Grammy Shmammy Frammy and Mini Nutella Cheesecakes!

It wouldn't be fitting for The Rockin' Foodie to not touch base on the eve of the music's biggest night - or perhaps the music business' biggest night - THE GRAMMYS.

Say what you will about the this huge commercial spectacle, I support Bono's thought below about the Grammys:

"It was all there: anger, love, forgiveness, family, community and the deepest sense of history... Here was the full power of American music challenging my arrogance. I watched the rest of the show with new eyes. The Grammys invited jazz, country, rock, soul, and classical into the same hall. No regard for demographic studies of what would deliver ratings, no radio call-out research—a mad amalgam of the profound and the absurd and the creeping realisation that one man's Mozart is another man's Vegas."

Let's keep this simple and dive into Z's fav Grammy 2011 nominees and follow it up with a gorgeous Grammy party dessert.  

I have featured several Grammy nominees in 2010 in previous blogs - Cee Lo Green's "Forget You" except I featured the potty mouth version (8/27), Katy Perry's California Gurls (8/18), Broken Bells (12/29), and Vampire Weekend (9/26).  I still dig these songs and artists, but will highlight some different ones to keep things fresh.

In the "Over the Top Pop" Category (I am making up my own categories):  Lady GaGa featuring Beyonce TELEPHONE.  I freaking love this song - Every chick has felt like this at some point in her life - "Dude stop calling me - I am out without you, and thus will call you when I am no longer out.  Go do something else that does not involve calling, texting, or facebooking me. xoxo."



In the "Fashionable Rock" Category: The Black Keys TIGHTEN UP.  It took me a minute to jump on the BK band wagon, but now am on it, and BK I am Howlin' for You!



In the "Sensitive Indie Rock Darlings" Category: Arcade Fire READY TO START.  I am so glad that the Grammys are recognizing these guys because they are just good and honest.



In the "Why Doesn't My BF Write This About Me" Urban Category: Bruno Mars JUST THE WAY YOU ARE and B.o.B Featuring Bruno Mars NOTHIN' ON YOU.  Umm - Y'all this know this isn't classically my genre, but these two songs are SEXY. Enough Said.





And now FOOD TIME!  Full and fair disclosure: I have not actually made this recipe yet, but plan to imminently and will post pics and additional tips when I do.  And if one of you makes it before me, please let me know how it is.  I found this recipe as part of the "Petit Chef" food blog community (note the icon on the left side bar) and it sounded so good, simple, and festive for a Grammy Party!  And  as most of you know, I love all things CHEESE and can eat Nutella (hazelnut chocolate spread) by the spoonful - hence its destiny.

MINI NUTELLA CHEESECAKES (Serves 8)

Here is what you need:

-2 (8 oz) bars of softened cream cheese

-2 eggs
-3/4 cup sugar
-1/4 cup Nutella
-36 Nilla Wafers
-Red Food Color, optional  (I don't plan to use food color, but could be a nice touch for Valentine's Day)

Here is what you do:

Pre-heat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl combine the eggs and sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in the Nutella and beat until combined. Add in the Cream Cheese and mix until combined. Pour in the food color; about 8 drops, and mix. (optional).  Prepare the cupcake pan with mini paper baking cups.Add one Nilla wafer into each cup. Pour the cheese mixture into each liner to 3/4 full. Bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for some time before serving. I would likely refrigerate it overnight or at least a couple hours.

Here is the cheezy picture from the website - Happy Valentine's Day I guess...

For those who choose to watch the Grammys - Enjoy the Show! 

For those who don't - Happy Sunday!

Hugs and Kisses.

Candle, Napa Cab Sauv, Amos Lee, Pantry Pasta, & Blogging...

Sometimes on Friday nights, I like to take it easy - I reflect, listen to tunes, and cook.  Such is the case tonight, friends. 

Following a wonderful Restorative Yoga class, I returned home, lit a comfy candle, fired up my iPod, opened a 2007 Rutherford Cab Sauv, and perused the fridge.  Since I just went to TJ's I have the basics - Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and garlic.  After a glance through the pantry, I grab the Capellini dry pasta (angel hair) and its on - feta, olive, tomato, angel hair pasta. 

