Two Tarts state that cake is “a great wintery cake – very rich, buttery, almond-scented, and simple.” It truly is!  Wishing you all a very wonderful and joyful Holiday Season! Hoping to see you all in a new & hopeful New Year!

Almond Cake with Caramelized Clementines
adapted from: Two Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 7 oz almond paste (a scant 1 cup)
• 1 + 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 sticks butter (1/2 lb + 4 Tbsp)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 eggs

Butter a 9-inch round cake pan thoroughly and line the bottom with parchment.  This cake tends to stick, so don’t skip the parchment step! Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a food processor (or in another large mixing bowl if you’re up for a workout) whip the almond paste & sugar together until it’s in very fine pieces. Next, add the butter and beat it together with the almond paste and sugar until it is light and fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla, then the eggs.  Finally, add the dry ingredients in to the wet, bit by bit, until fully combined. Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Let cool completely before turning out and slicing.

Caramelized Clementines
adapted from: Martha Stewart

• 4 peeled clementines, pulled in half then cut into thin half-moons

• 2 more clementines, juiced

• 1/2 cup sugar

Dissolve the juice and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer, then stir occasionally until the sauce reaches a golden caramelized color. Add the clementine half-moons and sauté until they’re coated in the caramelly glaze.  Remove them to a serving dish, then spoon the warm sauce over slices of almond cake.

Another wonderful Ramadan is upon us in the middle of the summer.  It is said that every 35 years or so, Ramadan falls into the summer days and months.  Regardless of the long days and long hours, our fasting and prayers bring peace and holiness upon us.   May your Iftar tables be filled with the foods that you love and surrounded with the ones you love.  Last year during Ramadan, I had the opportunity to with Saudi TV and never got the chance to release the videos. Hopefully in the coming days I will be able to share the video and the recipes with you all.

Wish you and your families a wonderful Ramadan. Ramadan Kareem.

Iftar & Sahoor times for United States & Canada can be found here.  United American Muslims

If you don’t know this about by now you should, I am a sucker for kitchen china, gadgets & then some.  Often during the weekends, I find myself in the aisles of Home Goods, Century 21 House Section, Pier 1, Crate & Barrel, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Target & my new favorite store Bed Bath & Beyond.  Here is my BB&B tale. 

Last weekend the day after Black Friday, I stopped by Bed Bath & Beyond to pick several gifts for a Bridal Shower my mother and I will be attending in the coming weekend.  The thing with BB&B is that, the store sort of overwhelms your eyes and seriously one can easily get lost inside this store.  Everything and anything can be found here and everything is packed from the floor to ceiling & the store is  HUGE!  My eyes wander up and down and around and my brain can’t decide if it wants to catch up or just give up.

Since I had to pick up several gifts, the clerk told me head straight to the Bridal Registry section for a print out & the BR is pointly located in back of the store. I get to the back and I’m in shock (its been several years since I’ve entered a BB&B), they have a huge Bridal Registry section with several large displays  & aisles of china & serve ware. I find myself in heaven! I don’t want to shop for bridal gifts anymore, I want to shop for myself.

I was a good girl, I held and stopped myself from purchasing anything for me & painlessly managed to purchase the bridal gifts and walked out with several paid, wrapped(free wrapping) & packaged gifts.

I did fall in love with Lenox Simply Fine Amethyst Watercolor Dinner & Serve Ware though.

I love shopping in houseware stores in Turkey too, these two reasons stop me. The weight allowance on Turkish Air & my husband. For this holiday season, be sure to give your loved ones nice Kitchen China believe me it will be much appreciated.

Where do you shop?

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My mom’s famous and DeLicIous Walnut Rolls!  Cevizli Ekmek May I interest you in a few or maybe you would like some Baklava.

I can not believe how quickly this holiday came upon us, it seems like just yesterday we celebrated Ramadan.  Eid al-Adha is our muslim holiday celebrated worldwide,  knows as the “Festival of Sacrifice” or “Greater Eid” to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calender, the festivities last for four days. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.

The sacrificed meat is distributed to whom the individuals whom they wish too.  Meat is prepared in many dishes can also be preared in simple recipes juch as Lamb Stew.

This is one of our traditional breads made during the holidays from our region of Turkey.  Every year I beg my mom to these rolls, because we just love and devour them.  Cevizli Ekmek – Walnut Rolls

Walnut Baklava is available for sale at A&D Turkish Halal Meat Market.  Can be ordered in advance for any special occasions.