This is a really colorful, fragrant, and delicious rice dish. In the recipe I used lamb, but it could just as well be made with beef or chicken (or vegetarian). The only difference(s) from the recipe pictured and the one listed below is that I also added a pinch of turmeric to the rice withContinue reading “Lebanese-Inspired Brown Rice Pilaf with Lamb, Vermicelli, and Green Beans”
Category Archives: Mediterranean Diet
Parmesan and Black Pepper Grissini
Pencil-thin breadsticks…grissini. Beautiful, aren’t they? Easy to make, too. These are coated with Parmesan and black pepper making them even more tasty. But you may be wondering why I am making bread with refined flour (opposed to whole wheat). Well, I do now and again. But the real reason is that I just received thisContinue reading “Parmesan and Black Pepper Grissini”
Two Plus Pi…
I bake bread about once a week, sometimes more frequently. And most often it is made with whole wheat flour. Sometimes the bread making coincides with dinner time, as it did tonight. So after the first rise I will sometimes pinch a piece of the dough off and make a small pizza for dinner asContinue reading “Two Plus Pi…”
Broccoli Falafel with Taratoor (Yum!)
Falafel is of course that awesome and healthy snack food that can become an entire meal when served over a salad or wrapped in flat-bread. And when paired with taratoor (tahini-garlic sauce) it is nothing short of culinary genius (in my humble opinion). This is a variation on the classic chickpea falafel in that itContinue reading “Broccoli Falafel with Taratoor (Yum!)”
Turkey and Sun-Dried Tomato Meatballs with Basil and Asiago
Okay, so I’ll say this as I say about many of the recipes on this page (but I really mean it)…these are as easy to make as they are delicious (and they are really, really delicious). You simply put everything in a bowl and mix it together then shape it into balls; the most difficultContinue reading “Turkey and Sun-Dried Tomato Meatballs with Basil and Asiago”
Kibbeh (Lebanese Meatballs)
Kibbeh is a Lebanese recipe that comes in many shapes and forms, but if you’ve ever discussed food with a Lebanese person you know that the discussion always comes back to kibbeh. I’ve mentioned before that I myself am Lebanese-American (half, actually, on my dad’s side) and grew up eating this dish. It is basicallyContinue reading “Kibbeh (Lebanese Meatballs)”
Pasta Fra Diavolo
Pasta with seafood…yum! It is one of my favorites. And Fra Diavolo is likely my all-time version of seafood pasta. It’s name–Fra Diavolo–translates from Italian to “Brother Devil,” and the dish has a somewhat interesting history (to read about it go to this post). This recipe can be made with nearly any seafood and anyContinue reading “Pasta Fra Diavolo”
Warm Weather and a Recipe…
Okay, so as I type these words it is 4:00pm in the afternoon, December 3rd, and it is a balmy 55f/12c…and I am typing in Buffalo, NY, where we are known for our often harsh winters. I’m sure we’re going to get a taste of it soon enough (though last year it hardly snowed atContinue reading “Warm Weather and a Recipe…”
Lebanese Chicken-and-Rice (sort of)
This is yet another variation of my Lebanese chicken-and-rice recipe. The reason I say “sort of” in the title of this post is that I didn’t use ground lamb–which is in the original recipe–and I color/slightly flavor the dish with turmeric (along with the other spices), which is not normally in this recipe. In addition,Continue reading “Lebanese Chicken-and-Rice (sort of)”
Simple Pasta Recipe = Comfort Food
I had mentioned in recent posts on how I am in a particularly stressful period right now at work. Crazy busy. Just one lunch and dinner after another. Today, at one point, I think I was making five different recipes simultaneously while I was also directing my staff. I’m not mentioning this to be aContinue reading “Simple Pasta Recipe = Comfort Food”
Kibbeh wa Kafta
Kibbeh and Kafta are two Lebanese meat recipes that are somewhat similar yet at the same time a bit different. While they are both often made with lamb they are equally good when made with beef (as the recipe pictured is). And the recipe can take on many forms, this is just one example. IContinue reading “Kibbeh wa Kafta”
The Fire in the Center of the House and a Rooster’s Beak…two recipes and the brief stories behind them
For some reason I haven’t posted many recipes lately (not sure why…I still cook and eat everyday), so here’s a couple. One I made yesterday at home for dinner just for myself, and the other I made at work today for 180 people (but the recipe below is for just a few). Both of theseContinue reading “The Fire in the Center of the House and a Rooster’s Beak…two recipes and the brief stories behind them”
Broccolini Aglio e Olio
If you’ve been to this site before you know a few things about my cooking and eating habits. One is that I love whole wheat bread, especially Ezekiel Bread, and another is that I can–and nearly have–eat any vegetable sauteed in oil with garlic and hot peppers. This is just another example. I cooked thisContinue reading “Broccolini Aglio e Olio”
Penne Bolognese (senza latte o panna)
Pasta with meat sauce. Mmm…I love it; easy to make and really delicious. But first I have to say that while I am most definitely not a vegetarian I do not eat a great deal of meat (for a variety of reasons). Sometimes I go days, even a week or so with out eating meatContinue reading “Penne Bolognese (senza latte o panna)”
The Reward…
As summer begins to wind down the tomatoes and peppers are coming to full fruition. And one of the rewards each summer is tomato sauce. I make it a few times throughout the season and then usually one bigger pot…which was today. I made about 3 gallons of sauce “hillbilly style” (cooked it outside asContinue reading “The Reward…”
Three-Color Gazpacho Shooter
Tonight we’ll serve these gazpacho shooters as a component of a cocktail party menu…pureed gazpacho made from perfectly ripe red and yellow tomatoes topped with yogurt and green onion puree. Easy to make, delicious, nutritious…and pleasing to look at. There’s a basic gazpacho recipe below (omit the breadcrumbs to puree it smooth) but if you’dContinue reading “Three-Color Gazpacho Shooter”
Salade Niçoise
Mmm…I love this salad; delicious; one of my favorites. I’ve also been fortunate enough to visit the beautiful city of Nice on a couple occasions, which of course is the namesake of this particular recipe. Anyhow, we served this salad for a luncheon today and thought it appropriate to post the recipe…it is also theContinue reading “Salade Niçoise”
This is Just One Reason I like to Grow Food
There are of course so many reasons why a person should grow at least some of their own food. I do it to save a bit of money, to keep me connected to the earth, but mostly because the food tastes so damn good. This recipe is a perfect example. It is, of course, theContinue reading “This is Just One Reason I like to Grow Food”
Moudardara (Lebanese Lentils and Rice)
This recipe is classic Middle Eastern Food. It is also easy to make and so delicious that you won’t be able to stop eating it. The recipe I’ve included here, of course, is a variation on the traditional. This is a dish that is often eaten during Lent and for that reason usually remains vegetarian,Continue reading “Moudardara (Lebanese Lentils and Rice)”
Gazpacho Blanco (receta y fotos)
All I really need to say in this post is that this soup is really simple to make and delicious and that you should make it. But I’ll say just a few more things. I made this for a luncheon I served at work today. It is a cool and refreshing soup, but also oneContinue reading “Gazpacho Blanco (receta y fotos)”
Urban Simplicty 