CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH TOMATOES

When you need to make something quick, this soup is a life saver.  You don't have to have chicken pieces in it for a great taste.  Chicken bouillon is sufficient enough with plain water.   I use my mom's recipe where she combined chicken stock and bouillon.  This soup always reminds me of my mom.  Whenever she had friends drop in around dinner time unexpectedly, she always insisted they stay for dinner and quickly made this soup as a starter to the meal.  The fact that everyone always liked this soup was a bonus.

4 cups water or chicken stock

2/3 cup (150 ml) noodles

1 chicken breast

1 cube chicken bouillon

3 tomatoes

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon butter

salt

Optional: dried mint and 1/2 lemon juice

• Boil the chicken breast in 5 cups of water and boil until chicken cooks.  Breasts with bone in work the best.  Take the chicken breast out and set aside to cool.  This gives you the chicken stock you need for this recipe.
• In a pot, put butter and crushed or grated tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are softened
• Cut or tear small pieces from the chicken breasts
• Add the chicken stock, chicken pieces and bullion bring to boil
• Add in the noodles and cook until noodles are soft (5-8 minutes)
• Add in salt, pepper and mint to your liking
• Serve with lemon juice on the side

SWEET REFRIGERATOR ROLLS/ CINNAMON ROLLS

I have fond memories of this recipe... It is the recipe I used for my very first dough in high school in the "Home Economics" class.  This time I added a twist of my own and made half into cinnamon raisin rolls for breakfast.  They are delicious plain or otherwise.

2 teaspoons dry yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cups lukewarm water

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons oil

Flour (approx. 8 cups)

Makes 24 buns/rolls

If you intend to make raison rolls

3 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons cinnamon

1 cup raisons

• Dissolve 2 teaspoons sugar in 1/4 cup lukewarm water.  Add yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, salt 
• Add 2 cups lukewarm water
• Add in half the oil
• Gradually add rest of the flour until the dough does not stick to your hands
• Turn dough onto floured table and knead until smooth.  The dough should spring back when lightly touched.
• Put the dough back in the bowl.  Pour the rest of the oil over the dough.  Cover with Saran wrap
• Leave in the fridge for minimum 4 hours.  It is better if left 24 hours.
• If you are intending to make cinnamon rolls, separate half the dough and add in melted but cooled butter and raisens
• Shape dough into rolls.  I made 3 balls and put 3 of them into eavh of the muffin cups
• Let the dough sit for another 1-2 hours to rise
• Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown 20-25 minutes

ZUCCHINI SOUP WITH DILL

This is absolutely the best Zucchini soup I ever had.  It is creamy with lots of dill flavour.  It is a must try!

1 kg Zucchini

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons flour

1 Bouillon cube

Milk (3 cups)

Water (1 - 2 cups)

Dill (1 bunch)

Salt

• Grade Zucchini with large side of the grader
• Put oil in the soup pan and add flour.  Cook at medium until the flour smell is gone.  Be sure to continually stir and ensure that flour does not change colour. 
• Add milk bring to boil until it is same consistency as yogurt
• Add graded Zucchini
• Mix bouillon cube with water and continue to cook until it is soup consistency (Approx 15 minutes)
• Add salt
• Let it stand a bit
• Wash and chop the dill and add just before you serve.

CRESCENT BREAKFAST BUNS (ACMA)

Acma is a type of bread/bun.  It can be made plain or with many varieties of filling.  I wanted to make them for this long Family day weekend breakfasts.  My original intent was to make them plain or with cheese but when I realized I had some left over chocolate muffins from Valentines day, I decided to try the with a filling I saw in my friend Asuman's blog (Arnavut Cigeri) quite some time ago.  Since I wasn't sure how they were going to turn out, I made a mix of plain and with filling.   I used my own recipe for the dough, Asuman's filling.  Next time, I intend to drizzle melted chocolate over the cake filled ones.