I can't cook without music  - so I turned to an old friend, Amos Lee - beautiful folk, soul, jazz singer-songwriter.  I don't actually know Amos Lee, but I feel like I do when I listen to his music.  I know its a trite sentiment, but he speaks to me.  He brings tears to my eyes, a smile to my face, and I feel what he is feeling through his words.

 In 2008, my previous wonderful boss and friend passed along Amos' debut 2005 album "Amos Lee" because he thought I would like it - and he was right.   Man - that CD got me through some tough times.  I know every word of that album and I found great hope, acceptance, and peace in his words (and yes, I am choked up right now). 

His music speaks for itself:  See below ALL MY FRIENDS off his debut album, and then one of the most passionate songs I have ever heard, ARMS OF A WOMAN also off that same album. 





And in our great fortune, Amos has just released a brand new album that is currently #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.  Granted it was a horrific week for album sales, but still... Pushing 40k units in one week in these times is reason to celebrate.  Yay Amos!  I just bought the new album "Mission Bell" tonight and listened to it while cooking and then eating my pasta dinner.  One song immediately resonated with me after only one listening - LEARNED A LOT.  The below video is a live performance probably shot by an iPhone and even with that quality, his voice shines through as if he's standing right next to you.   I can't wait until he plays LA.



Now for the Friday night easy relaxation meal:
 
Kalamata Olive, Tomato, Feta Angel Hair Pasta

What you Need:

- Capellini (angel hair) or any pasta noodle

- Little tomatoes (a handful)

- Kalamata Olives (4 per person)

- Feta cheese (healthy handful)

- Garlic (one clove per serving)

- Olive Oil (couple tablespoons to coat the pan)

- Fresh basil (wish I had some)

- Salt and Pepper

Here is what you do:

Bring boiling salted water to boil, add a little olive oil, and then add the pasta.  Normally, I don't add olive oil to pasta water since it coats the pasta and doesn't allow the noodles to absorb the sauce as well; however, because olive oil is the sauce and angel hair can stick together easily, adding olive oil is a good idea for this dish.  Angel hair cooks very quickly (maybe 5 minutes) so keep an eye on it! Once ready, drain the pasta (but don't rinse it with water).

Chop up the garlic and tomatoes.  Heat olive oil in the same pot as the pasta and then add the garlic. Saute garlic for one minute and then add the tomatoes and saute for an additional minute.  Remove the pot from heat and let stand one minute, then add in the pasta directly to the pot.  The oil will still be a little hot so the noodles will cook for a second in the oil which I like because the noodles get toasty flavored.  Transfer the noodles to a bowl and add the olives, feta, salt, pepper, and fresh basil.  YUMMY and EASY.

Alright - I am now going to watch a bad chick flick, take a bath, and go to bed. 

Hugs and Kisses.

Country... Light!

Historically, Z + Country Music = Not So Much. 

In 1992, when Billy Ray Cyrus' "Achy Breaky Heart" was "about to blow up and kill this man" - I was hoping it would. 

However, since 1992 my musical taste and appreciation has expanded.  As such, in the spirit of open-mindedness and for blog prep, I attempted to watch Billy Ray perform my previous nemesis - "Achy Breaky Heart".  And folks, I was unable to complete the task. 1:48 seconds into the video, I closed the browser and quickly googled Weird Al's spoof "Achy Breaky Song" for much needed comic relief.  Enjoy the genius that is Sir Weird Al.  

Billy Ray aside, truth is I have grown to like some Country(ish) music...  For example, when the opportunity arises on a Saturday night, I listen to NPR's re-broadcast of the American folk classic "Prairie Home Companion."  You may also catch me humming along to a Country-Pop cross over artist like Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, or Carrie Underwood (don't laugh - I like the song where she bashes the hell out of her cheating ex's car).  I recognize all of the above are girly and not pure Country... that's why my taste is for "Country Light" - less calories, but just as filling (for me).  

And now the main event - WILCO - The very best in "Country Light" and one of my fav bands.

Fronted by founding member, Jeff Tweedy, Wilco's sound (considered Alternative Country/Alternative Rock) is infused with elements of country twang, experimental rock, and synthesizer-pop.  Through Wilco's seven album career, their first couple album's were more Country sounding as the band was formed from Uncle Tupelo, also an Alternative Country band.

