Sultan's Kitchen

[UmmSqueakster 54]

I am also a HUGE fan of lentils. I made a very simple soup for years to take w/me to my office (red lentils cook really quick, need no soaking, just add them and broth after you saute onion, celery etc and some cumin/cinnamon/cayenne or whatever you like. You can add canned or fresh tomatoes/lemon/spinach/herbs. There are no mistakes with this recipe, it is just good. The Lively Up Yourself Lentil Soup from 101cookbooks dot com is also very good.)

I made this lentil recipe with red lentils this weekend. It doesn't look to pretty but was increadibly tasty

http://www.recipezaar.com/Lentil-Curry-123775

I just ate it straight up, no rice.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

So tagines. I saw a silicone one at Marshalls the other day. Waste of money? Should I just invest in a clay or ceramic one?

[MrsAmera 41]

Yes I think a clay or ceramic one would be better than a silicone one.

[MrsAmera 41]

Leyla,

I am the queen of budget grocery shopping - seriously I spend about $75-85 a week on groceries for 4 people. That's breakfast, packed lunches and dinners at home. The best thing about Middle Eastern/Moroccan food is that it IS cheap! Lentils have been mentioned, great staple. Also vegetables you can't go wrong with them. Frozen are often a lot cheaper, and I always buy what's in season. It's all about the spices. Ground beef and chicken are also staples for us. What do you usually cook and what would you like to make? PM me and I'll see what advice I can offer

I'm having trouble cooking with variety in my house. I want a pleasant mix of American/Moroccan food but I don't have the money to buy the variety of ingredients I need!

Any suggestions or sample grocery lists? lol

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

amanda, i cant imagine spending so little. we go to the arabian store and spend 200$ easily, then follow up with another 150$ at jewel. maybe were doin something wrong lol

[MrsAmera 41]

Oh wow! I guess if I could spend more I would but I can't! I usually only buy what's on sale, use coupons and other promotions etc. I cook based on what is on sale. It saves me a lot of time and energy in the end and forces me to use leftovers and be creative.

[sandinista! 1,816]

So tagines. I saw a silicone one at Marshalls the other day. Waste of money? Should I just invest in a clay or ceramic one?

it depends on what yr making in it. meat dishes no. they don't turn out good, and you have to use another pan to brown the meat first, etc, and i like washing as few dishes as possible. but i like roasting veggies in my silicone tagine. they turn out quite good in there. it was cheap too. my mom found it for me at tj maxx for like 10 bucks.

i my le creuset tagine. it's cast iron on the bottom with a ceramic lid. it's great on the stove top or the oven. and le creuset has such great colors. mine's bright red

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Thanks for the feedback. TJ Maxx and Marshalls are some of my favorite stores. Always interesting bargins waiting to be found. I did see an orange Rachel Ray oval casserole pan there a few days ago that I'd snap up if I had more room. I have orange and green RR cookware, courtsey of my bargin hunting mother, who I'm sure got them at a deep discount at TJ Maxx or Marshalls. Guess I should be looking for an orange ceramic tagine then.

[sara535 15]

So tagines. I saw a silicone one at Marshalls the other day. Waste of money? Should I just invest in a clay or ceramic one?

it depends on what yr making in it. meat dishes no. they don't turn out good, and you have to use another pan to brown the meat first, etc, and i like washing as few dishes as possible. but i like roasting veggies in my silicone tagine. they turn out quite good in there. it was cheap too. my mom found it for me at tj maxx for like 10 bucks.

i my le creuset tagine. it's cast iron on the bottom with a ceramic lid. it's great on the stove top or the oven. and le creuset has such great colors. mine's bright red

thats on my wishlist...maybe mothers day?? (crossing fingers)

[100% Al Ahly Fan 53]

2 pounds semolina

ok stupid question...isn't semolina the stuff that causes you to get sick if you eat uncooked chicken?

That's salmonella.

I almost fell outa my chair when I read this thread....thanks for the laugh

[Henna Rose 0]

i my le creuset tagine. it's cast iron on the bottom with a ceramic lid. it's great on the stove top or the oven. and le creuset has such great colors. mine's bright red

How much are those? I was checking them out online, but no $$$ were listed...thanks !

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Mmmm, I made a fantastic Bolognese Pie, based on a recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. My modifications are in bold

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped (3 cups)

3 carrots, finely chopped (1 cup) I'd add at least 1.5-2 cups

6 cloves garlic , minced

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork obviously no pork. I used a pound and a half of ground beef

1/4 cup tomato paste

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 cup dry white wine obviously no white wine. I used a cup of chicken broth

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree I would add an extra 14 oz can next time to get more sauce

1 cup milk

12 ounces spaghetti didn't end up serving it with pasta, so no need for the spaghetti

Finely grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Make sauce: In a Dutch oven (or 5-quart saucepan), heat oil over high heat. Add onions, carrots, and garlic; cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add beef and pork; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Add wine and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a simmer; cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 hour. Add milk; simmer until completely absorbed, about 15 minutes more. Season again with salt and pepper.

