Buttermilk Pancakes

If you want to eat the most yummiest and fluffiest pancakes, give my recipe a try. It's easy and delicious but be warned, if people see you making them, you'll spend an hour serving up many of them because they are so delicious.
Here is a recipe that makes enough pancakes for two (or one super hungry pancake lover)

Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp melted butter ( extra 1 tsp butter for pan)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt

Method
In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients together for a minute or two.

Heat and lighly grease a pan or griddle with butter on high for 2 minutes and lower to medium heat.

Pour a small ladle's worth on pan, and wait until the batter shows a few bubbles - about 1 minute. Flip over for about 20 seconds until lightly golden brown. Serve with butter and maple syrup.
Enjoy!

Qatayef

If you know someone of Arab heritage, and you merely mention the word Qatayef, I can pretty much guarantee you will have their full undivided attention. You see, this stuffed pocket of goodness is one of the most delicious desserts to ever come out of the Middle East. What's not to love? A soft crepe, filled with a sweetened smooth cheese, or a spiced walnut mixture, folded and smothered in butter, baked or fried until crisp and then drenched in syrup. Ohhh yaaaa....

If you want to enjoy this, and feel some serious guilt (because there's NO way you can just east one or two... more like seven) give the recipe a try.

Ingredients

Crepe

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup warm water

1/2 milk (room temperature)

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp dry active yeast

Filling - Cheese

2 cups smooth ricotta cheese

4 tbsp sugar

1 tsp lemon zest
*can be severed with crushed pistachio 

Filling - Nuts

2 cups crushed walnuts

4 tbsp sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

Syrup

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 tbsp orange blossom water

(cook in saucepan and let simmer on low heat for 10 minutes)

Method

In a large bowl add yeast, warm water and buttermilk. Mix and let stand 5 minutes. In the bowl of your electric mixer, add remaining dry ingredients. On low speed, slowly pour the wet ingredients and slowly raise the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with the batter with a towel for 20 minutes.

When ready to make, lightly grease and heat a pan or griddle and pour 1/4 cup of the batter per each crepe. When the open face is covered with bubbles, remove from pan. Do NOT flip like a pancake. Then choose your mixture, fill with 2 tbsp and fold closed into a crescent moon shape by pinching the edges. When complete, place on large cookie sheet, brush each one with a bit of melted butter and bake in oven at 400F for 10-12 minutes so they crisp up. Then pour syrup over top when ready to eat. This recipe will yield 16 Qatayef.

Enjoy!

Hummus

You know it. You love it. You can make it in no time. If you're like me, you're eating this on a daily basis and loving every bite.
Here is my easy hummus recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups drained, cooked chickpeas
4 tbsp tahini
4 tbsp evoo
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 glove garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt

Method
Combine all ingredients in food processor. Blend hummus until smooth, about 2 minutes. Spread onto serving plate and serve warm or cold for breakfast or snack.

Top with  pomegranate seeds or sautéed ground lamb or extra virgin olive oil and paprika. Enjoy with pita!

Baked Egg in Avocado

Baked Egg in Avocado

Have you ever thought about baking an Avocado? Yeah, neither did I, until a friend mentioned how good it really was. I cringed, not gonna lie. Warm avocado? Surely, that couldn't taste good! But of course being a foodie, I had to try. To my surprise it was very delicious and tasted yummy smothered over my toasted rye.

Here is a quick recipe for you to give a try.

Ingredients
1 large avocado
2 eggs
pinch of salt
cracked pepper
cheese optional


Method
Preheat oven to 450F. Slice the avocado in two and carefully remove pit. Crack one egg in each hollowed centre. Pinch spices over top eggs and bake in small cooking pan, egg side up, for 15 minutes. If you are adding cheese, sprinkle on avocado the last 2 minutes of baking.

Enjoy!