KÖZLENMİŞ SEBZE SALATASI

ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants
1 red bell pepper
1 large onion
4 tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic ( minced )
1/4 bunch of chopped parsley (
optional )
4 tbsp of olive oil
juice of a lemon
1 tsp of red pepper flakes
salt
Pierce the eggplants, tomatoes, bell pepper and onion with a fork . Grill them until they are soft. Take them out from the oven and let it cool. Peal them and take them in a strainer and wait for 10 minutes to let the liquid out.Chop and take them in a mixing bowl.

In another mixing bowl, whisk minced garlic, lemon juice, pepper flakes, olive oil and salt. Drizzle the sauce on top of salad and stir.

TAHİNLİ & CEVİZLİ KURABİYE

TAHINI &  WALNUT COOKIES

This recipe belongs to my friend Meryem. Everyone who tasted these cookies just loved it so it deserves to be published:)
Thank you Meryem...

Makes 34 cookies.

Ingredients:
1 cup of tahini
1 cup of vegetable oil
1+1/2 cup of powdered sugar
1 cup of chopped walnut
1 tsp of baking powder
all purpose flour ( approx. 4 cups )

Take powdered sugar, vegetable oil and tahini in a large mixing bowl and mix it with a whisk. Add walnut baking powder in to the bowl. Start to knead by adding flour slowly and stop adding it until the dough reaches a soft consistency. Take small parts ( about the size of walnut ) from the dough and give them the shape of small balls and press the middle of the cookies with your thumb. Preheat the oven 350 F. Bake the cookies until they are golden brown about 15 minutes.

DOMATES & SOĞAN SOSLU KARIŞIK SEBZE KIZARTMASI

MIXED VEGETABLE FRIES WITH TOMATO & ONION SAUCE

Ingredients:
2 golden potatoes ( cubed )
1 eggplant ( cubed )
3 green fresh pepper (cubed )
olive oil to fry

Sauce:
1 small size of onion
1 cloves of garlic
2 tomatoes
2 tbsp of olive oil
a pinch of ground black pepper
salt

Fry potatoes, eggplant and peppers separately. Lay them on a serving dish.
Chop onion and saute it with 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Finely chop garlic and add it the onion. Peel and grate the tomatoes and add it in the skillet. Add a pinch of black pepper and salt. Spoon the sauce over fries and serve

ÇİLEK SOSLU ÇİKOLATALI PEYKEK

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH STRAWBERRY SAUCE

Filling:
2 Philadelphia cream cheese (soften )
1/2 cup of thick plain yogurt
6 oz milk chocolate (melted)
3 tbsp of all purpose flour
3 tbsp of cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 tsp of vanilla sugar

Strawberry sauce:
1 cup of sliced strawberry ( finely chopped )
3 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp of wheat starch


Crust:
15 chocolate graham cookies (finely crushed)
2 tbsp of butter (melted)

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.
Mix chocolate graham cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 8-inch spring form pan.
Beat 2 pkg. cream cheese, 1 cup yogurt, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, 1 cup sugar. 3 tbsp of flour and 1 tsp. vanilla sugar with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of spring form.
Bake for 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely in pan.Bring strawberry, 3 tbsp of sugar and wheat starch to boil in saucepan on medium-high heat; simmer on low heat 8 to 10 min. or until sauce is slightly thickened and berries have softened, stirring occasionally. Cool and pour onto cheesecake.
Refrigerate 4 hours. Remove rim of pan before serving cheesecake.

KARIŞIK SEBZE SALATASI

MIXED VEGETABLE SALAD

Ingredients:
3 large zucchinis ( julienned )
3 large carrots ( peeled and julienned)
3 red roasted red bell pepper (chopped )
8 ounces fresh mushroom ( thinly sliced )
3/4 cups frozen corn kernels
1 cups of stuffed green Spanish olives ( sliced )
1 bunch of fresh dill (chopped )

Sauce:
3 tbsp of mayonnaise
3 tbsp of plain yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp of granulated sugar
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tbsp of dried mint
3 tbsp of olive oil, salt

Saute zucchini, carrot and mushroom separately with 2 tbsp of olive oil. When they are cooled, take them in large mixing bowl. Add bell pepper, corn and green olives into the bowl.
Whisk the sauce ingredients in another mixing bowl. Stir in with sauteed vegetable. Take it in a serving bowl. Refrigerate until it is served.

