EGYPTIAN MAHSHI

1. One stick of butter (4 OZ).
2. Four small or three medium onions.
3. One cup of water.
4. One can tomato paste (12 OZ).

5. One Cabbage.
6. Four more cups of water.
7. One small spoons of Salt and 1/4 spoon of Pepper.
8. Four cups Rice.
9. Chopped Parsley.
10. Four bouillion cubes.


Procedure
1. Wash the four cups of rice several times, and keep it in water for about ½ an hour. Then, wash rice, drain water out.
2. Cut the cabbage core. Carfully separate the cabbage leaves.
3. Boil water, then place about 10 leaves in the boiling water for about 5 minutes. Remove leaves and drain the leaves. Then, add more leaves to the boiling water and repeat until you are done cooking all leaves.
4. Cook one stick of butter with onions, until the onion becomes brown. Then, add one cup of water and tomato paste to the onion. Cover them and cook together on low for about 10 minutes. Stir every 2 minutes.
5. Add tomato paste and onion mixture to rice. Add one small spoon of Salt and 1/4 spoon of Pepper to the rice. Add chopped parsley to the rice, and mix well.
6. Soup Mixture: Boil 4 cups of water and add four Beef or Chicken bouillion cubes to the water. Boil for 2 minutes.

7. The most difficult part: Cut big cooked cabbage leaves in half. Place a small amount of rice mixture in leaf and roll.
8. Put foil in the bottom of a sauce pan. Place all rolled cabbage in the pan.
9. Cover the rolled cabbage with the soup mixture.
10. Cook for about 50 minutes on medium heat. Check until the water disappears. Keep checking every 5 minutes until it is cooked


The left over cabbage and rice can be mixed together and cooked as a casserole.

KOUSA MIHSHI

Kousa Mihshi
Kousa Mihshi is stuffed courgettes (zucchini). The stuffing is made with lamb mince and rice.

It is also sometimes written as Kousa Mishi, or Kousa Mashi.

You will first need to remove the courgette cores with a knife, apple corer or zuccini corer.

1kg medium courgettes.
2 chopped onions
3 green chilles, sliced
1/2 kg lamb mince (or beef mince)
1kg red tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt, pepper to taste
2 tsps paprika
Olive oil
1 cup short grain rice (long grain basmati if you prefer)
2 cups chicken stock
1 small potato (optional)

Cut off the courgette stems, and remove cores. Wash inside and out.

Fry the onion in oil, add the green chillis and mince, fry till browned. Stir in the rice, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Allow mixture to cool.

Use this mixture to fill the courgettes, about 3/4 full. Although not often mentioned, I prefer to plug each courgette with a small piece of potato - cut the potato into little cubes, just the right size to 'plug' and close each courgette.

Now fry the chopped garlic, add tomatoes and tomato puree. Place the courgettes in the pot, cover with the chicken stock and simmer for 1 hour. You may need to add more chicken stock depending on the size of your pot.

Serve the courgettes and the sauce separately, or serve together in a large bowl.

Makloubeh

Makloubeh
Makloubeh, a much beloved Palestinian dish (the word means "upside-down") is a casserole dish made with a layer of either chicken quarters or diced mutton that has been sauteed in clarified butter, a layer of sliced onion and eggplant and another layer of saffron-colored rice. Before being served the dish is turned upside down onto a large platter and sprinkled over with pine nuts. Needless to say, as with all folk-recipes, this one has a nearly infinite number of variations. Lamb can also be used instead of chicken.
If you are using kosher chicken do not add any extra salt. You get enough salt from the chicken and the salted eggplant.

2 large aubergines sliced
1 whole chicken, skinned and quartered (or 6 chicken thighs)
2 chopped onions
2 tbs pine nuts
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
2 small green chillis
2 tbs oil
1 small chopped caulieflower
1 1/2 cups rice
3 cups chicken stock
salt & pepper

Fry the pine nuts till golden brown and remove. Fry the chopped onions and chillis until soft and add meat, salt & spices. Fry till meat browned. Seperately, deep fry the aubergines and remove. Now deep fry the caulieflower for 1 min then remove. Put 2 tbs of rice in the pot and put the meat mixture on top. Then layer the vegetables on top ( try to arrange some aubergine slices around the sides). Add the remainder of the rice on top. Add the chicken stock, salt & pepper. Cover and simmer for 40 mins. To serve: place the pot UPSIDE-DOWN (translates to 'makloubeh') on a large dish. Carefully lift the pot trying to retain the shape of the contents. Decorate with the pine nuts. Serve with youghurt and green salad.

