TATLI PATATES TATLISI

SWEET POTATO DESSERT

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup of water

Topping:

• walnut and tahini

Wash, and peel the potatoes. Cut them into 1 inch slices. Place them into a large skillet. Add sugar and water over and bring it to the boil. Turn the heat down to low and and cook it until potatoes are soft and syrup gets thicker. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for 20 minutes. Take 2 pieces ta a plate and add 2 tbsp of syrup on top. Decorate it with tahini and walnut or whatever topping you like.

FIRIN YAPMASI

SPICY BULGUR & MEAT PATTIES

Makes 12 patties.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of extra fine bulgur
• 3/4 cup of boiling water
• 1/2 lb ground beef
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1 small size of onion
• 2 tbsp of pepper paste
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tsp of ground dried mint
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 tsp of ground chili pepper
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp of salt

Take bulgur in a large mixing bowl and pour the boiling water on it and mix. Cover the lid and let it rest for 15 minutes. Take bulgur and the other ingredients in a bowl of food processor and process it for 15 minutes or until it is well combined.
Take small part ( about the size of a lemon ) of mixing and give them a shape of small ball and make it flat with your palms.Place a baking paper on a baking sheet. Place all the patties on the baking paper. Preheat the oven  450F. Bake them for 25 minutes or until they are golden brown.  
It can be served warm or cold. I prefer to eat mine cold with a cup of Turkish tea.

TAHİNLİ & SUSAMLI EKMEK

TAHINI & SESAME SEEDS BREAD

This bread is one of my made up recipes but it turned out pretty well. It started with the idea of making my bread more nutritious. It is also good if your little ones don't like drinking milk. Sesame seeds ( as well as tahini ) is a good source of calcium. I suggest you to eat this bread when it is fresh; it smells heavenly...

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of flour
• 1+1/2 cups of warm water
• 5 tbsp of tahini
• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp of salt
• 1 tsp of yeast

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. Add tahini and warm water into this mixture and knead. The dough should be soft. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and keep it in a warm place for rising. Let the dough rises to double its size. Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free. Place a parchment paper on a baking tray. Give the dough a round shape. Then take a sharp knife and give the dough the shapes you desire. Sprinkle some flour on top. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
Let rise the dough for half an hour. Bake it for 30 minutes or the color of bread turns brown. Take the bread out of the oven let it cool for 20 minutes and fold it with a clean kitchen towel to keep it soft. 

YABAN MERSİNLİ & SEFTALİLİ KEK

BLUEBERRY & PEACH MUFFINS

Makes 14 muffins.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 2 cups of blueberries (washed and drained )
• 2 peaces (peeled and  mushed )
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2  tsp of vanilla sugar
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 2 cups of all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Sift flour, vanilla sugar, and baking powder together in a bowl.
Whisk eggs and sugar in another large mixing bowl until it gets creamy. Gradually add vegetable oil, lemon zest, and peaches whisking consistently.
Add sifted flour, vanilla sugar, and baking powder to the bowl and mix thoroughly.
Add blueberries the bowl and stir.
Pour 2 tbsp of mixture into muffin cups and bake approximately 30 minutes. Check the cake by inserting a toothpick into the center. The toothpick will come out clean when the cake is done.

SUCUKLU PİZZA

SAUSAGE PIZZA

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1 cup of all purpose flour ( approx )
  
• 1/4 cup of warm water
• 2 tbsp of milk
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/2 tsp of yeast

For the topping:

• 1/2 lb of sausage ( thinly sliced )
• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tsp of ground basil
• 1/3 tsp of ground thyme
• 1/2 tsp of garlic powder
• a pinch of black pepper
• salt

In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients for the dough. Add olive oil, milk and warm water into this mixture and knead. The dough should be soft. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and keep it in a warm place for rising. Let the dough rises to double its size. Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free. Give the dough a shape of ball. Take some all purpose flour in a bowl and dip  the dough ball into the flour. Dust a large, flat surface with the flour (dusting will keep the dough from sticking). Place the dough onto dusted surface and roll the dough as thin as you want it to be with a roller pin. Keep dusting the dough with flour while you are rolling. Place a parchment paper on a baking sheet and put the pizza base on the baking sheet. Pierce the dough with a fork. Let it rise for half an hour.
Take  all the ingredients for the sauce in a large bowl and whisk it well.
Preheat the oven 400F and place the dough in the oven and bake it for ten minutes and take it out.
First spread the sauce on the pizza base then place the sausage slices all over the sauce. Last, spread the cheese on top. Bake it until the cheese takes golden brown color.

TAM BUĞDAY UNLU & LORLU PİZZA

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA WITH HERB &RICOTTA CHEESE

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup of warm water 
• 1/3 tbsp of salt
• 1/3 tbsp of granulated sugar
• 1/3 tsp of yeast

Topping:

• 3/4 cup of ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 bunch of parsley ( chopped )
• 1/3 cup of chopped fresh mint
• 10 green onions ( chopped )
• 1 small size of onion ( chopped )
• 1/3 cup of olive oil
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
• salt

 In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. Add olive oil and warm water into this mixture and knead. The dough should be soft. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and keep it in a warm place for rising. Let the dough rises to double its size. Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free. Give the dough a shape of ball. Take some all purpose flour in a bowl and dip  the dough ball into the flour. Dust a large, flat surface with the flour (dusting will keep the dough from sticking). Place the dough onto dusted surface and roll the dough as thin as you want it to be with a roller pin. Keep dusting the dough with flour while you are rolling. Place a parchment paper on a baking sheet and put the pizza base on the baking sheet. Pierce the dough with a fork. Let it rise for half an hour.
Place a large skillet on the stove top. Take olive oil and chopped onion into the skillet. Turn the heat on medium and cover the lid. Saute it for 5 minutes. Add green onion to the skillet and stir it. Turn the heat off after 5 minutes. Add ricotta cheese, parsley,mint,  red pepper flakes, and salt and stir it until well combined. Set a side.
Preheat the oven 350F and place the dough in the oven and bake it for ten minutes and take it out.
When the topping cools completly, crack two eggs in it and stir.
Spread the topping on the pizza base. Bake it until the it takes golden brown color.