Monday, 23 November 2009
Matthew Walkers christmas pudding
Sunday, 11 October 2009
Lamb chops with french beans and roasted potato
I have heard that there was a cooking competition on the UKFBA website.The recipe should include lamb chops, some herbs and vegetables.Here is my recipe.Tasty and delicious.
Ingredients:
6 lamb chops
Some seasoning dried oregano,dried red flake pepper,black pepper,ground red pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of salt
50 gr French beans
One tomato
One small onion
2 big potatoes for roasting
some rosemary
Marinate lamb chops a couple of hours ago before cooking.Take a bowl, put some dried oregano,dried flake red pepper,black pepper and olive oil.Mix them and add lamb chops and stir until lamb chops are absorbing all sauce.Preheat oven as 200 C.
Take a tray and cover with baking paper.Put marinated lamb chops on the tray and cook them until they are tender.
Peel potatoes and cut them into cubes.Take a tray and put them in the tray.Add some olive oil,salt and rosemary.Roast until they are golden and crispy.
Cut the French beans into half.Chop onion finely.Put some olive oil into the pan.Fry onion and add chopped tomato.Fry them together until soft.Add French beans and stir them.Add some hot water.Cook until it is soft.
Take a plate.Put some lamb chops and serve with French beans and roasted potato.Enjoy!
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Monday, 21 September 2009
Apple cookies
After a while,I am happy to write a new recipe for you.My son always wanted me to bake some cookies.I like travelling and knowing new cultures and food.Therefore I usually buy "Food and Travel" magazine and I found this recipe in there.
I have been very busy to take some food photo experiments last weekend.Hope you will like the recipe and photo too.
Ingredients:
50 gr unsalted butter,softened
100 gr brown sugar
100 gr.apple sauce
150 gr plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
40 gr.chopped walnut
Preheat the oven to 200 C.Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.Stir in the apple sauce.
In a seperate bowl,mix flour,bicarbonate of soda,baking powder,cinnamon and salt.Add the apple sauce mixture and stir well using a wooden spoon.Add the walnuts.
Drop walnut-sized spoonfuls of the mixture into the baking tray.Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are golden around edges but still soft.Transfer to a wire rack to cool.The cookies can be stored in airtight container for up to 4 days.
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Friday, 28 August 2009
Fried pepper with feta cheese (peynirli biber)
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Thursday, 20 August 2009
Pudding with gum mastic(Damla sakizli muhallebi)
Hello ,
I was searching some food blogs and came a cross the recipe of ice cream with gum mastic.It was very interesting because I was thinking of making a pudding with gum mastic too.This desert is well known in Aegean area of Turkey.I lived in Izmir Karsiyaka for one year and it was a fantastic place to live.I was working in Alsancak port as an electrical workshop supervisor and climbing cranes everyday as their height about 60 m.I had very nice days in my life there, good friends, good food sitting at the kordon near sea after work eating fresh fish and delicious desert from Bolulu Hasan Usta.
Here is the recipe for Pudding with gum mastic .
125 gr butter
100 gr flour
180 gr.sugar
750 ml. milk
1 sachet of vanilla sugar
1 tsp gum mastic (you can use 2 gum mastic chewing gums instead)
In a small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.Blend the flour into the melted butter. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes. Cooking for this length of time will minimize 'flour' taste. Don't over-heat it or let it brown, as this will affect the colour and flavour of the sauce. Stir quite vigorously to make a smooth, glossy paste. Add the milk a little at a time stir again vigorously. Then, when this milk is incorporated, add the next amount and continue incorporating each bit of liquid before you add the next. When about half the milk is in, switch to a balloon whisk and start adding large amounts of milk, but always whisking briskly. Your reward will be a smooth, glossy, creamy sauce.
Add the sugar, powdered gum mastic(use a mortar to make it powdery) and vanilla sugar.Stir well and leave it until boiling.Turn heat off.
