Flower Cookies (Cicek Kurabiye)

1 cup sugar
250 gr (~2 sticks) margarine/butter, at room temperature
2 tbsp cocoa
1 egg
½ tsp baking powder
1 package vanilla/1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cup starch
1 ½ -2 cups flour

In a large bowl combine sugar and soft margarine/butter. Then crack the egg in. Start kneading and add starch, baking powder and vanilla. Then add flour slowly while kneading. Form a soft lump of cookie dough.
Divide ¼ of the dough and add cocoa in it. Knead until the cocoa dissolves and the dough becomes even. Garb hazelnut size pieces and round them in your palms. Continue till both the plain and cocoa dough are used up. Then, place one cacao in the center and 5-6 plain balls around it. Then press gently them to stick together and form a flower.
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and arrange the cookies over an oven tray with parchment paper, making some room between each other. Cook for 15-18 minutes. Make sure they do not get pink. They should remain white. Take them out and cool over a cooling rack.
This recipe makes 25-30 Flower Cookies.
ENJOY
P.S: You can use food coloring to make different colored cookies.

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TURKCE
1 su bardagi seker
250 gr margarin/tereyag, oda sicakliginda
2 yemek kasigi kakao
1 yumurta
1 paket/1 cay kasigi kabartma tozu
1 paket vanilya/1 tatli kasigi vanilya ekstrakti
1 ½ su bardagi nisasta
1 ½-2 su bardagi un

Genis bir kasede once seker ve margarine/tereyagini guzelce karistirin. Ardindan yumurtayi ilave edin. Nisasta, kabartma tozu ve vanilyayi ilave edin ve yogurun. Sonra yavas yavas unu ilave ederek yumusak bir kurabiye hamuru elde edin.
Sonra hamurun ¼ unu ayirin ve kakaoyu ilave edip, kakao esit olarak dagilana dek yogurun. Hamurdan findik buyuklugunde parcalar alip elinizle yuvarlayin. Hem beyaz hem de kakaolu hamuru yuvarladiktan sonra; bir kakolu topun etrafina 5-6 tane beyaz gelecek sekilde cicek yapin ve birbirlerine hafifce bastirarak yapistirin.
Firini onceden 180 C (350 F)’ye isitin. Yagli kagit serilmis firin tepsisine kurabiyeleri aralikli olarak dizin ve pembelesmelerine izin vermeden 15-18 dakika pisirin. Firindan cikarin ve sogumasini bekleyin.
Yaklasik 25-30 tane kurabiye cikiyor.
AFIYET OLSUN
Not: Degisik renkte kurabiyeler yapmak icin gida boyasi kullanabilirsiniz.

Ana Sayfaya Don

Pilaf with Vegetables (Sebzeli Pilav)

1 ½ cup rice, washed and drained
1 carrot, chopped
1 potato, chopped finely
1 cup peas, frozen or fresh
½ cup corn kernels (optional)
2-3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp canola oil
2 ½-3 cups chicken stock/broth
¼ tsp sugar
1 tbsp salt to taste

Chop carrot into cubes or round; chop the potato in small cubes as well. Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook first potatoes, then carrots until they become soft.
Boil the peas about 3-5 minutes and drain. Set the vegetables aside.
Melt the butter in a pot and stir in rice. Cook for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add hot chicken stock, salt and sugar into pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, close the lid.
When the pilaf is about to absorb the water (when a little water remains), stir in gently the peas, carrots, potatoes and corn kernels (optional). Close the lid and cook till all the water is absorbed. Open the lid cover the pot with a paper towel and close the lid over paper towel. Leave for a rest 10 minutes.
Sprinkle black pepper over if desired.
ENJOY

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TURKCE
1 ½ su bardagi pirinc, yikanmis suzulmus
1 havuc, dogranmis
1 patates, kup kup dogranmis
1 su bardagi bezelye, dondurulmus ya da taze
½ su bardagi misir tanesi (istege bagli)
2-3 yemek kasigi tereyag
3 yemek kasigi sivi yag
2 ½ -3 su bardagi tavuk suyu
½ cay kasigi seker
1 yemek kasigi tuz

