Found this in a Beirut supermarket; it is a rolling pin with stationary blades (one inch or so apart).

Can anybody guess what it is used for?

Happy Holidays!

This blog will be on a temporary hiatus until I land in Beirut, catch up on some sleep and get internet connection!

Hello, everyone! I’m Alice and I’m guest posting today for my mom.

Today my mom made a savory brownie that is both healthy and delicious! My favorite part about this dish is how clearly you can taste each vegetable; nothing overpowers the other, but instead they compliment each other perfectly.
This dish is also very easy to make, and you only need one bowl!

Ingredients:

-4 large eggs
-1 cup minced Italian parsley
-3 green onions
-2 cups plain yogurt
-1 cup cherry tomatoes
-2 cups baby potatoes (Klondike Gourmet potatoes if possible)
-1 cup shredded swiss cheese (and/or mozzarella cheese)
-2/3 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 teaspoon cumin
-1/2 teaspoon sumac
-salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Steam or boil baby potatoes (still with skin) in salted water until cooked.
2. Mince parsley and green onions.
3. Cut tomatoes in half.
4. In a large bowl, beat eggs.
5. Add yogurt and beat to combine.
6. Add flour and beat to combine.
7. Add minced parsley and minced green onions.
8. Cut potatoes in slices and add.
9. Add tomatoes.
10. Add shredded cheese.
11. Add salt, pepper, sumac, and cumin to taste.
12. Pour batter into pan lined with parchment paper.
13. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until cooked, about 30 minutes.
Note: For the last minute, you can turn on the broiler to give your brownie an added golden color.
Serve either warm or room temperature.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

An easy to put together dessert, if you get some dragon fruits; they are sold in Asian markets. Cut the fruit in half, scoop out some of the flesh, fill the cavity with your mom’s favorite frozen yogurt flavor (here strawberry), cut the fruit in small balls, add a few cut up strawberries (or some other fruit) and voilà!

“Heaven liveth at the feet of mothers”  (Muhammad quote from the Koran)

“God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers”. (Jewish quote)

The seven-hour lamb, for the recipe click here.

Lebanese couscous with lamb shanks and pearl onions, for the recipe click here

Spiced fish, for the recipe click here.

Swiss chard cake, for the recipe click here

Tangerine sorbet, for the recipe click here.

Apricots filled with clotted cream, for the recipe click here.

Shredded phyllo dough with pistachio, for the recipe click here.

Chocolate cake with raspberry mousse, for the recipe click here.

All of these dishes can be prepared ahead so that you can relax and enjoy your family and friends.

I read Lebanese newspapers online every day, it has become a habit. Yesterday, I picked up an interesting titbit from L’Orient-le-jour. A group of intrepid hikers from different countries including the US were trekking from the northern tip of Lebanon all the way to the southern tip, a total of 440Km (about 300 miles).  Lebanon is tiny, but this constitutes quite an achievement because they are doing it in one month and they are going through paths that are thousands of years old . In addition, their trek has an ecological purpose, as they are trying to help local villagers preserve the natural beauty of their environment and defend it against harmful and unsightly construction. One member of this group has a blog www.trekkinglebanon.com. Photos are included. Very interesting. In addition, there are a number of hiking groups in Lebanon who do more leisurely walks through various areas of interest. When we were kids, we would always reserve Sunday as a family to go on picnics with other families. One time, we were in the Cedars area and I remember meeting the most beautiful young girls I had seen: golden hair, pink complexions, lightly tanned skin, and air of such health that I still 35 years later have a vivid memory of their look. I remember the conversation was about sandwiches and they claimed that every day they  would eat  a sandwich made up of fresh onion and tomatoes and butter. I had never heard of such a combination and I remember going home and trying it at once! Yummy!! Well, onion is so good for you, it is practically a natural antibiotic! Always include it in your sandwich and  the fresh mint or parsley, cucumbers, tomatoes. 

INGREDIENTS: For 1 sandwich

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of labneh (or cream cheese or butter)

A drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

A few cherry tomatoes

A few olives 

A few Persian cucumbers

2 Tablespoons of fresh parsley or mint

1/4 cup of fresh onion (red or green)

METHOD:

Slather the bread with labneh. Line up the cucumbers in a row, interspersed with tomatoes, olives and mint. Drizzle some olive oil. Roll the bread like a tortilla. Sahteyn!