Although Wilco doesn't quite have the hardcore twang of mainstream Country it still has Country vibe, particularly the band's 1995 debut album "A.M." which utilizes classic Country instruments - pedal steel guitars, fiddles, and mandolins. This is a great album, and I frequently listen to it when futzing around the house cooking, tidying, up and shining my cowboy boots.

Check out Wilco (with Mr. Tweedy in full Country regalia) performing "I MUST BE HIGH" and "PASSENGER SIDE" off "A.M."



By the fourth studio album, YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT, Wilco's sound became less Country and more experimental rock with long, complex, synthesized intros and outros.  After being dropped from Reprise and later picked up by Nonsuch, this album has been Wilco's largest commercial success selling over 600,000 copies.  I picked up YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT in 2005 and played the CD a ton.  I later got all their albums including the two most recent: Grammy nominated "SKY BLUE SKY" and "WILCO (THE ALBUM)".

Check out the playful fan video of HEAVY METAL DRUMMER - floppy haired boys (a guilty Z pleasure).



And below check out I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART - a standout from YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT.  Although more rock focused, you can still hear the Alternative Country roots deep in the melody.  And for a great documentary chronicling the public controversy between Wilco and Reprise during the recording of this album, Nettlx "I Am Trying to Break your Heart: A Film About Wilco".


And finally a simply beautiful song -  YOU AND I off Wilco's 2009 most recent album WILCO (THE ALBUM) featuring Feist.  And you gotta love David Letterman - the camel thing is funny!


In honor of Wilco's "Country Light" roots, we are making Chili - a down-home Country classic - but a light, healthy, and easy version.  My good friend, Malena Casteel, passed this recipe on from her Mama that lives in the Midwest.  We later learned that "Cooking Light" magazine featured a similar recipe. Since everyone is trying to lose the holiday overage, this is a great stick-to-your ribs chili, but will keep you svelte - and can be made meatless.

QUICK VEGETARIAN CHILI (WITH MEAT) (serves 4)

- 3/4 to 1 lb extra lean ground turkey or beef

-2 tsp. oil

-1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)

-1 cup chopped bell pepper (1 large bell pepper)

-2 tsp chili powder

-1 tsp ground cumin

-1 tsp dried oregano

-3 garlic cloves chopped

-1 (4.5oz) can chopped green chilies

-2/3 cup barley

-2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
-1 (15oz) can black beans (drained)

-1 (14.5oz) can chopped tomatoes (plain or seasoned)

-Salt and pepper to taste. 

Toppings: Sour cream, cheddar cheese, and cilantro for garnish.

Begin cooking the barley first before chopping the onions, peppers, & garlic because barley needs time to soften.  Pour the vegetable or chicken broth into a small sauce pan.  Add the barley and bring to a simmer.  By the time you are ready to add the barley to the mixture, it will be soft enough to finish cooking with the rest of the ingredients. 

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for one minute.  Add meat, season with salt and black pepper, and brown the meat (or skip this step if you want it to be vegetarian). Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and chilies. Cook together for 1 minute. Add the barley/broth mixture, beans, tomatoes, with a little more salt. Simmer 20 minutes (covered) until the barley and beans are tender.  Stir occasionally so that the chili does not stick to bottom of the pot.  If the chili is too thick for your preference, mix in 1/4 hot water. Top with light sour cream, reduced fat cheddar cheese, and a touch of cilantro for color.  Crumble in a couple saltines for a little extra bite.  Serve with country biscuits and some Wilco on the side.  The chili will keep for a couple days,and in fact only gets better as the flavors meld together.  Plus - your kitchen will smell lovely - just like Laura Ingalls Little House in the Big Woods.

I hope y'all enjoy it!

I leave you with a Country great - Mr. Johnny Cash.



Hugs and Kisses.

Happy New Year! Champagne Cocktails! Broken Bells!

House parties are my favorite New Year's Eve celebrations.  I like to ring in the New Year with close pals over great music, witty banter, festive Champagne cocktails, delish appetizers, & either "Anderson Cooper 360" (with Kathy Griffin) or good ol' "Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve" (with Ryan Seacrest since Mr. Clark is an octogenarian plus, but looks good!). 

Of course, it's also fun to get swanked up & head out for a big NYE celebration... Whether you stay in with a few close friends or family, throw a huge party, or spend a night on the town, we will all likely drink bubbly!  

 As such, I bring you easy Champagne Cocktail recipes, which can also be made non-alcoholic by substituting sparkling water or tonic water for Champagne. Let's Toast, Friends!