Havucu kup seklinde ya da halka halka dograyin. Patatesi de kup seklinde kucuk kucuk dograyin. Bir tavada sivi yagda once patatesleri sonra havuclari yumusayana dek kavurun. Bezelyeleri 3-5 dakika haslayin ve suyunu suzun.
Tencereye tereyagini alin ve pirincleri ilave edin. Pirincler tane tane olup ayrilmaya baslayana dek yaklasik 2-3 dakika orta ateste cevirin. Sicak olan tavuk suyu, tuz ve sekeri ilave edin karistirin ve kaynamaya baslayinca kapagini kapatin, hafif ates alin.
Pilav suyunu cekmeye yakin havuc, patates, bezelye ve misiri (istege bagli) ilave edin karistirin ve kapagini kapatip, iyice suyunu cekene kadar pisirin. Pistikten sonra tencerinin agzini kagit havlu ile ortup uzerine kapagini kapatin. Yaklasik 10 dakika kadar dinlendirin.
Uzerine karabiber serperek servis yapabilirsiniz.
AFIYET OLSUN

Ana Sayfaya Don

Spinach and Potato Frittata (Ispanak ve Patatesli Omlet)

2 tbsp olive oil
2 potatoes, chopped
1 cup torn fresh spinach
2 tbsp green onions, sliced
1 tsp garlic, minced
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
½ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium size skillet over medium heat and place potatoes, cover, and cook about 10 minutes, until tender but firm. Mix in spinach, green onions, and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, until spinach is wilted.
Beat together eggs and milk in a bowl. Pour into the skillet over the vegetables. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Lower the heat, cover, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until eggs are firm.
Serve Spinach and Potato Frittata warm.
ENJOY

***This is a vegetarian dish.

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TURKCE
2 yemek kasigi zeytinyagi
2 patates, dogranmis
1 su bardagi ispanak, dogranmis
2 yemek kasigi yesil sogan, dogranmis
1 tatli kasigi sarimsak, ezilmis/rendelenmis
4 yumurta
1/3 su bardagi sut
½ su bardagi Cheddar/kasar peyniri, rendelenmis
Tuz ve karabiber

Orta buyuklukte bir tavada zeytinyagini orta ateste isitin ve patatesleri ilave edin. Kapagini kapatin ve yaklasik 10 dakika boyunca patatesler yumusayana dek pisirin. Ispanak, sarimsak ve yesil sogani ilave edin. Tuz ve karabiber serpin. Ispanak solana dek 2 dakika kadar pisirin.
Bir kasede sut ve yumurtayi cirpin ve tavadaki sebzelerin uzerine dokun. Uzerine Cheddar/kasar peyniri serpin. Atesi dusurun, kapagini kapatin ve yaklasik 5-7 dakika ya da yumurtalar pisene dek pisirin.
Sicak servis yapin.
AFIYET OLSUN

***Bu bir vejeteryan yemegidir.
Ana Sayfaya Don

Grilled Turkish Meat Balls (Izgara Kofte)

2 lb lean ground beef
1 big onion, grated or minced
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp cumin (optional)
1 egg
1 tbsp salt to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Knead with your hands for about 5-10 minutes. Leave it in the fridge at least for 2-3 hours.
Grab egg size pieces and make round shaped thin meat balls. Repeat this until you use all the mixture. Then cook them over a barbecue or electric grill, till both sides get lightly brown.
Serve them while still hot.
ENJOY

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TURKCE
1 kg yagsiz kiyma
1 buyuk boy sogan, rendelenmis
2 cay kasigi kara biber
2 cay kasigi karbonat
1 cay kasigi kimyon (istege bagli)
1 yumurta
1 yemek kasigi tuz

Butun malzemeleri genis bir kapta karistirin ve elinizle yaklasik 5-10 dakika kadar yogurun. Kiyma karisimini buzdolabinda en az 2-3 saat bekletin.
Kiyma karisimindan yumurta buyuklugunde parcalar alin, yuvarlak ve ince kofte sekli verin. Butun kiymadan kofte yapin. Sonra tercihen mangal ya da izgarada her iki taraflari da kizarana dek pisirin.
Sogutmadan sicak sicak yiyin.
AFIYET OLSUN

Ana Sayfaya Don

Spinach with Yogurt (Ispanakli Yogurt)

1 lb spinach, frozen or fresh
2-3 cups yogurt
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced/finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt to taste

If the spinach is fresh, wash and drain it. Then chop (if it is frozen use it directly). Cook the spinach in a wide pot or saucepan, till all its water evaporates. Then stir in olive oil and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes and let it cool.
Finally, add garlic and yogurt. Mix them all and transfer to a serving plate. You may drizzle some olive oil on top.
Serve Spinach with Yogurt with any kind of meat and vegetable dishes.
ENJOY

