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.

Sour green plums known in Turkish as can erik, this fruit is very well known in the Middle East, many European countries and in Japan.  Mainly available in April and May.

Dip it in some salt and its delicious!

Yes, I know its not summer rather its the middle of winter and I’m posting a fruit salad, smart right?  Well actually this a post to continue our January eat and live smart loose a few pounds diet.  I love fruits any kind and I’m grateful that all year around we are able to find a large variety of summer fruits on sale at our vegetable & fruit markets.

Among the many vegetables I had purchased from Three Brother’s from Brooklyn, I had also purchased a large vareity of fruits.  Upon getting home, I prepared a fruit salad, served some and stored some into food containers to have on hand that have been washed and ready to use.  Also, I often bring lunch from home and take a container with me to work.  Makes a great breakfast or a mid afternoon snack.  In the food container they stay good for about a 2-3.  I don’t freeze them because I prefer to buy what is available at the f & v store.

These two recipes are quick, light and easy.  I love making cacik during the summer time.  Often, I have some yogurt and its water left over from my homemade yogurt, I just grate a kirby and add salt and serve it.  As per the mushroom saute, I got this idea from my cousin.  I love the way she sautes her mushrooms they come out just perfect.  So this dish is an adapted from her recipe.  

Cacik

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup of yogurt
• less then a half cup of water
• 2 – 3 small kirbies (English cucumber is great as well)
• 1 colve of minched garlic
• 2 tablespoons of chopped dill or mint (if you have)
• 1/2 teaspoon of dry mint is great as well
• salt as you like

Preparation

1. Dilute the 1.5 cup of yogurt with the half cup of water – not to runny and not to thick.
2. Pj peel the kirkies and grate. Mince with garlic press or dice the garlic fine.
3. Add the grated kirkies, minced garlic and salt into the yogurt. Mix well. 
4. Add in the dry or thinly diced fresh mint or thinly sliced dill and mix. 
5. Chill in the fridge (top covered) and serve cold.   

Sauteed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 box of white cello mushrooms
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic
• salt
• black pepper

Preparation

1. Cut the onion into half, then cut one half into another half and slice thinly.  Do the same with the other half.  Mince garlic with garlic press or dice fine.
2. Clean the mushroom and cut them quarters. (cut whole into half then each half into another half)
3. Dice the washed and dried tomatoes into small pieces.
4. Into a medium sauce pan over medium heat, heat up the olive oil, saute the onions and garlic. 2-3 minutes don’t burn the garlic. 
5. Add in the mushroom saute for another 2-3 minutes, then add in the diced tomatoes and continue to saute. 5 – 7 minutes.
6. Add in the salt, black pepper and mix.  Cover the top of the pot let cook for the medium heat about 3 – 5 minutes.  By this time the mushroom will be come a light brown color and everything will have welted. (note: adding salt makes the mushrooms release its water)
7. Taste to make sure it is done and serve warm.
8. You can sprinkle some parsley over the top if you like.

Enjoy!

I love to snack, especially on nuts and dry fruit and with this posting I would like to share with you all my favorite snack.  Dry fruits and nuts are recommended be a part of ones daily diet. 

I mix all my favorite nuts in a bowl and bag them and store them in the refrigerator till I need them.  I pick one up as I go along through out the week.  Since, I am one person who eats like 5 times a day I always have to have a snack with me.

Need:

• 1/2 lb of walnuts
• 1/2 lb of hazelnuts
• 1/2 lb of almonds
• 1/2 lb of roasted chick peas (leblebi)
• 1 cup of dry cranberries
• 1 cup of dry Turkish apricots
• 1 cup of Turkish figs
• 1/2 cup of mini chocolate morsels (can not do without chocolate)
• 1/2 cup of golden raisins
• 1 tablespoon of cloves (gives a nice aroma)

Note: Please feel free to substitute the kinds of nuts you might prefer.  This is what I had in my pantry this week.  This can be prepared with any dry fruits or nuts, example peanuts, cashews, dried pineapples, dried prunes, etc.. 

Preparation: 

Mix all the dry fruits and nuts and add about a 1/2 cup to about 1 cup into zip lock bag. Store in cold environment, pick one up as you go through out your busy week. Great and healthy snack!

Plate and serve to yourself as a snack any time! 
Great guest snack as well.

Bag into zip lock bags and pick one up as you need!