Take another bowl and put the mixture into the bowl.Whisk it for 15 mins at high level of mixer(not less than 15 mins).
Put the mixture into the desert cups.Ground some walnut or make a strawbery sauce to serve.Enjoy!
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Friday, 7 August 2009
Turkish Chicken Pie (Talas Boregi)
Nowadays,I want to cook more pastry recipes.I was looking for a traditional Turkish pastry recipe and found one in klasiktatlar .It is similar to English pie but has more delicious.Originally the filling is made from lamb meat but I used here chicken,easy to cook.
Ingredients:
1 pack puff pastry (ready to roll up)
For filling:
2 chicken thighs
half onion chopped coarsely
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
water
one handful of parsley
1 big tomato
3 tbsp olive oil
1 egg yolk beaten
Cut the chicken thighs and separate bones.Wash them and put in the pan.Add one cup of water.Cook it until the water is finished.Set it aside.Heat a pan.Add 3 tablespoon olive oil.Add and tomato and stir them together for 2 Min's.Add salt and black pepper.Add the chicken pieces and stir them together for 1 min.Add 1 1/2 cup of water and leave it to boil until chicken is very soft.Turn heat off.Take chicken pieces into a dish.Mix it with chopped parsley.Filling is ready (Keep the chicken stock to serve later).
Preheat the oven 200 C.Oil the oven tray.Take the pastry and cut into 4.Put a tablespoon of filling on the pastry and seal it like an envelope.Turn it over and put on the tray.Repeat it for other pieces.Brush egg yolk on the pastry and sprinkle some black sesame.Put the tray in the oven and bake it for 25 Min's.
when it is cooked ,take it to the dish and serve with warm chicken stock.Enjoy it.
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Tuesday, 4 August 2009
The pide(Turkish bread) with cheese in a Turkish Holiday Resort
After a hectic life,it was very nice to go to Turkey for holiday.I was very excited when I thought about Turkish food which I would have on holiday.
I and my cousin went to Kemer Camyuva Beach hotel,friendly and very clean.The foods were fantastic and delicious.
The pide chef,Mehmet Usta from Gaziantep was making nice pides for guests.He gave me a pide(Turkish bread) recipe and baked some pides in the stone oven for us.They were mouth watering.
Here is the recipe:
500 g flour
1 tsp sugar
1 sachet yeast
warm water
Mix all ingredients all together.Add enough water to make a soft dough. Knead the dough until it is neither soft or hard.Cut into the small pieces.Leave them 10 Min's.Prepare filling.
Filling:
250 g feta cheese
one handful of parsley
5 tbsp vegetable oil
a pinch of sweet ground red pepper
Put 5 tbsp oil to the pan and heat the pan.Cut feta cheese into the small pieces and put in the pan.Fry it for 2 mins.Add chopped parsley and a pinch of sweet ground red pepper.Stir together for 2 mins.Turn off the heat.
Preheat the oven 200 C.Take a small dough and roll it untill it is oval shape.Put some cheese filling.Close the dough with your fingers.Make pides all dough is finished.Put them in the oven till they are brown.(10-15mins)
The Turkish recipes from my holiday will carry on....
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Friday, 24 July 2009
Covent Garden Market 2
I had a great experience last Thursday in Covent Garden Market and learnt many things about food presentation and sales.
I had a couple of busy days to prepare all the food and then the big day came on Thursday.When we arrived at the market,the UKFBA stall was ready.Ben,the Market Manager greeted us and introduced himself and gave us a lot of information about the stall and market and made us feel comfortable.Throughout the day we saw Ben many times and each time he checked if we were ok and gave us many useful tips.
I prepared Turkish boreks with potato and feta cheese and some Turkish apple pastries with apple and cinnamon.I made bulghur(similar to couscous) salad and english traditional sponge and carrot cakes.
It was fantastic how I sold the traditional Turkish boreks so easily but found it much harder to sell the english cakes.After some feedback from Ben and looking at other stalls, I thought that the customers were looking for nice and interesting food presentation and a consistent food theme.