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail: Place a sugar cube in the bottom of a Champagne Glass, fill 1/2 of a glass with Champagne, & then top with pomegranate juice. Garnish with pomegranate seeds on top.  Sparkly!

Blueberry Champagne Cocktail: Same as above, except use blueberry juice.  I like Sparkling Blueberry Juice from Trader Joe's.  Float fresh blueberries on top. Sweet!

Raspberry Mint Champagne Cocktail:  Muttle together raspberries & mint with a splash of orange flavored liquor (like Cointreau or Triple Sec) to make a juice.  Fill a glass 3/4 up with Champagne; and then add the orange liquor, raspberry, mint mixture on top.  Garish with a mint leaf.  Minty!

Chambord Champagne Cocktail:  Fill a glass 3/4 full with Champagne, & top it off with a splash of Chambord.  Easy!

And finally my last music selection of 2010!!

Many great artists released excellent albums and songs this year - The Black Keyes, Tom Petty and the Heart Breakers, Florence and the Machine, Arcade Fire, Vampire Weekend, LCD Soundsystem, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry, Jason Derulo, (yes I do listen to some pop) but my favorite 2010 release is the first self-titled album from BROKEN BELLS. 

A Starbucks impulse buy one late March morning, I grabbed this album (and a latte) after hearing our intelligent & music savvy dept. intern raving about it.  He was right - it's a great album.  A combination of James Mercer from the Shins & Danger Mouse, this melodic duo transcended their collective genres to create an airy, wispy, quasi space-agey, but grounded and fresh sound.  I can't wait for James and Danger Mouse to give us the second album!

If you haven't seen the non-official Hall and Oates dubbed version of THE GHOST INSIDE, check it out below - it's funny!!


And now for the official version of THE GHOST INSIDE.



Finally friends, as 2010 comes to a close, I must say a heartfelt THANK YOU for reading and supporting The Rockin' Foodie blog on this food/music adventure.  I am happy to report that the Rockin' Foodie is global with readers in Denmark, Russia, China, UK, Spain, Australia, Malaysia, Brazil, Germany, Slovenia, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Canada, France, and of course, the US of A.  I deeply appreciate your time, readership, comments, and support.

I look forward to hearing more from you all in the New Year.  As such, please feel free to drop me a comment or an email, & let me know your thoughts & what you are listening to & cooking. 

Cheers to a sumptious, harmonious, and safe 2011!

Happy New Year!

Hugs and Kisses.

The Perfect Winter Soup & The Cozy Sounds of Belle & Sebastian...

Yesterday was the first day of Winter. The Holidays are here.  And in So. Cal, it's raining - A LOT.

Bad News: Rain makes Holiday mall traffic even worse because road are slippery and drivers are distracted with texting and holiday "To Do" lists.

Good News: This past weekend Z traversed LA and OC to attend 6 parties and only hit one inanimate object (GC - the white marks rub off the gate).  Success!  Nobody died on my account, and luckily my dad has a lot of white touch-up paint so front bumper will be A-OK!

The coming of Winter and the Holidays means holiday menu planning.  In case anyone is still pondering recipes for the upcoming holiday meal, I offer a humble suggestion - BUTTERNUT SQUASH, WILD RICE, SAUSAGE SOUP.  An Emeril recipe I stumbled upon from the Food Network website, I made this soup for my 4 wonderful best friends from high school for our annual potluck holiday lunch and it was a hit!

This comfy yet complex soup is perfect for Winter and something different for the holiday table.  The smoky sausage wonderfully compliments the toasted butternut squash, the rice makes it hearty, and the corn gives a touch of sweetness.  It's a special recipe that I plan to make into an annual holiday tradition.  

And speaking of comfy and complex, enter "WRITE ABOUT LOVE", the 8th and most recent studio album from Glasgow's 8 member chamber-pop group BELLE AND SEBASTIAN.  While chopping onions and sausage, roasting and pureeing squash, and occasionally stirring the rice, I was taking in this lovely album.  Like the melding of flavors in the soup, lots of elements go into B and S's sound (cellos, violins, flutes, trumpets, plus usual instruments) and the result is a harmonious symphonic-like sound.  Check out I'M NOT LIVING IN THE REAL WORD below featuring flutes.



