COCONUT SWEETHEART COOKIES

Coconut is an absolute favorite of mine.  Not only in cookies but also in chocolate and all kinds of deserts.  I made these cookies for valentines day last month but did not get a chance to publish them until now.  This is one of those must try recipes (in my opinion of course).

1 cup shreded dry unsweetened coconut

1 cup sugar

2.5 cups flour
3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 tablespoons milk

• Using a food processor, process coconut and sugar until it is fine as flour
• In a separate bowl, mix together butter, and flour until you get a "crumble"
• Mix everything together. 
• Mix eggs separately and add to the flour mix and to get a medium dough.
• Turn to a lightly floured surface and roll out 1/2 cm thickness.
• Cut using a cookie cutter any shape you like
• Preheat oven to 350
• Cook 8 - 10 minutes (until the edges change colour a bit)
• Set aside to cool
• Prepare icing and spread on your cookies.  If you like you can add coloured candies too
• Set aside for about 1 hour.

FRIED POTATO, EGGPLANT MIX (SAKSUKA)

Origin of this dish is southern Turkiye.  In hot summer days, Saksuka with yogurt and garlic sauce and fresh bread for dunking in its juice makes a perfect light dish.

2 large eggplants

4 potatoes

3 cubenella peppers

3 pieces of garlic

salt and pepper

1/2 kg. tomatoes

cooking oil (or olive oil)

• Partially peel the eggplants (see the picture - they look like zebras)
• Fill a large bowl with water.  Add 1 teaspoon salt.
• Cut eggplant in cubes and leave in salted water for 20 minutes.  This removes any bitterness from the eggplants

• Drain the eggplants
• Put some cooking oil in a frying pan.  Add Eggplants a little at a time and fry them until cooked
• Remove from oil and remove access oil.  I use a paper towel lined plate.  I leave them on the paper towel until some of the oil is gone and then move them to a large bowl
• Peel potatoes and cut them into cubes similar to the eggplants and fry them the same way
• Finally wash and cut pepper and fry them
• Add all of the fried vegetables together in a large pot
• Wash and chop the tomatoes.  Put them in a pot.  Add in crushed garlic, salt (optionally some dry basil).  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and cook until some of the juice is gone.  Set aside to cool.
• Combine all of the vegetables and half the tomato sauce
• Move to the serving dish
• Pour remaining tomato sauce on top.  Optionally, you can pour yogurt garlic sauce (see the sauce section for the recipe.  All you need is yogurt and crushed garlic) first and then top with tomato sauce.

BANANA BREAD

This is a classic banana bread recipe with an optional strudel topping.  You can add variety by adding apple pieces or chocolate chips or cinnamon into the batter.  A couple of key points to remember: First you do not need a mixer (use wooden spoons or whisk) and second, always butter and generously flour the bottom and the sides of the pan.

2 eggs (beaten)

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup plain yogurt

6 tablespoon (1/4 cup) melted unsalted butter

1.5 cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups ripe bananas thickly sliced (approx. 3)

1/2 cup coarsly chopped walnuts (optional but highly recommended)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional but highly recommended)

Optional strudel topping:

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

• Butter and generously flour the bottom and sides of your pan
• Preheat the oven at 350
• Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stir with a whisk.
• Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and mix together
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add banana, yogurt, vanilla and walnuts.
• Add flour mixture
• Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated
• Prepare the topping by mixing all the ingredients together and spread over the pan.
• Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack

MEATBALLS WITH POTATOS (PATATESLI SULU KOFTE)

This recipe is a cross between a soup and a stew. Great for dipping bread into the juice.  I usually add both potatos and carrots but I skipped the carrots this time only because I forgot to buy them this week. "What do you serve with?" you ask. Bread of course for dipping in the juice; and either spaghetti or cooked rice with a side order of salad or cacik (yogurt and cucumber mix).

1/2 kilogram lean ground beef

1/3 cup rice

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 onions

2-3 potatos

2 carrots

1 egg

salt, blackpepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons cooking oil

3 tablespoons flour

water

• First get your vegetables ready. Peel and cut carrots and potatos and set aside.
• Then make your meatballs by mixing together ground beef, 1 chopped onion, parsley, egg, rice, salt and pepper. If you like, you can let it sit in the fridge half an hour so it is easier to handle when making the meatballs.
• Take small pieces from the ground and make into small balls.
• Put flour on a plate and roll the meatballs in flour. You don't need to do this individually.  Just spread the flour on a plate, put all the meatballs on the flour and shake the plate a little.  Meatballs will roll around on their own but make sure they are all covered lightly.
• In a medium sized pan, put olive oil the second chopped onion and the meatballs and fry the meatballs without breaking them. You can use a wooden spoon to turn them over.
• Mix 1 cup of water with tomato paste and bring to boil. Add in vegetables. Reduce heat and cook until vegetables are soft
• You may need to add more water. This dish should be a bit watery.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

The specialty of this muffin is the strudel topping.  It reminds me of store bought muffins.  A couple of key points to remember when making this recipe is not to mix the flour too much to make sure it rises when cooking.  I used regular sized muffin cups to get 12 muffins.  I am thinking that mini muffins with these measurements would give a higher "rise" look.  Although this is really not necessary.  The top of the muffing with the strudel topping was a favorite at my house.  Even though we are trying to watch our weight, we couldn't help ourselves and finished all the muffins in one night.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

1 cup fresh blueberries

Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup butter, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Line muffin cups with muffin liners.
• First make the strudel topping by Mix ing all the topping ingredients together with a fork.  Set aside
• Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder.
• Mix together the vegetable oil, the egg and the milk
• Add the flour mixture and using a wooden spoon mix through.
• Fold in blueberries.
• Fill 3/4 of the muffin cups and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Makes 12 muffins

ORANGE DREAMSICKLE COOKIES

This cookie recipe is from my sister in law.  They were so good that it did not last too long in my house.  Try them for valentines day!

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 firmly packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 egg

1 cup white chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt.
• In large bowl, cream butter, sugars and zest with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add egg, mix well.
• Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, mix well. Stir in white chocolate chips. Drop on a cookie sheet using a tablespoonfuls or cookie scoop.
• Bake 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool 3 minutes on pan; remove and cool completely on cooling rack.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

VEGETARIAN RAW MEAT BITES (ETSIZ CIG KOFTE)

Yes.. Vegetarian raw meat is an oxymoron.  This dish is normally made with raw meat and bulgur.  Usually a very strong person kneads it like dough with spices for a very long time to get it right.  This recipe is done in a food processor with a day old bread and walnuts.  It is amazing how noone can tell that it isn't the real thing.  If you don't like spicy foods, you'll likely not going to like this recipe but if you enjoy currie and spices, this is a must try.

1/2 cup fine bulgur
1 piece of a day old bread (with crust)

1 small onion
2 cloves of crushed garlic

1/4 cup crushed walnuts

1 full teaspoon tomato paste
1 full teaspoon hot red pepper paste
salt
1 full teaspoon spice mix (below)

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

Spice mix (You can make this mix and save for other recipes) :

1 tablespoon allspice
1 tablespoon blackpepper

2 tablespoon hot red pepper

2 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoon curry

1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon mint

1 teaspoon thyme

• Put the bulgur in a colander and pour boiled water through the bulgur.  Set aside to dry.
• In a food processor chop onion and add all ingredients except bulgur, olive oil and parsley and mix through until you have a sticky mixture.  Add in bulgur and mix through.  Finally add in olive oil and mix that through in the food processor
• Remove from the food processor and add in parsley and knead like a big dough making sure parsley is all through.
• Make small bites and serve in a bed of lettuce with pickles on the side