We love our Sunday breakfasts and brunches, this past weekend we had some great company that joined us.  I would like to thank them from here for coming and sharing their Sunday with us.  I can assure you we had a wonderful time and hope to do it again really soon.  Aleyna and Aras, my cousins son played very well together, but since my lovely daughter woke up at the crack of dawn with my mom, she fell a sleep by noon.  She loves visitors and runs around being a silly hostess.

Lately all I’ve been doing is sharing these sweet recipes with you all, this time I’ll share a simple and easy salty dish.  Well it really it is not that saltly buy more savory.  Serve it warm with a few pieces of toast and your guest will be delighted. 

You see this dish is suppose to be cooked in a tart shell, but I honestly did not have the time to prepare the shell. I prepared and baked it like a frittata and it was also accompanied by a vegetable quiche. 

Oven Baked Caramalized Cauliflower
               adapted slightly from Bon Appetit

Ingredients:

• 1 small head of cauliflower (about 1 pound), cored, cut into 1-inch florets
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large onion, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 2 large eggs
• 1 (7- to 8-ounce) mascarpone per original recipe
  mixture of 1/2 cream cheese and 1/2 sour cream or 1 200 grams Turkish Labne will work fine
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of dry mint
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese or kasari
• salt

Preparation:

1. Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°F. Toss cauliflower with 2 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl. Spread on large rimmed baking sheet, spacing apart. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes (mine took about 25 minutes) turn florets over. Continue roasting until tender, about 25 minutes longer (added another 15 minutes). Cool cauliflower, then thinly slice. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
2. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is deep golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.
3. Brush bottom and sides a baking dish. Spread onion on to the bottom. Arrange cauliflower evenly over.
4. Whisk eggs, milk, mint ingredients in medium bowl. Stir in Gruyère or kasar. Pour mixture over filling in the pan.
5. Bake until top is golden and center is set, about 25-35 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 15 minutes before serving.

Ramadan or Ramazan as we say in Turkish is a special time of the year, it is a test of will, self confidience and most of all being grateful for what one has in their lives.  Fasting – is to abstain oneself from food or eat very little or to not certain types of food.  When we do this, we truly understand the need of food in our bodies.

Table Sampler of Mejdool Dates, Pastirma, Black Olives, Meroli Olives, Feta Cheese 

Food is what empowers us and gives us energy, that is why for Iftar (breaking of the the fast) we cook several different types of foods.  These are the foods that we will share with our families, friends and neighbors. As the meaning and feasting of Ramadan has evolved, we tend prepare and cook traditional to non-traditional recipes.  Whats most important is understand is we must share, learn and be grateful.

Ramadan Around the World

Iftar Menu was specially prepared for Saudia Arabia TV KSA2

Red Lentil Soup - my first & favorite choice – Recipe Here
    

Salad - a nice green leaf salad with carrots & red onions - Recipe Here

Purslane Salad – Recipe Here

Lamb Shoulder Vegetable Stew – Recipe Here

Spiced Basmati Rice with Chicken – Recipe Here
 

Lemony Bulgur Pilaf – Recipe Here
 

Desserts – Recipe Here
Kataif 
 

Vanilla Pudding

I’m having a celebration in my mouth with these mouth watering Turkish style paninis.  That melt in your mouth kashkaval with slices sucuk or the piles of avocados, tomatoes and tulum cheese.  It reminds me of those summer night on Istiklal Caddesi, in the Taksim Square of Beyoglu, Istanbul.  The nights are long and toast lines are even longer.

Last year when in Turkey, I was 4 months pregnant and every night and every morning, all I wanted was Turkish panini with Kashkaval cheese.  I honestly could not have enough of it. I don’t know if it was the bread or cheese or air or the water.  I just wanted it, with an ice cold  glass of Ayran, cold yogurt drink or few slices of watermelon.  I can sit here and taste it in my mouth.

Info:

Kashkaval Cheese:  is a specific type of white or yellow mainly sheeps milk cheese. Can also be found to be made from cows milk, but with a different texture.  It resembles an Italian provolone-style cheese. .

Tulum Cheese: is different from kashkaval cheese. It has a crumbly texture, often found in a pale yellow or white color.  Depending on where it is made, it can be from sheeps and goats milk.  It sort of resembles feta but it is more pungent in taste.

