Monthly indulgence...

Most of my dishes never make it to my blog but that doesn't mean that they aren't any good. No sir! I'm the Mother of a picky eater and the Daughter in law of an elder Woman with a very (and I mean very) strict diet, so this means "Chaos" in my kitchen on a daily basis. Some days I feel like a line cook and other days like "Super" woman... The pictures below were taken this month, now don't go thinking I'm food deprived. No sir! I find time for myself, mostly during breakfast. I love breakfast!

Breakfast, yes to me it's the most important meal of the day. :)

Friday couscous, a Moroccan tradition (recipe coming soon).

 Moroccan almond ghoribas, simply delicious..

 Chicken shawarma with baked seasoned fries, both of my boys loved this simple Middle Eastern meal.

Caldo de pollo (Mexican chunky chicken soup).

Moroccan R'fisa (chicken and lentil stew).

Eye food...

What is "Eye Food" you may ask. Eye food is pictures of food I take when I travel, visit a new restaurant, or simply try out a new recipe. My husband and I both share a passion for food, I like to eat it and he likes to make it. No but seriously all jokes aside my husband is the Executive chef for a 5***** hotel located in the Gulf Area. He was once the Executive Chef to the hotel were that Russian Spy was poisoned (I know, this is probably the last thing you want to read on a food blog). Food has taken us to so many places around the world, so I would like to share some pictures with you all. Next month we will be taking our yearly vacation to "Morocco" so be expecting pictures and recipes of the wonderful Moroccan cuisine.


A lovely tray filled with Arabic sweets.




2009 food show in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia




A birds nest made entirely out of bread.




Designer handbag cake.




Stuffed dried fruits.





I don't know about the heads on these fish but very nice presentation.






Seafood theme night.




Beautiful veggie bouquet.

Let Them Eat Cake

My friend Noor over at Ya Salam Cooking and I decided to begin a new monthly challenge for all our wonderful foodie bloggers entitled "Let Them Eat Cake". So what is it your thinking. Well, it is a fabulous cupcake challenge. Who doesn't love cupcakes they are small, sweet and cute. You can practically do anything with a cupcake. Each month we will have a different host. So if your interested in being a host one month them please contact one of us.

Each month the current host will give us all a theme and we have to work with that theme. It may be a color, a ingredient, a recipe. Who knows what it will be but it will be exciting and fun. All you do to take part is make your cupcakes, post them on your blog, proudly wear a Let Them Eat Cake badge on your blog (make sure to link back here so people know what it is), then email the current host with the link to your blog. This is your time to shine fellow foodies and we can not wait to see what you come up with each month. Please make a post about this and let the blog world know that cupcakes are knocking on the door.

May 2010 #1 Let Them Eat Cake cupcake challenge

Now that it is May we have tons of beautiful fresh fruits in season all over the world. So this month your mission is to make cupcakes with fresh fruit incorporated some way.

Please send all blog links this month to Yasalamcooking at gmail dot com by Monday, May 31st. We can not wait to see your cupcakes. Happy Baking!

Please do not forget to grab your button.


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My travels from East to West...West to East!

Please excuse me if I don't post any new recipes for the next week or two. I will be moving to the Gulf area and need to set up my new home before I bake away. My time in Morocco was lovely, I may have gained a few pounds but they sure were worth it. I have learned to make so many Moroccan dishes, some which you will see in the weeks to come. I intend to post the Middle Eastern recipes I haven't been able to make here, due to the lack of ingredients such as tahini, fillo dough, cardamom powder, and puff pastry. Hope you all will return for my Eastern recipes! :)

What can we eat?

Can't eat pork, Swine flu.




Can't eat Chicken, Bird flu.




Can't eat Beef, Mad Cow.




Can't eat Fish, heavy metal poisons in the water



Can't eat Fruits and Veggies, Insecticides and Herbicides




Can't eat eggs, Salmonella





H
H
H
H
H
H
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmm!


I guess that leaves us with...

Chocolate!



AND

Icecream!






Remember,

*STRESSED spelled backwards spells DESSERTS!*

Lemon glazed, lemon cake

I have been meaning to add my recipes but have been a little scared to say the least.
I’m somewhat of a perfectionist, so I make sure I have baked/cooked my recipes more than once before I share them with my friends. This cake came out so delicious and moist I decided to make it my intro/test recipe. Once someone has made it and (IF) I get positive feedback I will add more of my sweet recipes.


Glazed Lemon cake

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup of Sugar
¾ cup milk
¾ cup oil
¼ cup lemon juice (fresh)
Zest of 1 large lemon (or 2 medium lemons)
3 eggs

Icing (thick glaze)
1 cup powder sugar (glaze sugar)
2 table spoon fresh lemon juice



Preheat oven to 350*, butter and flour a cake pan or bunt pan.

In a medium bowl sift your flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.

In a medium bowl beat your eggs, sugar, and lemon zest until thick and light in color, gradually add your 3/4 cup of oil.

Add your dry ingredients to your egg/sugar mix little at a time, be careful not to over mix the batter. Pour your lemon juice and mix just until the juice has blended in, now you can add your milk and mix once again until the milk is well blended into the mix.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for approx 35 min or until knife test comes out clean.

Cool your cake before adding your icing. This icing is very simple, all you have to do is mix both ingredients well and top your cake Tadaaaaaa.