MISIR UNLU ŞEKERPARE

SEKERPARE WITH CORN MEAL

Ingredients:

3 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of corn meal
1+1/2 sticks of butter
2 eggs
1 cup of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of extra shredded coconut
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 tsp of vanilla sugar
1 tsp of baking powder

Syrup:
2+1/2 cup of granulated sugar
3 cups of water
1 tbsp of lemon juice

Mix all of the syrup ingredients in a medium pot and boil it for 10 minutes on high heat. Let the syrup cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Mix melted butter, powdered sugar, corn meal,eggs, coconut, vegetable oil, vanilla sugar, baking powder in a large mixing bowl. Add flour slowly to make the dough soft. Take a small part of dough like a size of walnut and give it a cookie shape. Place an almond( or a piece of walnut or pistachio whichever you have in your hands ) on top of cookies. Place them on the baking tray. Bake for 30 minutes or the cookies change their color to golden brown.Take the tray out of the oven and pour the syrup slowly on top of cookies and let the cookies absorb the syrup for 6-7 hours.Decorate with ground pistachio.

KUSKUS SALATASI

COUSCOUS SALAD

Ingredients:

1 package couscous
1/2 cup of corn kernels
1/2 cup sweet peas
10 small pickles
1 carrot
2 roasted red bell peppers
5 green onions
1 bunch of parsley
juice of a lemon
 5 tbsp of  olive oil
salt

Cook couscous according to the packaging direction. Drain ant take it in a large mixing bowl.
Meanwhile, peel and grate the carrots. Chop parsley, green onion, pickles and roasted bell pepper. Add them into the couscous. Add lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Stir and take it in a serving bowl.

PIRASALI KOLAY SU BÖREĞİ

EASY WATER BOREK WITH LEEK

• 6 Turkish fillo pastry
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups of milk
• 2 cups of water
• 1 cup of sunflower oil

Filling:

• 1 bunch of leeks
• 1 tbsp of tomato paste
• 2 tbsp of sunflower oil
• salt

For preparing filling; cut off top of leeks, wash, and drain. Cut leeks in half lengthwise and slice them thinly. Wash leek one more time after chopping. Take sunflower oil and leek in a large skillet and turn the heat on medium high. Cook it until leek absorbs all of its juice.Add tomato paste and cook it for 5 minutes.Turn the heat off. Let it cool for 20 minutes.Set a side.

For the sauce; take eggs, milk, water and sunflower oil in large mixing bowl and whisk.

Brush bottom and sides of a 13 by 17-inch baking tray with sunflower oil. Layer the first sheet. Cut the edges of this first sheet if it is hanging over the tray and use them for the next step. Roll the second and third sheet and cut them into 3 inch pieces. Dip these pieces into sauce and lay them side by side until they cover all over the surface. Spoon 1/2 of the sauce over entire surface. Spread the filling all over covering the whole surface.Rool the forth and fifth sheets and do the same thing as the second and third sheets. Cover it with the last sheet. Make some holes on this last sheet and spoon the remaining sauce all over.
Preheat the oven 350F and bake it until golden brown.

İRMİK HELVASI

SEMOLINA HALVA
Ingredients:

• 3/4 stick of butter
• 2 tbsp of pine nuts
• 1 cup of course semolina
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup of regular milk
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla sugar

Take pine nuts in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir until pine nuts are light brown.Add butter and melt. Add semolina, turn the heat high. Stir constantly until semolina gets golden brown in color. Add sugar stir turn the heat down to low. Add milk and water and stir with a whisk. Stir constantly until the halva gets ticker to the point of pudding. Turn the heat off. Serve warm. Decorate it with pistachio or walnut.