It was a hard work but rewarding.I really enjoyed it and slept very well that night!
I am going on holiday this week but I will post my borek and apple pastry recipes as soon as I can while I am lying on the beach :)
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Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Covent Garden Market
I am delighted to announce that I will be having a food stall at Covent Garden Market on 23rd of July with the UKFBA(UK Food Bloggers Association) .I will be selling some Turkish food.
Nice,fresh and different Turkish food like boreks,kisir,gozleme are waiting for you.Hurry!
Hope to see you there.
Turkish/Turkce
Bu persembe Birlesik Krallik yemek sitesi blogger sahipleri birligini temsilen Covent Garden Yiyecek Pazarinda olucam.Elmali Kurabiye,Gozleme,Borek ve kekler olucak standimda.Simdiden cok heyecanliyim.Kisa zamanda size o gunden resimler gostermek umuduyla...
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Sunday, 19 July 2009
Mother nature's goodies
We dont notice mother nature's goodies during our daily routine do we?I was out going to hospital to take an x-ray and I was a bit upset about it.
After hospital,Peter and I decided to walk along the canal near the hospital to feel better.We saw canal boats and goodies as we walked.It was lovely to see them.It is the season of blackberries and plums in the UK and we picked nice and sweet blackberries and some green plums.I was obsessed to eat all the blackberries according to Peter.He was right!
I took a photo to show you how irresistible they look .
Turkce/Turkish
Bazen gunluk kosusturmanin icinde dogadaki guzellikleri farkedemezsiniz.Hastaneye film cektimek icin gitmistim biraz moralim bozuktu.Hastaneden sonra bana iyi gelir diye Peter ve ben hastanenin yakinindaki su kanali boyunca yuruyuse karar verdik. Birlesik Krallik'ta bogurtlen ve yesil erik mevsimi simdi.Tatli ve hos kokulu bogurtlenlerden ve eriklerden topladik kanal boyunca.Peter'a gore butun iri ve olgun bogurtleri yemek istiyordum.Hakliydi da. Onlarin size ne kadar dayanilmaz olduklarini gostermek icin fotograflarini cektim. Iste bazi ornekler...
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Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Home made strawberry jam
Two days ago,I bought some really nice strawberries to make a desert but I didn't have time to make it.I was thinking how I can use these strawberries and then I remembered my mum's home made jam.
In Turkey,April is the time to buy small,sweet and nice smelling strawberries.My mum was usually buying a couple of kilos and giving them to me to wash.I ate half of them as I washed :)
These days I don't have several kilos so I must save every single strawberry, no matter how delicious they look, to make my jam.
Ingredients
500 g strawberry
500 g caster sugar
1/2 lemon
Put all of the strawberries in a bowl and cover with sugar. Leave it overnight. The next day, you will notice all of the sugar has been absorbed by the strawberries and now you can see the sugary water and strawberry combination.
Put it in a saucepan. Heat the pan until the water becomes sticky. Take a spoonful and pour some of the mixture on to a dish. If its thick and doesnt run it means the jam is ready. Add the lemon juice to the mixture and stir before turning the heat off. Leave to cool and pour into a jar.
Spread some on your hot toasted bread. Enjoy!
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Thursday, 9 July 2009
Chicken with mushroom and red pepper
I haven't added anything from last weekend because I was so busy taking some food photos.It is amazing feeling to get some shots and see how you created them.I will add these shots my flickr and UKFBA(UK Food Bloggers Association) page soon.I also joined Jamie Oliver recipe challenge with this recipe.
It is very healthy,easy and delicious meal which you can cook for loved ones for any occasions.
Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
150 gr mushrooms
1 big size red pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
Parsley and black olives to serve
Cut chicken tighs into small pieces without bones.Cut the mushrooms and red peppers.Heat a fry pan and add 1 tbsp olive oil .Add the chicken pieces .Fry it until chicken colour is changing.Add mushroom and stir 2 mins and red pepper.Add a pinch of sea salt.Stir all mixture together and fry it until all ingredients well cooked as red pepper and chicken give some colour and oil in the pan.Serve with parsley and sliced black olives without stone .Enjoy.
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Turkish bulghur pilaf -Bulgur pilavi
Chop the onions finely. Cut the tomato like cubes. Dissolve chicken stock in hot water.
Easy desert-yoghurt with honey and walnut
I would like to give you a Greek desert recipe which is very light and easy.
7 tsp Greek yoghurt
3 tsp honey
some walnut
Take a small desert ramekin.Put yoghurt and add honey on the top.Sprinkle some walnut on the desert.Enjoy.
Friday, 3 July 2009
Kofte with roasted potato and tomato(firinda kofte)
My grand mother and father have moved from Thessaloniki in Greece in Balkan war,1911 to Trakia part in Turkey.Some of my mums recipes are influenced from Greek kitchen.Kofte with roasted potato and tomato is one of them.
12 Koftes
1 big size potato
1 big size tomato
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato puree
Prepair koftes as my previous recipe.Preheat oven t0 200 C.Peel the potato and slice it.Take an oven tray.Put sliced potatoes first and drizzle olive oil on the top.Put koftes and sliced tomatoes on the potatoes.Put it in the preheated oven and cook for 15 mins.Mix one tbsp tomato puree with 1 cup of hot water and stir well.Add this sauce on the koftes in the tray.Cook it for 20 mins.Serve with a fresh salad.Hope you will enjoy it.
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My son's favorite pasta
Hi everyone,
I am enjoying with the cool weather today after yesterdays hot weather.As I mentioned yesterday,I went to watch my son while he was attending the sports day in his school.He came near me and said "Mum,can you cook my favorite pasta today.I am so hungry now and I am thinking about it".And I cooked his favorite one" pasta with bolognaise sauce".Kids love this recipe.If you would like to know where bolognese sauce is coming from here it is .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolognese_sauce
Any kind of pasta cooked
250 gr minced beef
1 tomato
1 tbsp tomato puree
half medium size onion
1 piece of garlic
parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
Chopped the onions and garlic.Add olive oil to the pan and heat it .Add onion and garlic.Stir just 3 mins.Add minced meat and fry untill meat is browned.Add chopped tomato and tomato puree and fry for 1 mins.Add a half cup of hot water ans some salt and boil it until the water has gone. Add some parsley and parmesan cheese on the top if you like.Enjoy.
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Fresh avokado salad with pasta
There is a nice recipe for hot summer days if you would like to have something light and healthy.
1 ripe avocado
Cook pasta as usual.Strain the water.Take a salad bowl.Slice avocado, tomato and feta cheese into the bowl.Add cooked pasta and some dressing on it.(I usually prefer lemon and olive oil dressing).Enjoy.
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Figen's Rasberry and meringue desert
Today, my son had a sports day in his school and most of parents and kids we all went to park nearby.
It was very hot again and we were carrying water bottles.It was nice to see kids racing.My sons team won and became first.He was so happy.
I will give you a desert recipe to make you feel fresh and cool . :-)
These ingredients for two:
300 ml double cream
2 meringue crushed
Rasberry fruit frozen or fresh
Vanilla ice cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp caster sugar
Whip double cream with icing sugar and make a cream.Put rasberry fruit, 1 tbsp water and sugar in the pan and boil it to make a fruit sauce.Turn heat off after boiling it and leave it cool.
Take one ice cream goblet.Put fruit sauce first and add cream ands crashed meringues. Add ice cream on the top and serve with some fresh rasberries .Enjoy it.
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Wednesday, 1 July 2009
Home made lemonade in a long hot summer
Hellooo everybody,
Today is the hottest day in UK isn't it? I was suffering with hot temperature and drinking plenty of water.Suddenly,I have remembered my mum's home made lemonade.She was prepairing it in hot days in my village in Turkey.My village is near sea side where is called "Kiyikoy"(old name is Midye).It is very lovely small town.I have spent all my summer holidays in there until 16 yrs old.
