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I love homemade burgers! They're easy and tasty and you can adjust the flavors however you like them!

Makes about 4 patties:
1 cup of cooked chickpeas
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup small chopped carrots
1/2 cup small chopped bell pepper
1 mashed clove of garlic
1/2 chopped parsley
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg (optional)
1/2 tbsp of cumin
1 teaspoon of mustard
Salt & pepper to taste

In a food processor, add all the above ingredients except the egg and breadcrumbs, pulse few times until all the ingredients are incorporated together, the transfer into a bowl and add the breadcrumbs and the egg and fold all ingredients together. I like to refrigerate them for a bit, then form patties. In a non-stick skillet add about a teaspoon of canola oil (or any vegetable oil) or just enough to coat the skillet and cook the patties, few minutes on each side until done.

For the potatoes: (as much potatoes as you want)
Cut potatoes into wedges without peeling them (after cleaning them well). Marinate in olive oil, fresh thyme or rosemary or both, some garlic powder and some pepper. Let them sit for half an hour in a bowl or in a Ziploc bag. Then empty them on a baking rack and bake them in a 375F oven until golden brown.

To serve:
Cut a Hamburger bun in half and slightly toast it, then add on the bottom side, ketchup, then a lettuce leaf, add the veggie patty, then top with sliced onion and tomato and cover with upper part of the bun. Serve the potatoes on the side. I like it with mango salsa. It is a ready salsa that I buy, made of grilled bell peppers, mangoes, tomatoes and a lot of spices.
Hamburgers can be served in so many creative ways, this was a simple version. Caramelized onions are really good too instead of raw onions etc, etc...
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Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (or any parts of the chicken you want), cleaned, washed and cut
2 lemons
4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and medium sliced
1 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of Herbes De Provence (or Italian herbs)
5 big cloves of garlic, mashed
Salt & pepper to taste

In a container, place the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, herbs and spices. Add the chicken to marinade. You can marinade for an hour, or you can do it overnight. Now, in a separate bowl and same marinade ingredients I marinated the potatoes. You can half-way fry the potatoes and let them drain on a paper towel or just marinate, for less calories.
In a baking dish enough to fit the chicken and the potatoes, add the chicken then add and distribute the potatoes too. Bake in a 375F oven, until the chicken is fully cooked and the potatoes too. It's better to cover the baking dish with aluminum foil for the first 20 minutes or so. Then remove the foil and let it bake and gold-brown. This way the chicken won't dry and will cook faster.
- However, some people prefer to sautee in a skillet with some vegetable oil, the chicken for few minutes on both sides, then transfer it to the baking dish and add the marinade and bake along with the potatoes. Both ways work.

I served it along with saffron-rice and a green salad, simple bed of lettuce, with a herb vinaigrette dressing.

My vinaigrette dressing consisted of some Herbes De Provence, olive oil, a little bit of mustard and balsamic vinegar. For the saffron-rice, very simple too, added a pinch of saffron while the rice was cooking.
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This is a very simple salad. It can be served with pita bread and a plate of fresh vegetables on the side: like green onions, fresh mint and radishes.

Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 cup of lentils
1/3 cup of chopped onions
1 small clove of garlic, mashed
1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley
Juice of 1 lemon
About a 1/3 cup of Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Wash and drain the lentils, make sure that they're clean then add to a saucepan with 4 cups of water and some salt and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium and let the lentils cook. After they're cooked, drain the water then transfer to the serving bowl, add the garlic, onions, parsley, salt & pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. Mix the ingredients well and serve.
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Shish Taouk is marinated chicken cut into cubes or big chunks and marinated at least overnight then baked, grilled or even cooked on the stove surface. The main ingredient of the marinade is garlic!!! Shish Taouk is normally put on skewers and grilled but this time I wanted to bake it in the oven since we were not having a barbecue. I served it with home made french fries.

Serves about 4
Ingredients:
1 pound of chicken cut in cubes (I normally like chicken breasts)
1 cup of plain yogurt
5 or more cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon of tomato sauce
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup of Olive oil (or canola oil)
Salt & pepper to taste.