Although Belle and Sebastian have been around since 1996 with great success, they are not a heavy radio airplay band, but were on the 2008 Juno Soundtrack with one of their popular hits PIAZZA NEW YORK CATCHER off their 2003 album DEAR CATASTROPHE WAITRESS (my favorite album).  Check it out below with it's quirky lyrics :
 

And for the piece de resistance video footage: NPR live stream of yesterday's Belle and Sebastian Holiday Spectacular concert from Glasgow.  They played a couple holiday tunes, their biggest hits, plus songs off their new album.   Not only is the show awesome, fans checked in from around the globe to watch - Brazil, Spain, US, Germany... We were a cozy community of fans watching over breakfast, late in the evening, or from our desks at work during the lunch hour.  I unfortunately cannot embed it, but to watch the show, click here.  Thanks NPR!

And now on to the soup recipe (Makes 10 servings so half this if you like.  I used 2/3.).  As fair warning, this soup takes at least 2.5 hours to make, but it is well worth it.  

Butternut Squash, Wild Rice, Sausage Soup

Here is what you need:

- 2 medium butternut squash, about 3 to 4 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch chunks  (I used one 2 pounder).  For instructions on how to cut up a butternut squash since my previous 10/7 post below.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 12 cups chicken stock (I used 8)
- 2 1/2 cups chopped onions (I used one small yellow onion)
- 1 cup wild rice (I used 3/4) (Soak the rice and use 3:1 liquid to rice ratio)
- 3/4 lb. smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (I used 1/2 lb. Use turkey or veggie sausage if you like)

- 2 cups fresh corn kernels (I used 1 cup frozen kernels)

- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half (I used 1 cup)

- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
- Pinch (1/4 teaspoon to start) of nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne pepper (optional)

Here is what you do:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

 Season the squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven and cool completely. In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with 2 cups of the chicken stock. I added a pinch of Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper for a kick.  Puree until smooth and set aside.

In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring 4 cups of the stock and 1/2 cup of the chopped onions to a simmer. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally with a fork. Remove the rice from the pan and cool. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of onions and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 6 cups of stock and squash puree. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Stir in the rice and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the half-and-half and reason with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley, serve, and enjoy.

MMMMM!!!! Warm, cozy, hearty, and inviting goodness.  An ideal recipe for a rainy Winter holiday. 

Much love and peace to all this holiday season.

I leave you with the great Diana Krall singing her rendition of Jingle Bells.



Hugs and Kisses.

Let's Be Kids Again! - Childhood TV, Songs, and Food...

I don't change my Facebook profile picture often, but in support of childhood violence awareness, I followed FB post instructions, & changed my picture to my fav childhood cartoon character - Lark from "Beverly Hills Teens." 

Unlike "Dora the Explorer" or "Sesame Street, this 1987 show about rich BH kids named Lark, Bianca, and Blaze did not involve teaching kids anything educational.  No sirree, Beverly Hills Teens was equivalent to high fructose corn syrup cereal - no nutritional value, just sweet and good.  I embarrassingly loved it, and I know ladies out there of Generation Z loved it too - admit it - it's ok.  And little did we know at the time, this little animated fruit-tart of a show was a pre-cursor to a larger cultural phenomenon - watching the rich and spoiled parade about town - enter "Beverly Hills 90210" & now "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills."

In case you need me to jog your memory of Lark et. al. - see below. It's so bad, its good.


Moving from TV to music, I think we can all agree that the songs from youth stay with us always.  When you hear a favorite tune from 6th grade, the memories rush back so vividly, you can even SMELL the era -for me, Sunflowers perfume, Teen Spirit deodorant, and Hot Dog on a Stick corn dogs. 

As a kid, it was all about Paula Abdul (was a fan club member), Debbie Gibson (read her book even), Tiffany (specifically "I Think We're Alone Now"), the Bangles (my first record), NKOTB (had the poster from the Scholastic book order), Boyz II Men (First introduction to R&B), Vanilla Ice (early influence of rap), and I could go on...

I polled various guys and gals and the winners for best pre-teen songs for Z's generation are:

For the ladies, Paula Abdul's "OPPOSITES ATTRACT" (how could you not love the cat?).

For the fellas, Boyz II Men "END OF THE ROAD" (the best proverbial "slow song" of the jr. high dances).