Lebanese fatoush

Fattoush
Fattoush is a Lebanese salad, good for hot weather. It allows cooks to use seasonal produce by mixing different vegetables and herbs according to taste.

Fattoush means moistened bread, and this salad consists of a chilled mixed salad tossed with small cubes of toasted bread. The texture of the toasted bread adds an unusual quality. Sumac, usually sold ground, is ground red berries and used in Middle Eastern, particularly Lebanese, cooking.

1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sumac powder
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium cucumber, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
4 onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped purslane
1/2 (5 ounce) package arugula
4 pita rounds, toasted and torn into pieces

Mix the water and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until thickened. Remove from heat, and mix in lemon juice, garlic, sumac, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, parsley, mint, bell pepper, purslane, and arugula. Toss with the dressing, and serve with pita.

TABBOULEH

Tabbouleh
Tabouleh (also written tabbouleh) is a Mediterranean salad dish, often used as part of a mezze. Its primary ingredients are bulgur, finely chopped parsley, mint, tomato, spring onions, and other herbs with lemon juice and various seasonings, generally including black pepper and sometimes cinnamon and allspice.

In Lebanon and Syria, where the dish originated, it is often eaten by scooping it up in Romaine lettuce leaves.

Tabouleh is also popular in Brazil and in the Dominican Republic (where it is known as tipili), due to Mediterranean arab immigrants who settled there. In the United States, tabbouleh is sometimes used as a dip.

1/2 cupfine grain cracked wheat (bulgur)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp allspice (optional)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt, or to taste
3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped spring onions
2 cups finely chopped ripe tomatoes (if not ripe, omit)
1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves (finely chopped)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup olive oil

Rinse the cracked whaet several times then cover with water by 1/2-inch and let soak for 20 minutes, then drain welland squeeze out excess water.

Combine minced onion with the allspice, pepper and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the parsley, spring onions, tomatoes and mint. Gently fold in the drained wheat and refrigerate until an hour before serving. Just before serving, stir in the seasoned onion and dress with lemon juice and oil to taste.

KOFTA

Kofta
Kofta (or kufta) resembles meatballs or kabob (kebab). A mixture of lamb (or beef) mince is rolled into small balls and cooked on their own or with a variety of vegetables.

This mixture is great on skewers over charcoal, or as the Lebanese dish Kofta bi sanniyeh, baked in the oven with potatoes and tomatoes.

Kofta is also often served on flatbread (without skewers) or pita bread.

2 1/2 lbs finely ground lamb or beef
2 cups finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves or 1 TBS dry mint leaves
1 large onion, cut up for food processor
finely chopped garlic to taste
1 tsp Bhar Helou or 1/4 tsp each ground cinammon, cloves, nutmeg
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

In a food processor, chop onion extremely fine. Add parsely, garlic and mint and until you have a fine mixture.

Put the meat in a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and spices, mix thoroughly with your hands.

For kafta bi sanniyeh optionally add 1/2 cup bread crumbs, one or two tablespoons of water and an egg . Form into small sausage shapes. Place in lightly greased over tray along with with partially boiled potatoes sliced about 1/4 inch thick. Optionally add a few sliced carrots and a few peeled whole onions.

Bake at 200C. for about 45 minutes or until kafta is golden and potatoes soft.

For skewers (kebab), form egg-sized balls of kofta and work evenly onto skewers. Alternate these with any assorted vegetables (chunks of tomato, onion, pepper etc). Then grill or barbecue.

Middle Eastern food/Salad

Tabbouleh
Tabouleh (also written tabbouleh) is a Mediterranean salad dish, often used as part of a mezze. Its primary ingredients are bulgur, finely chopped parsley, mint, tomato, spring onions, and other herbs with lemon juice and various seasonings, generally including black pepper and sometimes cinnamon and allspice.