KÖFTELİ UZUN MAKARNA

 



SPAGHETTI AND MEAT BALLS

Ingredients:

• 1 lb of spaghetti

Meatball:

• 1 lb of ground beef
• 1/3 cup of bread crumbs
• 1 small size of onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 bunch of fresh parsley
• 1 tsp of cumin
• 1tsp of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
• 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
• salt

Sauce:

• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 cup of boiling water

Take ground beef,bread crumbs, chopped onion,chopped garlic, chopped parsley,cumin, black pepper, red pepper flakes, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl and knead it until well combined. Cover with stretch film and let it rest for 4-5 hours in the refrigerator. At the end of resting time, take the mixture out and knead it one more time. Take small parts (about 2 tbsp ) make small meatballs. Take meatballs in a large frying pan over high heat. Fry for 20 minutes turning every 5 minutes.

In a mixing bowl,mix tomato paste, red pepper paste and 1 cup of boiling water with a whisk. Add this sauce over meat balls. Cover the lid, turn the heat medium. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package direction. 
Add sauce into spaghetti and stir.Cover the lid. Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.



SOMON BALIĞI KIZARTMASI

SALMON FRIES

 Ingredients:

4 Salmon fillets
1/3 cup of all purpose flour
1 tsp of red pepper flakes
1 tsp of cumin
1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
zest of half orange
salt 
Olive oil to fry

Take olive oil in a large skillet and turn the heat on high. Take the spices in a large mixing bowl. Add flour, garlic and orange zest and mix.Cut each fillet into 4 equal parts.When the oil is ready, dip salmon pieces into the bowl. Fry each side until it is crisp and golden brown. Serve warm with salad.

ANTEP FISTIKLI & SALEPLİ DONDURMA

PISTACHIO & SAHLAB ICE CREAM

Turkish ice cream is a lot different than the ice cream we have in  the US. To make the the milk ticker, we use sahlab instead of whipping cream. Sahlab is a very interesting ingredients. It comes from a type of wild orchids which grows in the mountains of Turkey. The root of orchids have two bulbs. To make the sahlab, the smaller bulbs are picked, washed and boiled in milk. Then they are dried for 6 months. To have sahlab, these bulbs are grounded.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of regular milk
• 1/4 cup of ground pistachio
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 tsp of ground sahlab
• 1/2 tsp of vanilla sugar

In a mixing bowl; add sugar, sahlab, and vanilla sugar and mix.
Take milk in a large pot and add the mixture of sugar, sahlab and vanilla sugar. Let it rest an hour.
Take the pot over high heat and whisk it constantly until it starts to bubble.
Set it aside until it is completely cool then place it in the refrigerator to chill.The mixture should be much thicker than regular milk at this point.
Then take it in an ice cream machine with pistachio and run it. In half an hour the ice cream should be ready. Take it in a flat storage cup and put the lid on.

KURU DOMATES & KURU BÖRÜLCE SALATASI

DRIED TOMATOES & BLACK EYED BEANS SALAD

Ingredients:

• 15 pieces of dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup of cooked black-eyed-beans
• 2 carrots
• 6 green onion
• 1/3 tsp of cumin
• 1 tsp of sumac
• 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tap of salt
• olive oil to drizzle

Take dried tomatoes in a large bowl and add boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes. Drain and slice them.
Peel and grate the carrots.
Chop green onions.
In a large mixing bowl; take beans, dried tomatoes,carrot and onion. Add cumin, pepper flakes,sumac and salt. Toss them and take it in a serving dish. Drizzle some olive oil and serve.

