Cheese & Turkey Ham Muffins

     If you are tired of sweet muffins recipes, why don't you try a salty one? I made these great muffins last week and they turned so delicious! So I decided to bake them again and post the recipe in my blog. We all know that cheese and smoked turkey ham is a superb combination. What if we add red pepper and rosemary? I let you discover yourselves!

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

- 2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup smoked turkey ham, diced
- 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup cheese, diced
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves  
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 Baking soda
- Salt and pepper

Wet ingredients

- 1 cup Milk
- 1/3 cup Vegetable oil (or melted butter)
- 1 Egg

Process

1- Preheat your oven to 180°C and  and lay a muffin tray with paper muffin cases.
    In a small bowl, mix all the wet ingredients together.

2- In a mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Make a hole in the mixture and pour the wet batter. Mix until combined. Be careful not to over mix.

3- Fill  muffin cases and bake for about 25 minutes. (cooking time may deffer so watch out)
 

That's it! 

 
 

Tuna Rice Salad

     I have known different recipes of tuna rice salad. However, I found that the recipe my mother taught me is actually the best. It consists of many ingredients, but the result is really good. This salad is easy, healthy, delicious, and colorful too. It is my family's favorite rice salad. I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

- 300g Rice, boiled and well drained
- 100g Canned Corn
- 100g Canned Tuna
- 1 Red pepper, roasted and diced
- 1 Green pepper, roasted and diced
- 2 tbs Cornichon, cut
- 2 tbs Parsley, chopped
- 3 tbs Vegetable oil
- 2 to 3 tbsp Lemon juice
- Salt, pepper, and cumin 

 

 * For roasted pepper tip check my recipe  http://safaa-inthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/sauteed-potatoes-with-red-pepper.html

 Process

1- In a bowl, add all the ingredients except rice, mix well.

2- Add rice and toss until combined. Taste it if it needs more seasonings. Refrigerate until cold and serve. 

It's done! It looks delicious, right?

Moroccan Eggplant Salad (Zaaluk)

     As promised, I am presenting today another eggplant recipe. It is a traditional Moroccan salad actually, and it is called Zaaluk. Well, there are many Zaaluk recipes. However, the one I am showing you today is the easiest, it does not require any roasting or frying, you only need to put all ingredients in a pressure cooker or a regular saucepan to cook and that's it. It may be served warm or cold. Moreover, It may be preserved in the refrigerator up to 3 days. I hope you like my recipe! 

Ingredients

- 4 Eggplants (medium-sized) cut into cubes
- 1 Tomato, cut into cubes
- 1 Green pepper (small), chopped
- 1 Red pepper (small), chopped        *You may use only 1 big green or red pepper.
- 2 tbsp Garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp Parsley, minced
- 3 to 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp Tomato sauce (optional)
- 1 Hot pepper (optional)
- 1 quarter Preserved lemon
- Salt, cumin, and paprika (1 tbsp)
- Water, about 1/2 cup

Process

1- In a pressure cooker, or a sauce pan, and in medium heat, add tomatoes, pepper, garlic, oil, salt, and paprika. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until tomato is tender, stir occasionally.

2- Add parsley, tomato sauce, and hot pepper, mix until combined and then add eggplants. Toss to coat.

3- If you are using a pressure cooker, add about 1/2 cup of water or until veggies are 2/3 covered, and cook for 10 min. If you are using a regular sauce pan add 1 and 1/2 cups of water or until they are submerged by 1/3. Cook for about 20-30 min. 

4- Using a wooden paddle, mash your eggplants until soft. You may remove the hot pepper before that. 

5- Add cumin and simmer while stirring for 3-5 min or until water is completely evaporated. 

That's it!

Sauteed Potatoes with Red Pepper

     Potatoes is everybody's favorite vegetable. I have never known someone who does not love potatoes. Well, if you do, please let me know! Today's recipe is super easy. It is a side dish you may add to your menu anytime. You only need potatoes, butter, and roasted red bell pepper. My tip is to roast your pepper directly on the stove until charred. Put it in a plastic bag and allow to cool for at least 10 min. Afterwards you can peel it very easily. This gives the pepper a great smoked flavor and that's exactly what we need for this delicious recipe. I hope you like it!

 

Ingredients

- 500g Petite potatoes (or bite-sized potatoes pieces), peeled and boiled in salt water
- 2 Red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and cut into squares
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- Salt and pepper

Process

1- In a pan, melt the butter and add your pepper. Season with salt and pepper

2- On low heat, add your potatoes and carefully toss for 5 to 10 min. Served hot.

Done!

