Lebanese Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes and Onions- M'farraket Batatah wa Bassal

Lebanese Scrambled Eggs with Potatoes and Onions
Adapted from Lebanese Cuisine

4 T. olive oil
4 medium potatoes, peeled, washed and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium onions, finely chopped
6 eggs
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
kosher salt to taste
1 T. basil pesto (optional)

Put olive oil in a large frying pan and place over a medium heat.  When the oil is hot (to test the heat drop in a cube of potato, and if the oil bubbles around it, it is read) put in the diced potatoes and saute until lightly golden.  Add the onions and cook until both potatoes and onions are golden brown.  In the meantime, break the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk them lightly before pouring over the potatoes and onion.  Season with pepper and salt to taste and scramble until the eggs are done to your taste.

Note:  Basil pesto isn't a part of Lebanese cuisine to my knowledge, but I often buy a big jar of it at Costco.  I've started adding pesto to this egg recipe and it's a great addition.

Favorite White Bread...Ina Garten Style

I think I've blogged before about my infatuation with Ina Garten.  I love how she uses mostly simple, quality ingredients and makes everything look and taste like Heaven.  Some people find her show boring, but I think her voice is kind of soothing.  She makes me want to go eat dessert in the bathtub or something. Her "Honey White Bread" recipe from her "Barefoot Contessa at Home Cookbook" is my go to white bread recipe.  It doesn't have a lot of sugar, which makes it less chewy than other recipes, but I still think it's super tasty.  I usually make one big loaf and a few mini loaves or two big loaves with this recipe.

Honey White Bread
From the "Barefoot Contessa at Home" Cookbook

1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees)
2 packages dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm whole milk (110 degrees)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled (3/4 stick)
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
2 extra-large egg yolks
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Pour water into mixer fitted with dough attachment.  Add yeast and sugar; stir and allow them to dissolve for 5 minutes.  Add milk, butter, and honey.  Mix on medium speed until blended.  Add the egg yolks, 3 cups of the flour, and the salt.  Mix on low speed for about 5 minutes.  With the mixer still on low speed, add 2 more cups of flour.  Raise the speed to medium and slowly add just enough of the remaining flour so the dough doesn't stick to the bowl.  Add the flour slowly; you can always add more but you can't take it out.  Knead on medium speed for about 8 minutes, adding flour as necessary.

Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead by hand for a minute, until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Grease a bowl with butter, put the dough in the bowl, then turn it over so the top is lightly buttered.  Cover the bowl with a damp towel and allow it to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in volume.  Grease two 9 X 5 inch loaf pans with butter.  Divide the dough in half, roll each laf into a loaf shape and place each in a prepared pan.  Cover again with a damp towel, and allow to rise again for an hour, until doubled in volume.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  When the dough is ready, brush the tops wit hthe egg white and bake the breads for 40 to 45 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped. Turn them out of the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Lebanese Cannellini Beans and Meat Stew- Fassolyah bil-Lahmeh

Nothing like a big bowl of beans, seasoned the Lebanese way...


Lebanese Cannellini Beans and Meat Stew- Fassolyah bil-Lahmeh
Adapted from:  'LEBANESE CUISINE- More than 250 Authentic Recipes from the most Elegant Middle Eastern Cuisine"

• 2 cups dried cannellini or Great Northern Beans (can also use kidney, lima or navy)
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• About 1 lb. pork meat from the leg or shoulder or lamb meat from the shoulder
• 2 or 3 bones (optional)
• 4 T. unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, sliced 
• 5 cups water
• 1 tsp. chicken bouillon
• 5 oz. tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/2 tsp. finely ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 

The night before:
Put the beans to soak in three times their volume of water as they will double in size.  Stir in one tsp. baking soda.  This should soften them and help reduce their cooking time.


Directions:
If you are using pork, cut in in chunky pieces.  If you are using lamb, strip the skin off, discard it, and get rid of as much fat as you can and cut as with the pork.  Met the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and brown the meat.  Remove to a plate.  Add the sliced onion and cook, sturring occasionally, until soft and transparent.  If you are using the bones, rinse them under cold water before adding to the onion.  Saute the bones until they lose all traces of pink.  Return the meat to the pan, add water, and 1 tsp. chicken bouillon.  Bring to a boil. 

Drain the soaked beans and rinse them under cold water.  Add the meat and onion and boil gently, covered, for 45 minutes or until the beans are tender.  Dilute the tomato paste in a little water and stir into the broth.  Season with cinnamon, allspice, pepper, nutmeg and salt to taste.  Put the lid back on and simmer for 10 more minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the beans are cooked.  Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary.  Serve with homemade bread and fresh fruit.

Turkey Taco Wraps- No flour, No Sugar

After I made those coyote crap balls the other night, I decided if this healthy thing is really going to work out, I had to make food with flavors that I enjoyed.  I LOVE Mexican food, so I decided to make these taco wraps.  They were a winner!


Turkey Taco Wraps
Adapted from Dr. Gott's No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook

1 pd. lean ground turkey
1/2 to 3/4 package taco seasoning
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, rinsed and dried
1 medium onion, chopped

Brown turkey in skillet.  Drain off any liquid.  Add taco seasoning with amount of water indicated on package.  (Don't forget to do this...I made these twice, once without added water and with water was much better.)  Spoon mixture onto lettuce leaves and top with tomatoes and onion.  Roll and serve.