In a bowl add the chicken and all the ingredients above, mix all ingredients very well and place in the refrigerator overnight or all day. You can also stack this in the freezer and use it whenever you want.
Bake in the oven until the chicken is fully cooked but don't let it dry. Or put on skewers and grill (I will post the grilled version soon too). Shish Taouk can be served on pita bread or tortilla and rolled as wraps with coleslaw and fries. You can get creative!!!!!!
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This recipe is very common all over the Arab world and not only Lebanon. In Jordan, it is very popular and they prepare it with Lamb. In Lebanon, another version of this is popular also, but made with chicken instead of meat and without eggplant and nuts, I will post it one day as well. I personally prefer this one :) In arabic it is called (Makloubeh or Ma2loubeh= turned over, because you layer everything and turn the pot upside down to serve)

Serves at least 5
Ingredients:
1 eggplant
1 small cauliflower
2 cups of rice (long grain)
1 pound of lean medium cubed beef or lamb
1 cup of assorted raw nuts (like pistachios, almonds, pine nuts etc...)
1 big onion chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
4 cups of wate
1 teaspoon butter
Vegetable oil for frying
Some olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste and some allspice

- Slice the eggplant into medium circles, sprinkle salt and let it drain its water for like half an hour (this way it won't absorb a lot of oil ;))Then drain on a paper towel and fry them half way until they begin to turn gold. Fry the cauliflower too and let drain ona paper towel as well.
- Now in a cooking pot, add chopped onions and some olive oil then add the meat, add salt & pepper to taste and allspice, cook until the meat is mostly cooked, then layer the eggplant on top of the meat and onions, then layer the cauliflower on top of that then the rice. Now mix the tomato paste with the 4 cups of water and add to the rice and all. Let everything cook on medium and until the rice is done and has absorbed the water. Meanwhile, in a pan, add a teaspoon of butter then add the nuts and toast them. To serve, place a rounded serving plate on top of the pot, hold it tight and flip upside down quickly. Be careful so that the whole thing doesn't fall apart. Top with the nuts and serve with any salad of your choice.
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We were craving fresh oysters my sister and I, so we drove to Byblos (Jbeil) and got from one of the fishermen fresh oysters. We bought 4 dozens, came back home, opened a bottle of 'La Dame Blanche' of 'Chateau Kefraya' my favorite Lebanese winery :) and then in no time, ate them all!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I almost forgot to mention that they taste great with fresh squeezed lemons :)
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I am trying to get better on making desserts, I gave this recipe a try and it turned out well :) It is super easy too.

Serves 4-6 (depending on the size of the mold or pan)
Ingredients:
1 block of dark chocolate (250gr)
1/3 cup powder sugar
2 full eggs
2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1/2 cup of butter
Vanilla ice cream to serve it with (I chose vanilla-mango)

In a bowl, add the 4 eggs and beat well until fluffy. Sift and add the sugar, and then do the same for the flour and add it to the mix. Break the chocolate and place it in another bowl with the butter, put this bowl on top of a pot half full with water and bring the water to a boil then reduce the heat, in order for the chocolate to melt along with the butter but not to cook. After the chocolate-butter mix is ready, add it to the mixture of eggs, sugar and flour while stirring. If you have the mold for the fondant that's great, but if you don't (like me :)) use the muffin tin :) yeah why not? Grease the pan and pour the mixture, and transfer into a 400F oven for 10-12 minutes. Serve with ice cream and drizzle some of the melted chocolate or some chocolate syrup. Don't let it cool off, serve immediately.
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I love salads :) Therefore I always experiment and mix and match whatever we have in the fridge. I personally love this one! I am trying to post other stuff besides Lebanese food thinking I could to show how cosmopolitan my country is and how much we love International cuisine :)

Ingredients:
2 heads of red and green frizzy lettuce
1 can of corn
2 cucumbers
2 green onion chopped
1 cup of fresh sliced mushrooms
Some smoked salmon to top the salad (I chose herb marinated ones)
1 tomato sliced and each slice cut in half

For the dressing:
1 tbspn of Herbes de Provence
1/3 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup of olive oil

Chop the lettuce and add to the serving plate then add the corn, cucumbers, onions, mushrooms. Top the salad with the smoked salmon, and distribute the tomatoes around the plate. You can mix the dressing and add it or serve it on the side in a small bowl. You can also adjust the vinegar and olive oil upon taste.
Sahtein!!! (= bon appetit in Arabic :))
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This is a very simple appetizer to have on your buffet in any occasion. Just pick any caviar kind you like, some toast, butter and cut some thin lemon slices. Spread the butter on the toast, then spread the caviar and top it with a lemon slice. Et Voila! Bon Appetit and Cheers!
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I would like to thank Turkish Food Passion for this wonderful and cute award. I am flattered. Thank you very much. And I would like to send Christmas and New Year's greetings to all the fellow bloggers and readers. Sorry it's been a while since I posted new recipes, but I am in lebanon right now, Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lately I had multiple things going on all at the same time: New house, my husband switched jobs and he's overseas again now, me traveling to Lebanon for the holiday season and much, so it's been hectic!!!!!!!!!! But I promise that I will post new recipes very very soon!
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Moi!

authorHello, my name is MAG. I've been running this blog since 2007. Follow me on Social Media!!!
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