If you are interested in seeing it,here is a link for you.I am sure you will love it!
My refreshing lemonade recipe here it is:
6 middle size unwaxed lemon
1,250 lt water
120 gr caster sugar
Put 100 gr sugar and 250 ml water in a pan stir well until sugar is dissolving under heat.Turn heat off and leave it cool.
Take lemon zests and squeeze all lemons in a bowl.Add 20 gr sugar in to the zest and lemon juice mixture and leave it for 15 mins.Strain it to remove unwanted lemon particules.Take a jar and add 1 lt water,cooled shorbet,zest and lemon juice mixture.Stir them well together and put it in the fridge to cool.Serve with mint in this hot summer!
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Sunday, 28 June 2009
A Turkish night
I usually cook a very nice dinner when Peter is returning from a business trip.Last time I had cooked an English meal as sausage and mash potatoes and this time I have decided to cook Turkish as a starter and main meal.But at the end it must have been a very nice desert like my favorite one chocolate souffle.mmmmm.
My menu
Rice and youghurt soup(yayla corbasi)
Turkish meat balls with fresh salad(Kofte)
Chocolate souffle
Ingredients for soup;
1 lt water
1/2 cup of rice
1 egg
3 tbsp of greek yoghurt
2 tbsp of flour
salt
4 tbsp of vegetable oil
1 tbsp of dried mint
1 pinch of ground red pepper
Put 1 lt water into the pot.Add 1/2 cup of rice to the pot.Boil rice until it is soft. Reduce the heat and beat egg,yoghurt and flour well until it is smooth and slowly add to the pot and mix consistently until it is starting to boil.Add salt .
Put oil in the pan and add dried mint and pepper and mix them until gives their colour to the oil.Add the sauce to the soup and serve it.
Ingredients for meat ball (Kofte):
500 gr mixed minced meat well grounded (lamb and beef)
One small size onion grated
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 egg
2 slices white bread( preferably two handful of bread crumbs)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
Parsley finely chopped(one handful)
Take a one deep bowl and put the mixed mince meat first and add grated onion,black pepper,egg,oil,salt, bread crumbs and parsley.Mixed all ingredients together by using hand.It takes 5 mins to do it.They must be stick together like a dough. Take a small piece from meat dough and make a kofte.When you finish all meat dough to make koftes,take a fry pan add some frying oil to fry koftes until they are well cooked.Serve with a fresh salad like tomotoes,lettuce and spring onion(you can use lemon and olive oil salad dressing on the salad).
In the summer time, you can grill koftes on the barbeque instead of frying.Enjoy it.
Ingredients for chocolate souffle:
100 gr dark chocolate bar ,melted
4 eggs seperated
100 gr caster sugar
50 gr cocoa powder
300 ml milk
50 gr plain flour
icing sugar to dust
Butter
When I have decided to make it ,I have checked the plenty of recipes, books and videos.The result was surprising.There were many different recipes to make it.Most of people are thinking that it is not easy to make a chocolate souffle.This recipe I followed will not let you down if you want to make a surprise to someone or special occasions.
Preheat the oven to 200 C.
Brush ramekins with soft or melted butter and sprinkle some sugar to coat them with sugar.Put them in the fridge while you are preparing souffle.
Mix the egg yolks with half the sugar and then stir in the flour and cocoa powder.
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring the milk to the boil. Gradually pour half the milk onto the egg mixture and whisk. Return the milk and egg mixture to the saucepan and reduce the heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and no longer tastes floury.
Remove from the heat and pour the custard into a clean bowl, cover with a disc of greased greaseproof paper.
Whisk the egg whites and add the remaining sugar. Mix the melted chocolate into the custard. Fold half the egg whites into the chocolate custard using a metal spoon and then fold in the remaining whites.