Dough

3 cups all purpose flour

1 cup warm milk

2 teaspoons quick dry yeast

3 tablespoons sugar

50 gr unsalted melted butter

2 eggs (save the yolk of 1 for the glaze)

Chocolate Cake Filling

3 cups chocolate cake or cupcakes (pre- made)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Glaze

1 egg yolk

Almond slices

Melted Chocolate

Makes 9

• Mix together Flour, yeast, and sugar
• Add in melted butter, warm milk and egg
• Make a soft dough
• Cover and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour. 
• Knead the dough once more
• Separate dough in 9 equal pieces.  Cover and let it rest until you have the filling ready.
• If you are intending to make it plain, you can shape it at this time.  I "braid" the dough.  From each of the 9 pieces, you can further separate 3 pieces to roll out to 3 "sticks" and braid them.  Once ready, you can let it rest for 30 minutes.  Glaze and sprinkle blackened sesame seeds before cooking.
• Prepare the filling by pouring the milk into a pot.  Add all of the other ingredients and cook until thickens.  Cool
• Once ready, take each piece and flatten to oval shape.  Put some filling in the middle and roll it to cover.  Make sure the seam is in the bottom.  Give it a crescent shape on the lined pan.  Glaze with egg yolk and sprinkle almond slices.
• Cook at 350 until golden brown.  For the cake filled ones, you can melt chocolate and drizzle over them once they are cooled.

EASY MUFFIN CAKE

Nothing from scratch here but works just fine if you are short of time.

Happy Valentines Day!!!

1 package chocolate cake mix

1 box vanilla icing

1 bottle red icing

•  Prepare cake mix according to package instructions.  My cake mix called for 2 eggs, 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup oil for 12 cupcakes.  I cooked at 350 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes
• Let cupcakes cool for a couple of hours
• Put vanilla icing on each one and arrange in the shape of a flower
• Line around the flower with generous amount of red icing
• If you have a decoration in the shape of a heart, put that in the middle muffin



WIENER AND BEANER CASSEROLE

Because I was a working mom, my girls went to daycare when they were little.  We picked their daycare with special care after visiting many.  We managed to pick a daycare they adored with many wonderful friendships, caring teachers and one that served them hot meals.  This particular dish was one of their favorites at the daycare.  Since our home cooked meals are mainly Turkish, eating wieners and beaners ended for them at the same time the daycare ended.  The other day, they were reminiscing about this dish.  I had never made it before.  So, I decided to look for a recipe for a surprise.  They are not kids any more but they ate it all up real quick remembering and telling stories from the daycare centre.  They said it tasted just like they remembered it.  My husband and I enjoyed it too.  I will certainly make it again.

2 cans Heinz Beans in tomato sauce

10 hot dogs

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/3 cup ketchup

1 package Lipton onion soup (dry)

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

• Cut up the hot dogs bite size
• Mix all of the ingredients together and add to cut up hot dogs
• Put into a small baking pan
• Preheat oven 350 degrees
• Cook for 1 hour (uncovered)

EGGPLANT AND RED PEPPER SALAD

Eggplant is a low calorie vegetable with vitamins A, B, and C as well as calcium and iron.  It has many health benefits including lowering blood pressure, and cholesterol.  Eggplant is an acquired taste but for those of us who successfully acquire the taste, it is one we can't ever give up.  If you are one of those people who likes Eggplant, you'll love this salad.

3 large Eggplants

2 large Red Peppers

2 cloves crushed garlic

2 green onions

1/3 cup olive oil

1 lemon juice

A little bit of parsley (optional)

Salt

• Wash the Eggplants.  Cut the end off.  Cut them in half
• Wash Red Peppers and take out the seeds.  Cut them in half
• Put eggplants and red peppers on a pan (face down).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook for 1 hour.  You'll know when it is ready by pressing the Eggplant in the middle.  It will be soft.
• If you like you can roast the eggplant and red peppers on the barbecue for better results
• Once cooled, peel the skin from both the eggplant and the red peppers.  You can use a spoon to remove the inside of the eggplant
• Cut Eggplant, red peppers in small pieces
• Wash and chop onion and parsley
• Prepare the sauce by combining crushed garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil
• Mix all the vegetables together.  Add salt and sauce
• Serve cold or room temperature