Posts

Pantry How to make Whole Wheat Bread at home By Samira Kazan updated November 02, 2023 A simple whole-wheat bread (brown bread) recipe for beginner bread makers – super simple and just a few ingredients needed for a delicious, fresh loaf of bread With grocery slots becoming harder and harder to find and popping out to the shops becoming more worrisome as the ‘peak’ of this situation is set to hit the UK any day now, I thought it would be the perfect time to make some delicious homemade bread....

Roundups Olive Oil Recipes By Samira Kazan published January 10, 2026 Olive oil is one of the most versatile ingredients in my kitchen. From everyday mezze to slow-cooked dishes and simple roasted meals, these are some of my favorite recipes where olive oil plays a central role. Curious about how to make the most of olive oil? Check out my extra olive oil guide here. Fresh & Flavorful Mezze Pan-to-Oven Favorites Main Courses That Shine with Olive Oil Whether you’re making a light snack, a flavorful side, or a main course, olive oil adds richness and depth to every dish....

Recipes › Mains One Pan Creamy Mushroom Chicken By Samira Kazan updated August 13, 2024 One-pot creamy mushroom chicken combines tender, juicy breaded chicken in a rich parmesan mushroom cream sauce – a comforting, crowd-pleasing, restaurant-quality meal in under 30 minutes! One-pot and other low-effort chicken dinners have become a staple on busy weeknights. Between Chinese orange chicken , chicken stir-fry , chicken Alfredo , and chicken piccata , there’s a recipe for every mood....

Recipes › Desserts Orange Christmas Sugar Cookies – Fawns and Snowflakes By Samira Kazan updated December 19, 2023 Bambi-licious fawn and snowflake orange Christmas sugar cookies (or whatever cutters you prefer), a beautiful and delicious Christmas biscuits recipe to share and enjoy! Christmas sugar cookies are one of my absolute favorite cookies to bake ever, let alone the Christmas biscuits recipe. These orange sugar cookies are lightly orange-scented, with just enough bite and deliciously sweet flavor and they make for a beautiful option for decorated Christmas sugar cookies....

Recipes › Mains Perfect Grilled Chicken Quarters By Samira Kazan updated July 02, 2025 Make perfectly grilled chicken leg quarters with a simple spice rub and a few top tips. They’re perfectly charred, with crispy skin and tender, juicy meat! Got the grill fired up and a large group of hungry guests to feed? Grilled chicken leg quarters are one of the least expensive yet super simple and delicious ways to feed a crowd....

Recipes › DIYs Quick and Easy Method for Peeling Tomatoes By Samira Kazan updated January 17, 2024 How to peel tomatoes using the quickest, easiest process: blanching! Ready to make silky smooth sauces, soups, salsa, and more? Want to save this recipe? Why Would You Peel Tomatoes? How to Peel Tomatoes Easily How to Use Peeled Tomatoes How to Peel Tomatoes: The Quickest and Easiest Way Recipe Why Would You Peel Tomatoes?...

Salads Simple Celery Salad (Waldorf Apple Salad) By Samira Kazan updated July 31, 2024 Enjoy this sweet and savory simple celery salad with apples, grapes, and dried fruit. This simple salad is a healthy take on a Waldorf salad without the heavy mayo dressing! It takes just minutes to prepare and is gluten-free, and can be made dairy-free too! By combining sweet, savory, salty, and tangy flavors, this celery salad manages to entice all your taste buds....

Salads The Best Chicken Salad Recipe – Quick and Easy By Samira Kazan updated September 16, 2024 This easy classic chicken salad recipe is fresh, creamy, bright, perfectly chilled, bursting with flavor, and quick and easy to make and adapt to your liking for a high-protein, flavorful addition to any meal! A basic chicken salad recipe is a must-have for anyone who loves quick, easy, super versatile dishes. This salad combines simple, inexpensive ingredients (like leftover cooked chicken , mayo, mustard, red onion, and celery) to prepare a creamy, filling, high-protein salad that can be thrown together in minutes and is perfect during summer and all year at picnics, potlucks, BBQs, and for at-home or on-the-go lunches....

Recipes › Mains The Best Crispy Baked Falafel (No Frying Needed!) By Samira Kazan published March 31, 2025 Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside—this baked falafel recipe is everything you love about traditional falafel, made the Lebanese way. Crisp, golden, and herby—no flour, no frying, just falafel magic. Whether you’re new to falafel or looking for a lighter twist, this version is based on my Lebanese family recipe—just like my authentic fried falafel —but baked until golden and crisp....

Lebanese The Best Eggplant Stew By Samira Kazan published October 10, 2024 This hearty eggplant stew combines roasted eggplants with chickpeas, chopped tomatoes, aromatics, and flavorful spices. The perfect dinner for a busy weeknight! Eggplant is one of my favorite foods, and I have learned to prepare it in a myriad of ways! With its mild flavor and spongy texture, it’s a versatile ingredient perfect for stews, curries, grilling, roasting, and even frying....