In Lebanon and Syria, where the dish originated, it is often eaten by scooping it up in Romaine lettuce leaves.

Tabouleh is also popular in Brazil and in the Dominican Republic (where it is known as tipili), due to Mediterranean arab immigrants who settled there. In the United States, tabbouleh is sometimes used as a dip.

1/2 cupfine grain cracked wheat (bulgur)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp allspice (optional)
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt, or to taste
3 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped spring onions
2 cups finely chopped ripe tomatoes (if not ripe, omit)
1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves (finely chopped)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup olive oil

Rinse the cracked whaet several times then cover with water by 1/2-inch and let soak for 20 minutes, then drain welland squeeze out excess water.

Combine minced onion with the allspice, pepper and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the parsley, spring onions, tomatoes and mint. Gently fold in the drained wheat and refrigerate until an hour before serving. Just before serving, stir in the seasoned onion and dress with lemon juice and oil to taste.


Fattoush is a Lebanese salad, good for hot weather. It allows cooks to use seasonal produce by mixing different vegetables and herbs according to taste.

Fattoush means moistened bread, and this salad consists of a chilled mixed salad tossed with small cubes of toasted bread. The texture of the toasted bread adds an unusual quality. Sumac, usually sold ground, is ground red berries and used in Middle Eastern, particularly Lebanese, cooking.

1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons sumac powder
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 medium cucumber, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
4 onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped purslane
1/2 (5 ounce) package arugula
4 pita rounds, toasted and torn into pieces

Mix the water and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until thickened. Remove from heat, and mix in lemon juice, garlic, sumac, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions, parsley, mint, bell pepper, purslane, and arugula. Toss with the dressing, and serve with pita.



Makloubeh, a much beloved Palestinian dish (the word means "upside-down") is a casserole dish made with a layer of either chicken quarters or diced mutton that has been sauteed in clarified butter, a layer of sliced onion and eggplant and another layer of saffron-colored rice. Before being served the dish is turned upside down onto a large platter and sprinkled over with pine nuts. Needless to say, as with all folk-recipes, this one has a nearly infinite number of variations. Lamb can also be used instead of chicken.
If you are using kosher chicken do not add any extra salt. You get enough salt from the chicken and the salted eggplant.

2 large aubergines sliced
1 whole chicken, skinned and quartered (or 6 chicken thighs)
2 chopped onions
2 tbs pine nuts
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp paprika
2 small green chillis
2 tbs oil
1 small chopped caulieflower
1 1/2 cups rice
3 cups chicken stock
salt & pepper

Fry the pine nuts till golden brown and remove. Fry the chopped onions and chillis until soft and add meat, salt & spices. Fry till meat browned. Seperately, deep fry the aubergines and remove. Now deep fry the caulieflower for 1 min then remove. Put 2 tbs of rice in the pot and put the meat mixture on top. Then layer the vegetables on top ( try to arrange some aubergine slices around the sides). Add the remainder of the rice on top. Add the chicken stock, salt & pepper. Cover and simmer for 40 mins. To serve: place the pot UPSIDE-DOWN (translates to 'makloubeh') on a large dish. Carefully lift the pot trying to retain the shape of the contents. Decorate with the pine nuts. Serve with youghurt and green salad.












































Kousa Mihshi is stuffed courgettes (zucchini). The stuffing is made with lamb mince and rice.

It is also sometimes written as Kousa Mishi, or Kousa Mashi.

You will first need to remove the courgette cores with a knife, apple corer or zuccini corer.

1kg medium courgettes.
2 chopped onions
3 green chilles, sliced
1/2 kg lamb mince (or beef mince)
1kg red tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato puree
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
salt, pepper to taste
2 tsps paprika
Olive oil
1 cup short grain rice (long grain basmati if you prefer)
2 cups chicken stock
1 small potato (optional)

Cut off the courgette stems, and remove cores. Wash inside and out.

Fry the onion in oil, add the green chillis and mince, fry till browned. Stir in the rice, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Allow mixture to cool.

Use this mixture to fill the courgettes, about 3/4 full. Although not often mentioned, I prefer to plug each courgette with a small piece of potato - cut the potato into little cubes, just the right size to 'plug' and close each courgette.