Strawberries with Coffee Custard

     
     If you are planning to prepare a special dessert for Valentine's day, this is your recipe. As you may have noticed in my previous posts, I like to present easy and simple recipes, and this one is no exception. Our theme today is the fruit of love; strawberries. So, you will need the sweet fruit, crackers, or biscuits, milk, sugar, coffee, and some other few ingredients to make this extremely delicious dessert. In fact, it includes coffee custard. I tell you something, the taste of strawberries with the coffee custard is indescribable! Well, you may already have the ingredients on hand, so let's try the recipe together.

Ingredients

- 300g  Strawberries, cut or sliced
- 150g Yogurt
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 200g Crackers

Custard:
 
- 500ml Milk
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 3 tbsp Corn flour
- 1 tbsp Cocoa power
- 1 tbsp Strong instant coffee (or 2 if it is light)

 

Process

1- In a bowl, mix strawberries, lemon juice, 1 tbsp sugar, and yogurt, toss the mixture and set aside.

2- Fill half of your serving pots, or cups, with crackers and set aside.

3- To prepare the custard, use a whisk to mix the ingredients together in a pan then cook on low heat while stirring. You will know when it's ready to use when it starts to thicken.

4- Remove from heat and directly pour the custard over the crackers until covered, you don't want your custard to firm before using it. Allow to cool for 10 min.

5- Fill your pots now with the strawberries mixture. Refrigerate for 1 or 2 hours, and it's done!

Red Velvet Cupcakes

     With Valentine's day just around the corner, it's time for red sweet bakeries. It is true that people cook and bake all over the year, but a lot of them like to prepare special food for Valentine. So, I decided to present to you some lovely recipes you may want to share with your loved ones. Today's recipe is red velvet cupcakes. They are such a delight, both in form and taste. It's a wonderful treat to serve to your family and friends. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients

- 1 1/4 cups Cake flour, sifted

- 3/4 cup sugar

- 1 Egg

- 1 tsp Cocoa powder

- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk

- 1 tsp Baking powder

- 1/2 tsp Baking soda

- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp Liquid red food coloring

Process

1-  Preheat your oven to 180°C and  and lay a muffin tray with paper muffin cases.

   In a small bowl, mix buttermilk with food coloring and set aside.

2- In a big bowl, soften your butter and sugar. Add the egg, and mix until combined. Separately, sift flour, cocoa power, baking powder, and baking soda.

3- Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until combined. Add colored buttermilk and mix well. Add the remaining half of dry ingredients and mix until combined.

 4- Fill your cases and bake for 25 to 30 min or until a toothpick comes out dry.

5- I used melted chocolate to stick my favorite sugar candies as a decoration. Feel free to add your creations.

 Enjoy your cupcakes! 

 

Vegetable Salad

     Today's recipe is a vegetable salad. It's a healthy side dish to serve with your meal. Actually, I learned the basic ingredients of this recipe from my mother. It has always been one of my favorite salads. Well, people usually season their salads with salt and pepper, but I learned the secret ingredient; it's cumin! Yes, it works really well with these veggies, trust me!
     
     Vegetables I am using here are potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower. However, you may use any of your favorites. This salad is healthy, delicious, and very simple to make. I hope you like it.

Ingredients

- 2 Potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 4 Carrots, peeled and cut (4 small or 2 big carrots)
- 1 Had of small cauliflower 
- 1 small onion, finely minced
- 3 tbsp Canned corn
- 2 tbsp Green olives, cut
- 1 tbsp Cornichon (gherkin)
- 2 tbsp Parsley, finely minced
- 1 tbsp Mustard
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil
- Salt, cumin, and pepper. 

Process

1- Boil your vegetables separately or all together in salt water for 20 to 25 min or until soft. (If you are boiling them together potatoes take less time so add it after the other veggies are semi cooked) Drain well and allow to cool.

2- Mix all the other ingredients together in a bowl. Add your veggies when they are cool enough then toss carefully. For better results, refrigerate until completely cool.

It's done!

Chocolate Muffins

     Chocolate again? Yes, you know it's my favorite! Today I am sharing with you my favorite chocolate muffins. Actually, they are addictive. Once you try them, you will always crave them. Believe me, I've been there. They are light, fluffy, and super delicious. Well, they are perfect!

Ingredients

1- Dry ingredients

- 1 + 3/4 cup Flour
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Chocolate, cut into small pieces (semi sweet preferred)
- 2 tbsp cocoa power (unsweetened) 
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 Baking soda
- A pinch of salt

2- Wet ingredients

-  3/4 cup Milk
- 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Yogurt
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water 

Process

1- Preheat your oven to 180°C and  and lay a muffin tray with paper muffin cases.
    In a mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

2- In a separate bowl, add all the wet ingredients and mix well. 

3- Make a hole in the dry ingredients mixture and pour the wet batter. Mix until 
    combined. Be careful not to over mix.

4- Fill  muffin cases and bake for about 30 minutes. 

Enjoy your beautiful muffins!