Summer has come and gone along with Ramadan.  I had hopes of posting some recipes during the month of Ramadan, but I did not have time to. Between long hours at work and running to rush home to cook, I honestly did not have the chance too.  With that said, I turn to this gorgeous and easy summer cake. It is not summer any more, but this cake fits into fall nicely. Well, early fall.  Original recipe called for cut strawberries, I opted for blueberries because it is one my daughters favorite fruits. Don’t be shy with covering the top with it, the more berries the merrier it is. I also swapped the additional half cup of white flour with whole wheat flour and found it had a better texture.

Blueberry Summer Cake
adapted,slightly, from Martha Stewart Living, June 2005

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or 10-inch pie pan. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
2. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered & floured pan.
4. Arrange the blueberries on top of batter. If using strawberries cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
5. Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges.

Note: Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

It is quite interesting that I never posted a pancake recipe before.  Especially since pancakes are a big part of our weekend breakfasts aside from our traditional Turkish breakfasts.  Weekend breakfasts and breakfasts in general are traditionally very big in Turkish kitchens, a traditional Turkish breakfast provides a very balanced meal, from a variety cheeses to cucumber and tomato salads and eggs of various kinds.  I should know, because I’m big on breakfasts and brunches.

Pancakes are known to be the number one American breakfast food and we certainly can not agree more.  With this said, there are large variety of pancakes recipes, from simple recipes of milk, eggs and flour to buttermilk recipes (with turn out so moist and yummy) and to this Ina Garten recipe of sour cream pancakes, with hints of lemon zest – it is incredibly addictive.

Pancakes are a great comfort food (believe me I know), I’ve made several batches in the middle of the night.  What is about these flour filled goodness that satisfy and hit that soft spot perfectly?  Well no matter what and how pancakes curve your craving, make  and eat as much as you want, go a head and make a stack for you mom too.

Stack a layer of two, three or even four, pour a good (large) amount of good quality maple syrup and dig in.  I often stack the first batch then I grab the top pancake and take a huge bite, just like Julia Roberts does in Pretty Woman. Vivian sits down (wells sits on the edge of the table) for breakfast and Edward has ordered everything on the menu because he is not sure of what she likes.  I love that scene in the movie.

1 year ago: a mother’s day breakfast

BANANA SOUR CREAM PANCAKES
adapted from Ina Garten Barefoot Contessa Family Style

makes about 10 – 12 depending on the size

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups  all purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (I added – not in the original recipe)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I added close to a tablespoon)
• 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil or butter
• 2 ripe bananas, diced, plus extra for serving (I didn’t add the banana into the pancakes – served along with the pancakes)
• Pure maple syrup

Preparation:

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.

If you had told me a year ago how quickly a baby would become a 1 year old (baby/toddler) I would not have believed you.  To be honest, I still can not.  I really really can not comprehend how quickly 1 full year flew by.  Where did the time go? This little baby girl turned into a beautiful flower girl.  She has brought joy and meaning to our lives, in more then one way.  I get a little emotional as I begin to write this, so I’m going to keep it short + I’m not big on words.  

Turkish Style Kofte - Recipe really soon -

We had a small family birthday for Aleyna, grandparents, aunts, uncles and new cousins.  I cooked 1 night and 1 full day just to make it even more special for her.  Here is the sad part, my birthday girl was  sick during her birthday celebration and did not even eat ’let alone try’ one single piece of her flower cake. 

 
Oven Roasted Zucchini & My Garden Peppers

 
 
 
From the top left:
Potato & Pastirma Salad – Recipe Here
Bulgur & Corn Salad
Turkish Style Tabouli aka Kisir
Lentil & Bulgur Kofte
Salted & Spiced Crackers
Salted Feta Cheese Cookies

Potato & Chopped Meat Pan Pie

Feta Cheese Water Pie – available for sale via order from A&D Food

Note: Missing Recipes will be updated in the coming days.