Fruity cake

People see happiness differently,
For me, it comes in bright colours, beautiful shapes, delicious tastes and pleasant smells.
For me, Happiness is in nature..
For me, Happiness is a present from the Lord
For me, Happiness is Eid…

Saha Eidkoum. 
Honestly.. 

Look at the cake again..

 Don’t you see happiness?
Well… I do.

Healthy Gratin and Salad

This morning, a friend told me that I have not put any post on my blog for a while….

I did not know that this friend followed my blog….

You go through phases in life when you do things with passion because you just like doing them … and then you stop…..

Not because you don’t like doing them anymore…

You stop because you are looking for somebody to tell you you should do them again.

This somebody is your friend…

Then you go back to doing what you like doing …

Not for your friend.. but

For the love of doing them…

And for the love of being reminded by your friend that you love doing them…..

Isn't that a healthy thought...?

As Healthy as my gratin and salad...1

Et Voila!

Zlabiya

  Zlabiya

Now!.... I have a wish. I wish I could make Zlabiyat Boufarik! Can anybody help?

For those who do not know what is Zlabyat Boufarik…It is the Algerian speciality for Zlabiya. The recipe is apparently kept  secret for the people of Boufarik only (a city beside Algiers). I keep trying it ..I always end up with long stripes of beignets/khfaf.

O people of Boufarik I urge you to send me the recipe as soon as you could ..otherwise …and be warned …I shall keep trying. If I guess the secret and make it on my own I will change its name and call it Zlabiyat Aberdeen watch me out!!!

Recipe

1 Cup flour

1 Tbs corn flour

1 Cup lukewarm water

1 tsp yeast

Yellow/orange food colouring

Syrup

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

Orange flour water

Method

In a bowl mix 1tsp yeast and around 2Tbs of the water and leave for few minutes.

Add flour, cornflour, the remaining water and the food colouring.

Let the batter rest and raise for about 15mins.

Heat the oil to really warm then reduce the heat to medium.

Pour and shape the zlabya by using a piping bag.

I use a little pan to cook the zlabiyas and that is how I get all round same size zlabiyas.

Immerse in syrup..be generous!

Les Macarons

Les Macarons

Les petites delices…Qui n’aime pas les macarons?

Do you know that they are in fashion now?

Well they have been for a while.

Since last Christmas I was told….!

In fact, in my opinion, these delights should never go out of fashion.

They would not.

Last time I travelled through Charles de Gaulle airport, I was amazed by the variety, the colours, the flavours in the beautiful “macaron” specialised shop.  

I wanted to taste all of them…but  the price!..they were expensive…

But you know what? Hmm delicious…they worth the price.

Try them.

Ingredients:

2 egg whites

¼ tsp Cream of Tartar

125gr ground almonds

125gr icing sugar

3 Tbs caster sugar

1Tsp vanilla

Any colour ( I choose brown)

Any Flavouring ( I used Coffee)

For the butter cream:

75 gr butter softened

150 gr icing sugar

1Tsp strong coffee

Method:

Whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until it forms a soft peak.

Add the caster sugar and continue beating until stiff.

Fold in the icing sugar and the ground almonds mixed together.

Add colour and flavouring.

Using a piping bag, pipe in small blobs on a grease proof paper.

Cook in a medium heat oven (6) for around 12min.

Combine all the ingredients for the butter cream and beat well.

Assemble and sandwich two macaroons using the butter cream.

Birthday Cake

Birthday Cake:

Yes! Another chance to make a cake…It’s a pleasure!

This one was for a birthday party for a colleague’s Mum!

She likes….her shoes!

I was looking forward to making it but then my back started hurting… I thought I may not be able to make it… I kept praying… for my back!

We do take our abilities for granted…

We do take our good health for granted

Its good to be able to celebrate a birthday in your seventies.... being able to wear your shoes and.... dance…..

Chakchouka, Houmous, Caramelised onion and other stuff!

My daughter who is 17 and works part time wanted to invite her friends over, She has a very tight budget and I was suffering from back ache for 2 weeks… (Still feeling the pain !).

I needed to cook for 15 Young people (My kids, my daughter’s friends and me (Well I am still young!.. Besides, age is not a number…it is a feeling!...Well that’s the only way you can deal with it with pride!)

Cooking for a big number, with a very tight budget and by a woman on a stick(its my BACK not my age… I insist) seemed as an impossible mission!

But we succeeded…. In two hours, I produced a good variety.. have to say, my daughter did all the cleaning, clearing, stretching and bending… I think we formed a good working team… the girls were good at bringing in other stuff.. we had a cake, some pastries and nachos… A well enjoyed evening!

I shall write the recipe for each dish in the next new blogs... Keep following!

Khobz lahchiche ( Herbs' Bread)

I had a phone call from an old friend yesterday…Someone I haven’t

seen or spoken to for quiet a while! 

I had previously thought about phoning her… I felt I lost contact… What

would I say to her…It is such a long time… The conversation won’t be

natural!!! But then when she phoned… We spoke for ages… we had a lot to

catch up… It was easier than I thought.. Natural things come naturally…

So is my return to my blog tonight! 

It is weeks since I left it.

With a lot of struggle I published my 1st video (You can check it in

youtube as well!) . I thought that this could answer the request I had

from my sister to write in Arabic or French… but many of my friends who

follow my blog speak English only!!

So I thought about this idea!!

I won’t do it for all posts though… 

It needs time and organising to record!!

You need to clean the kitchen to perfection! (My standard of

perfection!!!)

You need to put all the ingredients in nice dishes…

And you need to measure everything… ARGGGH … I don’t.

Anyway this is my first attempt… I will do more (InshaAllah)… it is fun

seeing my hands! And hearing my voice.. and making mistakes… did you

spot any???

For this recipe, my brother says why did you call it khobz l’hchiche…

some people may think you are referring to the stuff that …the minds!

When lahchiche in Algerian only means herbs..

Yes but (With all humblness) my bread does….  the minds ( Humbleness

Faiza, Humbleness!) … Well Try it!!! 

As to the ingredients I used:
wholemeal flour
plain flour
fine semolina
salt
yeast
olive oil
black onion seeds
sesame seeds
water
flax Seed and egg yolk
as to the method , the videos explain that clearly