HAŞHAŞLI POĞAÇA

POPPY SEEDS POGACAS

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup of warm milk
• 1/2 cup of warm water
• 1/2 cup of sun flower oil 
•  1 egg white
• 3 tbsp of granulated sugar
•  1 tbsp of salt
•  1 tsp of yeast

Filling:
•1 cup of feta cheese

Topping:

• 1 egg yolk
• poppy seeds

Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add milk, water, sunflower oil and egg white. Knead them all together with your hands until becoming dough. The dough should be sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest until the dough rises to double its size. It takes one to two hours.
In a small bowl, put some vegetable oil. Damp your hands with this vegetable oil before touching the dough. That way, the dough will not stick to your hands. It also give them a nice taste too.
Take the bowl and knead the dough again until it is bubble free. Take a small piece of dough ( about the size of an egg) and make it flat with your hands.Place 1 tbs of feta cheese in the middle of the dough and close it up. Place them on a baking tray and let them rise for half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350F. Brush all of the pogacas with egg yolk and sprinkle poppy seeds on top. Bake them until the color of egg yolk turns to brown.

PIRASALI TART

LEEK TART

Ingredients:

3 leeks

2 eggs

1/3 cup of milk

1/3 cup of sunflower oil

1 cup of corn meal

1/3 cup of feta cheese

1 tsp of baking powder


Preheat the oven 350F.
Wash leeks and chop it. Take it in a large bowl and wash it until it is dirt free. Drain it.
Take eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat. Add milk and sunflower oil and whisk. Crumble the cheese and add it into mixing bowl with corn meal and baking powder. Whisk it well. Add chopped leek and stir.
Pour it into 10-inch square baking dish. Bake it until the toothpick come out clean.

MISIR EKMEĞİ

CORN BREAD

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup of milk
• 1/4 cup of sun flower oil
• 1 cup of corn meal
• 1 cup of all purpose flour
• 3 tsp of granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 2 tsp of baking powder

Preheat oven 400F.
In a large mixing bowl; take all dry ingredients and whisk it. Add egg, milk,sunflower oil and beat until smooth. Pour it into  8-inch round baking pan. Bake it until toothpick come out clean.

YOĞURTLU PANCAR SALATASI

BEET ROOT SALAD WITH YOGURT
Ingredients:

• 4 beet roots ( 1 of them for decorating )
• 5 tbsp of thick plain yogurt
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced )
• salt

Boil the roots until soft. Set aside until cold. Peel and grate in a mixing bowl. Add yogurt, minced garlic and salt. Stir and take it to a serving dish. Decorate it with beet root slices.

CEVİZLİ LOKMA

WALNUT SWIRL BREAD

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1/2 cup of milk ( warm like )
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup of water ( warm like )
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp of yeast
• 2 tbsp of sugar
• 1 tsp of salt
• 3 cups of all purpose flour

Filling:

• 1+1/2 cup of finely chopped walnut 

In a large mixing bowl; mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add milk and vegetable oil, water, egg and knead. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for one hour.

Take the dough and knead it until it is bubble free. Roll the it to make 11"x14" square. Spread the filling onto the dough and roll it tightly.

 

 

   

Cut the rolls into 1 1/2 inch parts and place them on a 10" round  baking dish.

 Let it rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake it for 4o minutes or it is just golden brown.

DAMLA SAKIZLI İRMİK TATLISI

MASTIC GUM & SEMOLINA DESSERT

Ingredients:

• 4 cups of milk
• 10 tbsp of semolina
•  30 square of chocolate crackers (chopped to ground )
• 10 tbsp of granulated sugar
•  1/3 cup finely shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp of salted butter
• zest of 1 lemon
• some finely shredded coconut to decorate
• 2 bananas (sliced )
• 3 pieces of mastic gum

Take milk and mastic gum pieces in a large pot and bring it to the boil over high heat. Add sugar and stir. Turn the heat down to medium. Then add semolina and stir constantly until it gets thicker, for about 8-10 minutes. Turn the heat off. Add butter, coconut and lemon zest. Stir until the butter melts completely.

In a rectangular pyrex, spoon the 1/3 of pudding over.Place banana slices.Spoon 1/3 of pudding on top of banana slices. Layer grounded chocolate cracker evenly. Sprinkle walnut all over. Spoon the rest of pudding on top. Let it cool on the counter top and sprinkle coconut then take it into the refrigerator.    