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 Turkish Style Paninis
             with Kaskhaval & Sucuk
             with Tomato, Tulum Cheese & Avocado
Ingredients for Kaskhava & Sucuk: 
             makes 2 sandwiches

• 4 slices of bread – any kind you wish*
• 8 slices of Kaskhaval thinly sliced – the thinner the better cooks easily
• 8 slices of sucuk thinly sliced

Preparation:

1. Heat a panini grill.
2. Top one side of the bread with about 4 slices of Kaskhaval and 4 slices of sucuk.  Close the sandwich. Finish making the rest of the sandwiches.
3. Place it on the panini grill, grill until the cheese melts. About 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove from grill, let cool for several minutes.
5. Cut in half and serve.

Ingredients for Tulum, Avocado & Tomato:
              makes 2 sandwiches

• 4 slices of bread – any kind you wish*
• 1/2 an avocado thinly sliced
• 1 tomato thinly slices
• 4 thin slices of Tulum Cheese

Preparation:

1. Heat a panini grill.
2. Top one side of the bread with arrange the cheese on bottom, tomatoes and lately the avocados. Close the sandwich. Finish making the rest of the sandwiches.
3. Place it on the panini grill, grill until the cheese melts. About 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Remove from grill, let cool for several minutes.
5. Cut in half and serve.

**The bread can be buttered on both sides if you wish. Make sure to use salted butter.

This past Sunday weekend, we had over my favorite aunt, uncle, wife, son-in-law and their son.  We’ve finally managed a day and time that worked out great for both of us.  The invitation and visit was long over due, mainly because around this time of the year, they go to Turkey and return in the winter.

Since it was going to be for just tea, I wanted to keep the dishes light and summery. I had intended on making two other dishes, but daughter did not let that happen.  Note to self, next time make a few more dishes at night, while she is sleeping. 

MENU:

CRUSTLESS VEGETABLE QUICHE

MY MOM’S JASMINE RICE & CHICKEN INFUSED WITH SAFFRON & CINNAMON

CHEESE PIES – READY MADE & BAKED ONLY 
          CAN BE FOUND AT THE FREEZER SECTION @ THE STORE

CHEDDAR CHEESE & DILL CORN BREAD adapted from Ina Garten

WHITE & SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE MUFFINS adapted from Epicurious.com

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES BUTTER CAKE

CRUSTLESS VEGETABLE QUICHE

I’ve made the vegetable quiche again, this time making sure not to burn the edges. 
Note:No crust necessary bakes beautifully without any crust – but can be cooked in a crust shell as well.

Beautiful array of colors – vegetables sauteing in olive oil.

Add in the grated zucchini.

 Mix eggs, heavy cream, grated cheese, dill, salt & black pepper.

 Add above mixture into wilted vegetable in the skillet.

Tranfer from skillet to safe baking dish.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of olive oil + 1 tablespoon to oil the baking dish
• 2 stalks of leeks – white part only chopped
• 4 head of scallions – white and green parts chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper – chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper – chopped
• 1 green bell pepper – chopped (red works well too)
• 1/2 box of mushroom – white or portabella (optional – I had a box in the fridge) chopped thin
• 3 medium zucchini or 2 large – grated
• 6 eggs
• 3/4 cups of heavy cream or milk
• 1 cup of grated Turkish Kaskaval (or any hard cheese you have)
• 1/2 cup of chopped dill (optional can be left out)
• salt & black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet heat up the olive oil, add in the chopped leeks, scallions, all the chopped bell peppers and chopped mushroom and let cook until they all have become nice soft about 5-7 minutes.  Add in the grated zucchini and mix well into the sauteing vegetables. Season lightly with salt and black peppers.

In a large mixing bowl, add in your eggs and heavy cream or milk, whisk the eggs and heavy cream.  Then add in your grated cheese, chopped dill, salt and black pepper and give it a nice stir.

Pour your liquid mixture over the vegetables, making sure the liquid covers all the sides of the dish.  Gently mix the vegetables and the liquid mixture. 1-2 minutes only. You don’t want to bake the eggs on the stove top.  Oil the bottom of your baking dish and set aside.  Pour the mixture into your baking dish.  The mixture should easily flow into the baking dish. 

Place dish into the oven, bake for 45-50 minutes.  Until the top has formed a nice soft crust.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Cut into slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

Afiyet olsun! Enjoy…