So at this point, the recipe calls for you to make pasta and serve half the sauce with the pasta. I just reserved all the sauce to make the Bolognese Pie with Biscuit Topping

2 teaspoons olive oil

pound medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, cut crosswise into 3/4-inch chunks more zucchini

I also added half of a butternut squash. I cut it into 1/2 inch pieces, roasted in the oven with salt, pepper and a little olive oil for 20 minutes. Next time, I'm definitely going to add a ton more. Soooooo tasty.

4 cups leftover Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce I used all 8 cups

1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled) I doubled this entire biscuit recipe

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, (about 2 ounces)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the meat base: Heat oil in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini; cook, stirring, until golden and just beginning to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in leftover Bolognese Sauce until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Cover to keep warm. I didn't do this. I took a 9x13 pan, put the chopped zucchini and butternut squash in the bottom, and then put the sauce over the top
2. Make the biscuit topping: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, thyme, and salt. Using a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers,work in butter until pea-size clumps form. Stir in milk and cheese until dough just comes together.
3. Spoon dough over beef mixture in 8 small mounds, about 1 inch apart. Bake until meat mixture is bubbling and topping is golden brown (a toothpick inserted in center of a biscuit should come out clean), about 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Very very tasty. Normally, AbuS just likes a thin tomato sauce with some onions and beef with noodles. He hasn't liked a lot of my spaghetti type attempts. But this one got a good review from him and is definitely in the to make again pile. Edited April 28, 2009 by UmmSqueakster

[MrsAmera 41]

That sounds excellent! I have to add it to my "to make" pile.

I made some crab cakes (yay almost crab season here!) Sunday night and crab stuffed chicken breast last night here is my recipe:

1 pound of crab meat - jumbo lump is best but mine was actually claw meat (little cheaper and ok for crab cakes)

8 oz fat free sour cream

2-3 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1/2 lemon - juice squeezed

1/2-3/4 cup bread crumbs (depending on how wet it is)

1 egg

(some people use some more spicy peppers, celery or onions in their recipe, I don't like the texture but you could add it!)

Combine all of this and let it sit in the fridge for about a half hour. You can cook it right away but I like the flavor to combine.

You can either fry or bake the crab cakes. To fry heat some olive oil in a saute pan, form the crab cakes into palm size patties and fry about 3-4 minutes each side. To bake, place onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. They should get brown on top.

I only used half this recipe (which makes between 12-15 crab cakes depending on size). Last night with the rest of it:

Crab Stuffed Chicken

10 Chicken Tenderloins (you could use any breast or boneless thigh pieces)

crab cake mixture

bread crumbs

olive oil

Wrap a teaspoon of crab mixture with the chicken tenderloin and skewer --- I used a cupcake tin to hold them in a circle shape - it worked great!

Top with a little oilve oil and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Dipping sauce:

1 avocado

8 oz sour cream

2tsp mayonaise

2 tsp Old Bay

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 cut lemon - juice only

Blend together in blender to make a smooth sauce. I served it cold with the chicken, as a dipping sauce. Very light and good for a warm summer day!

[Henna Rose 0]

That sounds excellent! I have to add it to my "to make" pile.

I made some crab cakes (yay almost crab season here!) Sunday night and crab stuffed chicken breast last night here is my recipe:

This sounds absolutely delicious VJ MENA ladies are some of the best cooks around

[JeanneVictoria 55]

That sounds excellent! I have to add it to my "to make" pile.

I made some crab cakes (yay almost crab season here!) Sunday night and crab stuffed chicken breast last night here is my recipe:

1 pound of crab meat - jumbo lump is best but mine was actually claw meat (little cheaper and ok for crab cakes)

8 oz fat free sour cream

2-3 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1/2 lemon - juice squeezed

1/2-3/4 cup bread crumbs (depending on how wet it is)

1 egg

(some people use some more spicy peppers, celery or onions in their recipe, I don't like the texture but you could add it!)

Combine all of this and let it sit in the fridge for about a half hour. You can cook it right away but I like the flavor to combine.

You can either fry or bake the crab cakes. To fry heat some olive oil in a saute pan, form the crab cakes into palm size patties and fry about 3-4 minutes each side. To bake, place onto a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. They should get brown on top.

I only used half this recipe (which makes between 12-15 crab cakes depending on size). Last night with the rest of it:

Crab Stuffed Chicken

10 Chicken Tenderloins (you could use any breast or boneless thigh pieces)

crab cake mixture

bread crumbs

olive oil

Wrap a teaspoon of crab mixture with the chicken tenderloin and skewer --- I used a cupcake tin to hold them in a circle shape - it worked great!

Top with a little oilve oil and sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown on top.

Dipping sauce:

1 avocado

8 oz sour cream

2tsp mayonaise

2 tsp Old Bay

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1/2 cut lemon - juice only

Blend together in blender to make a smooth sauce. I served it cold with the chicken, as a dipping sauce. Very light and good for a warm summer day!

How I miss the crabcakes I used to get in Virginia!! And the clam chowder! YummOOOO

Hard to find good seafood here in Tucson....