TARÇINLI ÇÖREK

CINNAMON ROLLS

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of warm like whole milk
• 1/2 cup of sunflower oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp of yeast
• 2 tsp of sugar
• 1/2 tsp of salt

Filling:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 4 tbsp of ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp of salted butter

Glaze:

• 6 tbsp of powdered sugar
•  2 tbsp of water

In a large mixing bowl; mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add milk and vegetable oil and knead. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise for one hour.

Take the dough and knead it until it is bubble free. Roll the it to make 10"x14"rectangle.

Brush melted butter evenly. Spread the filling onto the dough and roll it tightly.

Cut the rolls into 1 1/2-inch  parts and place them on a 12" round baking dish.

Let it rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake it for 4o minutes or it is just golden brown.
Mix 6 tbsp of powdered sugar with 2 tbsp of water in a bowl. Sprinkle this glaze with a fork on top of rolls.

DOMATES SOSLU SUCUK

SAUSAGE WITH TOMATO SAUCE
Ingredients:

• 1/2 of medium onion
• 1 green chili pepper
• 1/3 lb of sausage
• 2 large tomato
• 1/2 tsp of tomato paste
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
• salt

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat, add vegetable oil in it. Cut the sausage lenghtwise and cut them into half moons. Chop onion and pepper and add them into the skillet with sausage. Cook them until onion is just golden. Peel and chop tomatoes and add them to the skillet, stirring occasionally, cook it until the juice of tomatoes comes up, approx. 10 minutes over medium heat. Add salt.

ISPANAKLI VE SUCUKLU BÖREK

SPINACH AND SAUSAGE BOREK

Makes 21 boreks.

Ingredients:
•3 Turkish pastry sheets

Filling:
•1 small size of onion(chopped)
•2 lb of spinach
•1/2 lb of sausage
•3 tbsp of olive oil
•1/2 tsp of ground black pepper
•salt

Sauce:
•1 egg+1 egg white
•1/2 cup of milk
•1/2 cup of vegetable oil

Glaze:
•1 egg yolk
•sesame seeds

Soak spinach in cold water and add 2 tbsp of vinegar. Leave spinach in the water for 20 minutes. Wash and drain it one more time.
In a large pot, take vegetable oil add chopped onion. Stir and cook until onion is tender. Add chopped sausage stir for 2-3 minutes.
Chop spinach and add it to the pot. Stir until it loses its volume. Add ground black pepper and salt. Turn the heat off when the spinach absorbs all of its juice and let it cool.
For the sauce; take eggs, milk and vegetable oil in large mixing bowl and whisk.

Take one of the fillo sheets and fold the top in. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce over entire surface.

Place 1/3 of filling on top, fold the edges and roll.

Cut this roll into 7 pieces. Place all the rolls in a baking dish. Repeat this step for the other two fillo sheets.

Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Preheat the oven 35OF. Bake for 30 minutes or boreks are just golden brown.

KURU İNCİR & KURU ÜZÜM VE CEVİZLİ KEK

  






















DRIED FIGS & RAISINS &WALNUT CAKE

After a long vacation and some health issues, I am back...

Ingredients:
•2 eggs
•1 cup of chopped walnut
•15-20 dried figs

•1 large size apple ( grated )

•1/2 cup of plain yogurt
•1/2 cup of sunflower oil
•1 tbsp of ground cinnamon
•1+1/2 cups all purpose flour
•1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
•1 cup of brown sugar
•1 tsp of baking powder
•1/2 cup of raisins (chopped )



Soak figs in a medium bowl with warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and cut them into cubes.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Sift flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl.

Whisk eggs, granulated sugar in another large mixing bowl until it gets creamy. Gradually add yogurt, sunflower oil whisking consistently.

Add sifted flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda to the bowl and whisk thoroughly. Add figs, walnut, raisins and apple to the bowl and stir.

Pour this mixture to a 8" non-stick round cake pan and bake approximately 60 minutes. Check the cake by inserting a toothpick into the center. The toothpick will come out clean when the cake is done.