutes for 2 loaf pans) or until center of cake is set.
-Slice and serve!

Chicken and Mushrooms in Puff Pastry

Consider yourselves lucky. I'm giving you guys a famous family recipe.

My mom is notorious for these pastries. She's been making them for about 25 years and everyone still loves and requests them.  My mom (who is actually a MUCH better cook than I am) came up with this in Saudi Arabia, and always easily found the ingredients for this dish in the various countries she has lived...so hopefully my 'out of US' readers won't have a hard time with this.

I decided to give this dish a try the other day and it tasted EXACTLY the way it does whenever my mom makes it. My family will vouch for that ;-)

Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients
-----------
-1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and shredded
-1 large onion, diced
-2 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
-2 tablespoons oregano
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamon
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 package puff pastry sheets (2 rolls)
-2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese

Assembly
----------
-Heat a large pot and add the chicken, onions and mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes until the onions and mushrooms wilt. Add the oregano, ground cardamon and salt and pepper. Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool.
-Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry in a large 13x19 baking sheet. Spread chicken mixture on top and sprinkle shredded cheese. Top with second sheet of puff pastry. Carefully cut into squares, 6 slices on the longer side of the pan and 4 slices on the shorter end of the pan for a total of 24 pieces.
-Place baking sheet on the lowest rack in your oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes at 475 degrees.
-Slice and serve!

Orange Hazelnut Biscotti with Drizzled Chocolate

This is a spin off of the White Chocolate Lemon Biscotti!  Same recipe but I switched out the white chocolate for semisweet, the pecans for hazelnuts, and the lemon zest for orange zest.

Both versions are amazing!

To see the full recipe, click here!

White Chocolate Lemon Biscotti

Sooooooooooooooooooooo GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.  Need I say more?

Probably not, but I will anyway, lol. My mom found this recipe and asked me to make it. A week or so later, we were sitting around and I looked it up, turns out it is Giada's recipe from the Food Network. I read through the ingredients and felt it was simple enough, but I skimmed through it really quickly looking for the butter content.  That is my deal breaker for dessert. Too much butter and I'm out. MUCH to my surprise, I didn't find butter listed as an ingredient. So I scanned through again, this time looking for oil...and...nothing! I read some of the reviews and discovered ::SHOCK:: that this DESSERT did not include oil or butter. I was sold.

We bought the ingredients and got to work. As everyone in the family started arriving home from work, they individually commented that it "smelled like a bakery" in the house. The smell of the baking vanilla and lemon zest was so heart warming!

Although butter-free, this doesn't lack any flavor or moistness, because biscotti is made to be crispy anyway. Since I am handicapped when it comes to following recipes, I tweaked the recipe a bit. I decreased the baking time, added vanilla, switched out almonds for pecans, and used more white chocolate. Other than that, I've gotta hand it to Giada on this one...easy...tasty...healthy!

The most annoying part of this recipe is zesting the lemon. It was fun to do because it brought the whole family into the kitchen. Little kids can easily help make this by creaming the sugar and eggs and helping shape the biscotti logs.

Biscotti is an Italian cookie that means "twice baked." People all over the world enjoy these cookies with tea, coffee, or just by themselves! They are baked to be crispy so they soften when dipped into a hot beverage.

Yields about 20 pieces of biscotti

Ingredients
------------
-3 eggs
-1 cup sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-3 tablespoons lemon zest (you can use orange zest instead)
-2 cups flour
-3/4 cup cornmeal
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-3/4 cup chopped nuts (almonds, pecans or walnuts work best)
- 1 1/2 cups white chocolate
-1 tablespoon oil

To make
----------
-Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cream together the eggs and sugar using an electric mixer for about 3 minutes. The mixture will be creamy and a pale white. Stir in vanilla and lemon zest.
-In a seperate bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Transfer the flour mixture into the egg mixture and stir just until moistened. Stir in nuts. The mixture will be slightly sticky. Let the mixture set for 5 minutes.
-Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and shape the dough into 2 logs, about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide each. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and using a serrated knife, slice the logs diagonally. Each log should produce about 10 pieces each. Lay the cut biscotti cut side up and bake for another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow biscotti to cool.
-Mix white chocolate with oil and melt for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir and return to microwave for another 20 seconds. Drizzle or dip biscotti into the chocolate and place in refrigerator to harden.
-Serve with coffee or tea!

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (Tzatziki)

In my Syrian household, this yogurt is a MUST with the puff pastry pies stuffed with meat and rice! It also goes well as a healthy dip for veggies and by any rice dish that is not part of a stew dish. In Arabic this is called "laban bil khyar" and it translates literally into "yogurt with cucumber" ;) This is very similar to Greek tzatziki sauce and I use this recipe any time I need tzatziki.

Serves about 4 people

Ingredients

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

-2 cups yogurt

-1 cup finely chopped cucumber

-1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)

-1 1/2 tablespoons dried mint, crushed

-salt to taste

Assembly

----------

-Mix all the ingredients together and serve with "ouzi!"

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 :)

I'd love to connect with you! Like SavvyChef on facebook and follow Savvy_Chef on instagram. Tag Savvychef in your creations and pin the recipes on pintrest :)

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

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-1 package phyllo dough sheets

-3 cups walnuts

-1/2 cup sugar

-1 tablespoon cinammon

-Butter flavored non-stick cooking spray

Syrup Sauce

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-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

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-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

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-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

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-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

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-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

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-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
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-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

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-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

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-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

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-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

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-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

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-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

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-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!