Spoon the mixture into the ramekins and level the top with a palette knife.
Place the ramekins into the preheated oven. Bake for 8-11 minutes. Remove from the oven and dust with icing sugar.
Serve the soufflé with chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Our night started with soup ,kofte and after chocolate souffle.We were enjoying with pleasure.In my culture we say" the way which is going to men's heart is via stomach".
It is working on my boy friend.You can try too.:-)
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Thursday, 25 June 2009
Yummy mummy muffins!
As you see, some muffins have gone before taking part in the car boot sale. Luckly,one Japanese lady came and bought all to bring them to her friends in Japan.Lucky muffins!
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We are making Blueberry muffins
Hi again,
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Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Healthy breakfast
Base each of your meals on a complex carbohydrate such as potato, wholemeal bread or brown rice, and include vegetables. Finish the meal with fruit, and this should ensure you get a balance of complex and simple carbohydrates.
Use high fibre wholegrain cereals as part of your breakfast, and use wholemeal bread for your toast.
For lunch, choose lean protein such as fish or chicken with only a small amount of carbohydrate to get you through the afternoon.
Large carbohydrate meals will make you slow and sleepy so save your big pasta meal for the evening.
Fruit is naturally high in sugar, which means so are fruit juices and smoothies. In liquid form these sugars can damage your teeth, but these drinks count towards your five a day and contain fibre, vitamins and minerals. To avoid tooth decay, it's best to drink them with a meal.(www.netdoctor.co.uk/focus/nutrition/.../carbohydrates.htm )
Carrot cake
Hi all,
I would like to tell you my first carrot cake experience.Peter was always talking about carrot cake and it seemed nice to bake it .
I have baked it one day and made him surprised.Umut and Peter loved it again.My son said this is a 5 star cake!.He usually doesnt say this kind of words.I am happy with the result.Hope you will enjoy it too.
150 gr.sugar
4 eggs
150 ml. sunflower or vegetable oil
150 gr.grated carrots
55 gr.walnuts chopped
175 gr.flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
icing sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven 180 C and grease a 23 cm springform cake tin.Place the sugar,eggs,sunflower oil,carrots and walnuts in the bowl and mix them.Add flour,salt,baking powder and beat the mixture until smooth.
Turn the mixture into tin and bake it until golden brown and check centre with a knife comes out clean.Leave in the tin for 10 mins and transfer to the wire rack to cool completely.
Dust some icing sugar on the top and serve with cream or yoghurt.
There is a summer fair in my son school this weekend.I am planning to bake it for fair.If you want to taste it ,see you there!
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sponge cake experience
175 gr. soft butter
175 gr. self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
175 gr. caster sugar
3 eggs
For filling
8 tbsp strawberry jam
300 ml.double cream
icing sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 180 C and grease the cake tin.I have used 23 cm cake tin but you can use 20 cm cake tin too.I mixed butter, sugar and eggs first and add flour and baking powder.Then beat well all until smooth.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins until well risen or golden brown.Leave to cool in the tin for 5 mins and transfer it to the wire racks to cool completely.Seperate it into two pieces by using a knife.Spread jam and whipped double cream on the one piece to cover it completely.Sandwich the two pieces together.Sprinkle icing sugar on top and serve.
Tips:If you leave it on the fridge over night,the taste will be more delicious.Yummy!:-)
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Blog Archive
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2009
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July
(12)
- Covent Garden Market 2
- Covent Garden Market
- Mother nature's goodies
- Home made strawberry jam
- Chicken with mushroom and red pepper
- Turkish bulghur pilaf -Bulgur pilavi
- Easy desert-yoghurt with honey and walnut
- Kofte with roasted potato and tomato(firinda kofte)
- My son's favorite pasta
- Fresh avokado salad with pasta
- Figen's Rasberry and meringue desert
- Home made lemonade in a long hot summer
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July
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