Pantry Best Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning By Samira Kazan updated August 12, 2024 The best lemon pepper seasoning recipe – use as a dry rub, add to marinades, or make into wing sauce for chicken. The easy and fast lemon pepper sauce recipe is the perfect new dressing to bring a citrus twist to any meal. A little bit tangy, a little bit sweet – lemon pepper seasoning is most commonly added to fish or meat dishes....

Recipes › Desserts Caramel Ice Cream By Samira Kazan updated July 08, 2024 An easy homemade ice cream recipe for delicious, creamy caramel ice cream . Just five ingredients and no ice cream maker are required to make this rich and creamy homemade ice cream! Coming across this easy caramel ice cream was a bit of a happy (and delicious) accident. While recipe testing for a simple no-churn vanilla ice cream (recipe coming soon), I tested out a variety of different sweetener options....

Recipes Chocolate Baked Oatmeal (TikTok Blended Oatmeal) By Samira Kazan updated July 19, 2024 This chocolate baked oatmeal is the perfect way to enjoy ‘cake’ for breakfast! Blended oatmeal turns your chocolate oatmeal from creamy to decadent and cake-like. Plus, all you need is 8 ingredients for a gluten-free breakfast in under 30 minutes – optionally dairy-free, vegan, and sugar-free! If you’ve already seen my recently posted vanilla chocolate chip baked oatmea l, then you’ll know I’m jumping headfirst into the latest TikTok food trend – blended oatmeal....

Soups Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup By Samira Kazan updated November 11, 2024 Warm up this fall/winter with a hearty, flexible, beans and veggie-packed, budget-friendly copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup recipe! This vegetarian pasta soup in tomato broth is ready in under 30 minutes using the stove top, Instant Pot, or Slow Cooker! Get a taste of restaurant-quality soup in the comfort of your own home (and at a lower cost) with this copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup recipe....

Recipes › Breakfast Easy Cheese Flatbread (Cheese Manakish) By Samira Kazan updated November 14, 2023 This cheese manakish is a simple Middle Eastern cheese flatbread, using an all-purpose simple dough and topped with cheese and nigella seeds for a delicious snack, appetizer, or breakfast dish! Plus, all you need is just 7 ingredients and 20 minutes of hands-on prep! I’ve already shared this all-purpose Middle Eastern dough along – perfect for making Manakish, like za’atar manakish , and now this cheese manakish....

Recipes › Desserts Easy Lemon Cupcakes with Buttercream By Samira Kazan updated May 06, 2024 Enjoy these light, fluffy, tangy lemon cupcakes topped with vanilla buttercream in under 45 minutes! Made from just 8 ingredients and enjoyable as a cheeky snack or dessert! These fluffy lemon cupcakes are that perfect combination of tart and sweet that I absolutely adore and are a perfect addition to celebrations and get-togethers: Mother’s Day, Easter, birthdays, etc....

Recipes › Breakfast Easy Turkish Menemen (Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes) By Samira Kazan updated November 19, 2023 Turkish menemen is the ultimate low-effort one-pan breakfast. This dish combines soft scrambled eggs with tomatoes and peppers and onion (sometimes) for a juicy, flavorful, hearty breakfast that comes together in under 20 minutes! Serve up with bread for a wholesome start to your day! If this past year has taught me anything, it’s that you can practically pop a pin on a map on any country in the world and discover new ways to enjoy beloved ingredients – like eggs!...

Ingredient Guides How To Dry Mint (3 Methods for Dried Mint) By Samira Kazan updated April 11, 2025 How to dry mint at home with three methods to choose from: oven-drying, using a dehydrator, or air-drying. This post also includes how to store, convert, and use dried mint! I think my obsession with dehydrating and preserving came at just about the right time. Along with DIY methods for things like ‘sun-dried tomatoes’ and garlic & onion flakes, I’m now moving on to herbs – like how to dry mint, how to dry rosemary , and how to dry thyme ....

Recipes › DIYs How to Make Butter in 10 Minutes By Samira Kazan published January 31, 2024 With just ONE ingredient and ten minutes, you can make deliciously creamy homemade butter in your stand mixer. Homemade butter is a signature recipe for anyone interested in making more of their food from scratch. This butter recipe uses just ONE ingredient and takes a few minutes to prepare. It’s a super simple method to follow and all you need is a stand mixer and a little bit of arm strength!...

Ingredient Guides How to Make Preserved Lemons (Pickled Lemons) By Samira Kazan updated November 25, 2024 How to make preserved lemons (pickled lemons) with just salt and lemons as a base and 15 minutes of hands-on prep. Once cured, use these flavor bombs to add brightness and depth to sauces, stews, salads, and more! In the last couple of years, I’ve really taken a shine to the art of preserving. So, along with methods for pickled garlic (plain or spicy), pickled red onion , refrigerator pickled green tomatoes , and even ferments like this honey fermented ginger and lemon , it’s the turn of super simple preserved lemons (aka pickled lemons) method!...