Now fry the chopped garlic, add tomatoes and tomato puree. Place the courgettes in the pot, cover with the chicken stock and simmer for 1 hour. You may need to add more chicken stock depending on the size of your pot.

Serve the courgettes and the sauce separately, or serve together in a large bowl.






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Daily Power Quotes

Power Quote For Thursday, January 10, 2008
"You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own

Monday, january 14, 2008
“Negative talk inspires no one. Leaders find ways to catch someone doing things right. I will seek those opportunites today.”
Daily Power Quotes




Power Quote For Sunday, January 20, 2008
"If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise .

FRIENDS AND FAMILY

FASHION

MY DREAMS FOR 2008

Make a postcard - it's easy!

REAL LOVE MEANS

Unconditional Love
When we love someone in its truest of form, it is a pure love, a love with no conditions. Love out of purity can develop over time or be instantaneous in some situations.
When we love or care for someone unconditionally it is because we want to, not because we feel we have to. We don't love that person because of what they do for us. We don't love them because we want something that they have. We love them because we have a special place reserved in our hearts and in our spirits specifically for them. This love is unshaken because it is based on truth not on convenience.
It doesn't even matter if our love is reciprocated by the person we care for. It doesn't matter if they turn their backs and walk away. It doesn't matter if they choose to say nothing at all, because the love you have for them exists regardless of the circumstance and regardless of the condition. It is simply based on your strong sense of care for this individual. It is not based on power. It is not based on control. It is based on love's purest intentions.
When we love someone unconditionally, we love them as they are, as they were, and as they intend to be. We embrace their past, their present, and their future as a fine intricate detail of who they are. When they speak, we listen to them. When they are still, we stand by their sides. When they need to be left alone, we leave them be, but we continue to love them even when separated by distance.
Unconditional love goes beyond just the emotions of love, it develops in the core of our being as it is there where we hold those close to us so dearly.


Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast.
It is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered.
It keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.



We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread, but there are many more dying for a little love

I had found a kind of serenity, a new maturity... I didn't feel better or stronger than anyone else but it seemed no longer important whether everyone loved me or not - more important now was for me to love them. Feeling that way turns your whole life around; living becomes the act of giving.


Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.
The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.

BEING BOLD

"Bold" is defined in the dictionary as: "fearless and daring; courageous."
When you think "bigger" it could mean you will see the same future, only more of it. In other words, you could be lulled into just expanding the vision you currently have, limiting it to an already defined box. But when you think "bolder" you are asking your mind to be more fearless, more daring in what you imagine for yourself.
Being bold would mean you would have to release your right to be scared.
You would have to act in ways that will shake up the comfort zone of other people in your life.
You would have to step out in faith (the epitome of being fearless) knowing that you are never called to fail, only to succeed on a massive scale.
Where is God calling YOU to think not bigger, but bolder in your life and in your business?
How do you intend to answer his call today?

What you accept as true, and act on as true, will be absolutely true for you. Be careful what you visualize, wish for and believe in. Believe you can achieve your dreams, and you will achieve them.

Thought for the Moment

You have a right to be engaged in work that is enjoyable to you. No matter where you are at this moment, you can choose actions that will take you wherever you really want to go.

Thought for the Moment

The start of something new brings the hope of something great. Anything is possible. There is only one you. And you will pass this way only once. Do it right. Dream big.

Thought for the Moment

There are laws of prosperity and success at work in the universe. Being ignorant of those laws will not save us from the consequences of ignoring those laws.

Thought for the Moment

Thought for the Moment

Mistakes and failures are some of the most valuable blessings in life. They put us back on the right course to high achievement.

Peaceful Stillness
Let yourself know the beauty of being completely at peace in this very moment. Calm your thoughts,quiet your mind,and breathe in the serenitythat is now.All is well and all is as it should be. Relax, and know the peaceful stillness as it fillsyou to the core.In the quiet serenity of now,there is no need to prove anything.Worry and strife are nothing more than distant illusions.With every slow and peaceful breath you take, something becomes abundantly clear. You know without a doubt that there is a real and valuable goodnessthat comes with every moment,every circumstance, every experience.In this moment, be at peace.Experience the calm, confident,positive power. Let yourself be at peace. And you will truly know how to make much more of it.