See Ms. Paula and the cat below - Go Paula!



I even emulated the Paula style as well by wearing my dad's ties to school!  I was cool.

Now let's slow it down with soulful R&B.  Do you know that Boyz II Men sold more than 60 Million albums??? This is an INSANE amount for 2010 standards. WOW! 



And now the food - Kid food tastes good. 

At weddings and parties, I often see adults in evening wear pushing their stuffed chicken breast aside and sneaking food from the 'kids table' because fries, chicken nuggets, pizza, spaghetti, mac and cheese, hamburgers, and apple juice are yummy. 

After polling various folks, the favorite kid foods seem to be pasta varieties which is nice to hear since carbs have become Satan in the adult world (so sad).  Many people said that their favorite food as a kid was Mac and Cheese.  I love all things cheese so of course I approve, but truth be told, I never actually ate Mac and Cheese as a kid, but I love it now. In fact, I featured Mac and Cheese in the October 7 Rockin' Foodie posting (check it out if you are interested!). Spaghetti with meat sauce or meat balls was a close second amongst those I consulted  and was my favorite dish as well from my favorite childhood family restaurant - The Ol' Spaghetti Factory - such good Hamzeh family memories :).

As such, my two picks for the best childhood and adult spaghetti dishes (in fact I ate one of these dishes today) are good ol' Spaghetti and Meatballs and Yogurt Spaghetti (an Arabic style yogurt spaghetti sauce).

Let's recreate some childhood moments with these two tasty kid-friendly dishes.

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS (serves 4)

I love making meatballs because they are fun and easy to prepare, great to make with kids, and versatile for spaghetti or an appetizer with dipping sauce.

Here is what you need:

1 2 lb. package dry spaghetti

1 jar spaghetti sauce

For the Meatballs:

1 pound lean ground beef

½ cup dry bread crumbs (Italian seasoned variety works well)

¼ cup milk

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 small onion chopped

1 large egg

Here is what you do:

Heat the oven to 400 degrees, mix all the ingredients, and then shape into balls. Place on an ungreased pan 1 ½ inches apart and bake uncovered for 20 to 25 min or until no longer pink in the center. Makes about 20 meat balls.

Cook the pasta per package directions.

For the sauce, you can of course make this from scratch or you can just go with the very famous Paul Newman sauces (there are many excellent choices) which is my preference.  However, to make from scratch, click here 

Once the meatballs are done, simmer them for a few minutes with the sauce and then simply serve over spaghetti. Add fresh Basel and Parmesan cheese on top if you like.

And now for the debut Arabic dish!  My mom used to make us spaghetti cooked in yogurt when we were kids and still makes it as a treat up until now. Although it may sound a little weird, it is SOOOOOOOOOOO good and super easy and cheap to make.

YOGURT SPAGHETTI (serves 4)

Here is what you need

1 2 lb. package of dry spaghetti
3 cups low-fat plain yogurt (not Greek-style)
4 cloves garlic minced very fine (if you have one, use a mortar and pestle and pour a little salt over the garlic and mash them up very finely)
salt and pepper
pine nuts
ground beef (optional)

Here is what you do:

Combine the yogurt and garlic. Cook the pasta until well done (not al dente) - about 10 minutes. After draining the pasta, don't rinse it because the natural starches on the noodles will help the noodles absorb the yogurt.  Pour the yogurt and garlic mixture of the warm pasta noodles.  The sauce should have a wet consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.   Fry pine nuts in a oil and pour on top with the oil.  Add cooked ground beef on top if you like.  This dish is the quintessential taste of my childhood.


Hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. I am now going to grab some fruit snacks and goldfish crackers before I head to bed.

Hugs and Kisses.

Top 10 Thanksgiving Tips + Song Perfection

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it combines cooking, eating, and, loved ones.  I love the simplicity of one meal dedicated to giving thanks for the good things in life.  I have much to be thankful for - but I will spare you my speech and get down to it.

I have been cooking Thanksgiving dinner with my mama bear since I was a wee tot and have collected some thoughts along the way courtesy of the Hamzeh kitchen.  I hope one of the below items will be useful for you come Thursday.

