Nabulsi Kunafa

While 'surfing' through the internet, I came across a post on Nabulsi Kunafa from the Arabian Pilgrimage Food Tour with Frying Pan Adventures  that caught my eye. Nabulsi Kunafa is an Arabian sweet recipe that contains cheese from Palestine. As the name denotes Nabulsi cheese originates from Nablus city. It has a semi-hard white rectangular shape and when heated becomes soft and elastic.

Traditional Nabulsi Kunafa is prepared with Nabulsi cheese. If Nabulsi cheese is not available then use an alternate recipe by Huda Abu- Hamida.  Instead of Nabulsi cheese this recipe uses cream with cheese to prepare Kunafa filling.

Nabulsi Kunafa Recipe:

Ingredients:

Red food color

1 flat copper plate

500g of Nabulsi cheese

250g sugar

500g Kunafeh pulp from any pastry shop

2 tablespoons Samneh  (clarified butter)

Preparation:

1) Place the Kunafe pulp in the copper pan on the stove and stir with a spatula. When it is warm, keep it aside.  Cool the dish with cold tap water.

2) Mix Samneh with food color and spread over it.

3) Spread another layer of pulp on butter (Samneh) with a thickness less than 1 cm.

4) Arrange the cheese on top and cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes.

5) Prepare the sugar syrup.

6) When the pulp and cheese is cooked, sprinkle some cheese on the pulp and then pour a little syrup.

7) When this is done, flip the mixture over into an identical pan.

8) Brush Kunafeh with sugar syrup. Sprinkle pieces of pistachios and serve hot.


TIP: Nabulsi cheese will be very salted for conservation, but it can be de-salted by soaking in water .

Courtesy: Nablus Guide.com 

Bacon and Egg muffins - Easy Breakfast

Ingredients

Bacon-Egg Muffins breakfast

2 whole-meal muffins
2 free range eggs
4 slices of best bacon
Butter

Method

1. Grill the bacon both sides under the grill until nice and crisp.

2. Heat some butter in a small frying pan and fry the eggs.

3. Toast the muffins in a toaster and lightly butter each side, place 2 slices of crispy bacon and one fried egg on each muffin. Serve hot and enjoy.

 Courtesy: Quickfreerecipes.com 

Vegan- Amaranth Waffles

Amaranth and Pepita Waffles

3/4 cup amaranth flour
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup soy/almond/coconut milk
Pinch of salt
2 tsp. Canola oil
1/4 pepitas, toasted

Mix the dry ingredients together.

Add wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Follow the waffle iron instructions - cook until golden brown, top with butter (vegan) and maple Syrup.

Source: Bananawonder.com

Crispy Baked Asian Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

2½ pounds chicken wings, tips removed, drumettes and flats separated
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon Chinese 5-Spice or other Asian spice blend (See Kelly's Notes)
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup blackberry jam

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. Rinse wings and drumettes and pat dry. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with vegetable oil and spice blend until well coated. Position wings on baking racks in a single layer ensuring that the wings aren't touching.

3. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until fully cooked, 45 to 50 minutes. Remove wings from oven and transfer to a large bowl.

4. Whisk together hoisin sauce and blackberry jam in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warm.

5. Drizzle wings with sauce, tossing until well coated. Serve immediately.

Thank  you Kelly Senyei for this awesome recipe.

Pizza Dough Sliders

Ingredients:

Pizza dough

Sandwich fixings of your choice

Directions:

• Roll your pizza dough out to about 1/3 -1/2 inch thick.
• Cut out small circles using a shot glass or small circle cookie cutter
• Place circles onto a pizza stone or a regular cookie sheet lightly dusted with cornmeal
• Bake according to recipe or package directions. Watch closely. Mine took about 8-10 minutes.
• Using one circle at the bottom of the bun and one as the top, assemble sliders to your liking.

( I chose chicken nuggets, celery straws, blue cheese, ranch dressing, Swiss cheese, deli turkey, tomato, bacon, lettuce, honey mustard. I think a meatball dipped in marinara sauce with some mozzarella cheese would be awesome)

Your  Pizza Dough Sliders are ready.

APPLE CUSTARD CAKE

This is an awesome custard recipe from Brandi

Ingredients:

3/4 tsp baking powder
3.75 Oz AP flour
1/2 vanilla bean
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp kosher salt
6 Oz sugar
1 lbs 2 Oz chopped apples
4 Oz unsalted melted butter 
3 TBSP apple cider
Unrefined sugar for sprinkling

[NB:1 Oz= 28.35g]

 Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch springform cake pan and line it with parchment paper. Sprinkle unrefined sugar on the sides of the pan and tap it around
   
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl
   
3.  In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they’re foamy. Rub the vanilla bean seeds into the sugar and add to the eggs. Blend well
   
4.   Whisk in the apple cider, half the flour blend well
   
5. Add half the melted butter and the remaining flour and butter. Mix gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. 
   
6. Fold in the apples, so that it’s coated with batter. Scrape the mixture into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it’s even. Sprinkle the top of the cake with unrefined sugar. 
   
7. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 30 minutes.
   
8.  Wait until the cake is cooled, then carefully remove the cake from the pan & serve it.

Mini Quiches

1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cup whole milk

1 cup cream
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
3/4 teaspoons salt
A dash of pepper
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Peppers or mushrooms or any other vegetable you desire! (Diced or cut thin)

Preparation:

1. Lightly grease two mini muffin pans (preferably 24-count).
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Whisk together cornstarch, cream and milk. Add eggs, whisk until light and frothy. Stir in salt and pepper.
4. Sprinkle a teaspoon of cheese in the bottom of each mini muffin tin. Arrange vegetables on top of cheese. Pour in 1 1/2 tablespoons of egg mixture (or until near the top of the muffin tin).
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes.
6. CAREFULLY remove with a knife. 

These can be enjoyed right away or frozen after they’ve thoroughly cooled.

Thanks Monet Moutrie for this recipe!