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TURKCE
½ kg ispanak, taze/dondurulmus
2-3 su bardagi yogurt
2-3 dis sarimsak, ezilmis/kucuk dogranmis
2 yemek kasigi zeytinyagi
1 cay kasigi tuz

Ispanak taze ise guzelce yikayin, suyunu suzun ve dograyin (dondurulmus ise direk kullanin). Genis bir tencere ya da tavaya ispanaklari koyun. Suyunu cekene dek orta ateste pisirin. Suyunu cekince zeytinyagi ve tuzu ilave edin. Yaklasik 2-3 dakika kavurun ve altini kapatin.
Ispanak soguyunca sarimsak ve yogurdu ilave edip karistirin.
Servis tabagina alin ve isterseniz uzerine zeytinyagi dokerek servis yapin.
Ispanakli Yogurdu her turlu et ve sebze yemeginin yaninda servis edebilirsiniz.
AFIYET OLSUN

Ana Sayfaya Don

Tortilla Soup (Tortilla Corbasi)-Mexican

3-4 piece 6 inch corn tortillas
¼ cup canola oil
1 onion, chopped
2 gloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 medium pepper, chopped (mix chili and pepper if desired)
4 cups chicken broth/stock
1 ½ cups tomato, diced
1 ½ cups cooked chicken, shredded
½ cup mild melting cheese (Monterey jack/cheddar), shredded
1 cup corn kernels (optional)
1 ripe avocado
Chopped cilantro/parsley/dill
1 lime/lemon, cut into wedges
¼ tsp cumin (optional)
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt to taste

Cut the tortillas into 2 inch long finger strips and fry them in a large skillet with the canola oil. Both sides should be lightly browned. Leave them aside.
In a pot, sauté onions over medium heat with the remaining oil. Then, stir in garlic and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes and add tomatoes, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes and stir in chicken and cook for 5 more minutes. Then turn the heat off and add cumin and corn kernels (optional).
To serve, cut the avocado into 1 inch slices. Divide tortilla strips into bowls, ladle in soup. And then, top with avocado, cheese and cilantro/parsley/dill. Serve warm with lime/lemon wedges.
ENJOY

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TURKCE
3-4 tane 15 cm capinda tortilla (tercihen misir)
¼ su bardagi sivi yag
1 sogan, dogranmis
2 dis sarimsak, kucuk dogranmis
1 ½ su bardagi domates, dogranmis
1 orta boy biber, dogranmis (aci biber ile karistirilabilir)
4 su bardagi tavuk suyu
1 ½ su bardagi pismis tavuk eti, ince didilmis
1 olgun avocado
½ su bardagi eriyen peynir (kasar peyniri/cheddar), rendelenmis
1 su bardagi misir tanesi (istege bagli)
Dogranmis kisnis yapragi/mayadanoz/dereotu
1 limon, dilimlenmis
½ cay kasigi kimyon
1 cay kasigi seker
1 tatli kasigi tuz

Tortillalari parmak kalinliginda seritler halinde ve yaklasik 4 cm uzunlugunda kesin. Genis bir tavada sivi yagda her iki taraflari da hafifce kizarana dek kizartin. Bir kenara ayirin. Haslanmis olan tavuk etini ince ince didin ve suyunu daha sonra corbada kullanmak uzere ayirin.
Bir tencerede, sogani ve geri kalan siviyagi alin. Orta ateste kavurun ve sarimsak ile biberi ilave edin. 2-3 dakika pisirin. Sonra domates, seker ve tuzu ilave edin. Biraz cevirin ve tavugu hasladiginiz suyu ilave edin. Kaynamaya baslayinca hafife alin ve yaklasik 10 dakika kadar kaynatin. Daha sonra tavugu ilave edin ve 5 dakika daha pisirin ve atesten alin. Kimyon ve misir tanelerini ilave edip karistirin (istege bagli).
Servis yaparken, corba kaselerine kizartmis oldugunuz tortilla seritlerini paylastirin. Avokadoyu 2-3 cm kalinliginda dilimleyin. Corbayi kaselere dokun ve uzerine avocado dilimlerini, peynir rendesini ve kisnis yapragi/maydanoz/dere otu koyarak, yaninda limon dilimleri ile servis yapin. AFIYET OLSUN

Ana Sayfaya Don