1. TURKEY - Hamzehs don't baste. We cheat the process and the Turkey always comes out moist and perfect without need for constant baster babysitting.  Here is what you do: after cleaning the turkey, shove large pats of butter under the skin all over and throw a couple pats into the cavity. Stuff the bird, wrap him up in foil and cook in the oven per the directions that accompany your turkey, and during the last 30 minutes of cooking, open the foil to brown the top of the turkey.

2. GRAVY - Of course, homemade gravy made from the delicious turkey drippings is delish, BUT in case yours just doesn't get as smooth as you like... Buy a jar of gravy or a mix as a backup, and then add to it the drippings from your turkey. Heat up the gravy plus the drippings, and whisk it all together and pour into your gravy boat (our gravy boat is in the shape of a turkey). You will get accolades for your non-lumpy gravy.

3. STUFFING - I fake seemingly "100% from scratch" stuffing and it works. Last year I was shocked & flattered to receive an email asking for my stuffing recipe because this sweet gal told me her mother-in-law raved about my "homemade stuffing."  Here is what you do: Cook Mrs. Cubbinson's Seasoned Corn Bread Stuffin' mix per the directions & then add cranberries, apples, & pecans.  I use half the butter called for in the recipe, & if you think it needs more liquid, add a bit more chicken broth or 1/3 cup OJ. One day I will make my own stuffing from scratch, but until then, this is a winner.

4. CRANBERRY SAUCE - I don't do canned cranberries. Real cranberry sauce is the easiest thing to make in the world and tastes far superior in my eyes. Buy a bag of cranberries and, per the directions, dissolve a cup of sugar into a cup of water.  Bring to boil and throw in the cranberries.  Easy and worth it.

5. CORNBREAD - I have made cornbread from scratch once from the Joy of Cooking, and it was not my finest culinary hour. I am yet to redeem myself because I have stuck with Marie Callender's Cornbread Stuffing mix ever since with Z modifications. I add melted butter to the mix because the mix, according to the directions, comes out dry. You can also add dry rosemary or dill which is great if you like savory cornbread.

6. SALAD - Although an overlooked dish in the traditional Thanksgiving meal,  I think salad is necessary because all of the other dishes are warm and have a soft texture.  I still like a bite of raw crunch with my meal. My pick is an endive salad with each spear containing cranberries, candied pecans, and Gorgonzola cheese all drizzled with Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette. Although they can be purchased, I candy the pecans myself by melting butter and brown sugar in a sauce pan and then toss in the pecans to coat. Then spread them out on a glass plate until they are cool.  They are so good, try not to eat them all before the meal!

7. YAMS - I follow my mom's recipe for yams and it's awesome. Buy 1 can (or more if you are making a lot) of cut sweet potatoes (but use fresh if you like) and spread them out in a shallow pie dish. Then add a half a stick of butter in pats all around. Sprinkle about a half cup of brown sugar, a handful of pecans, a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon over the yams. Cook in 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes to an hour.  Remove from oven and top with mini marshmallows, & pop back into the oven for an extra 5 minutes or until marshmallows turn golden brown.  

8. GREEN BEANS - I know green bean casserole with the canned mushroom soup is a classic, but making this without the cans is easy and fun courtesy of  Alton Brown.  Check it out below. I found making Alton's onions a little tricky so I use the French's canister onions instead.

9. MASHED POTATOES - Make them from scratch and make them your own style! I have asked around the office and my co-workers are adding everything from bacon to celery root - or just keep it simple with butter, milk, and salt.

10. DESSERT - It's all about the pies and in the Hamzeh house, my bro, Rabih, makes the best pies!  He makes pumpkin, apple, pecan, & a cheese cake - so yummy and perfect as breakfast the next morning with a glass of milk or coffee.  If you are looking to make something a little different than a regular apple pie, try this 20 Ingredient Apple Pie from NPR's Splendid table.  It sounds really great, and if anyone makes it, please report back as to how it went.  I am passing the recipe along to Rabih.

I want to share one last unique recipe  that my fellow foodie co-worker shared with me - Stuffed Pumpkin. It looks like a spectacular addition to the Thanksgiving table.  I haven't tried it yet, but plan on it.  Stuff it with any number of items - rice, stuffing, or cheese, as indicated in the recipe. 

And now for the matching music selection -  I am keeping it simple this week with one perfect song (one of my dad's favorites) that symbolizes how Thanksgiving makes me feel.

Wishing you all a happy, tasty, and lyrical Thanksgiving.

Hugs and Kisses.