Try Ma’amool Cookies for Easter

Ma’amool cookies are usually made in the Middle East for Christmas, Easter or Eid.  Making ma’amoul is a family or friends affair.  You always make enough to supply each child, each friend and most neighbors with at least  one week supply. My mom used to get together with her friends on a certain day before [...]

For great baklava try Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata

To show how music can affect one’s emotions, my husband came home the other day telling me that he had been listening to Andrea Bocelli and Sara Brightman singing “Time to Say Goodbye.” We both sighed, understanding that this song had been our daughter’s favorite when she was between 3 months and two years old. [...]

Vegan Chocolate Baklava

makes 6 Domes 8      filo dough sheets, covered with moist kitchen towel to prevent drying 1/2   cup coconut oil 2       tablespoons coco powder 2       tablespoons  sugar 3       tablespoons chopped candied orange peel or orange marmalade 1       cup coarsely chopped toasted [...]

For Christmas, give Santa Ma’amool

One would think that with all the responsibility on Santa’s shoulders, he would have no reason to be jolly.  But he is, according to all accounts, and the reason must be that he consumes so many cookies on Christmas Eve as he visits generous families.  Besides being happy, Santa is also not skinny.  In fact, [...]

Eggnog with NO eggs……yes try it and be happy

I love a lot of things about Christmas.  I love watching my daughter’s decorating her tree with Christmas music playing in the background.  I love making Maa’moul and Christmas cookies, I love the smell of the pine candle that my daughter insist in lighting every day in December and I even love shopping for special [...]

Do you know what is skunk cookies?

When I worked for the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program in Rapid City, part of my job was to analyze the food inventory for each family that came in.  I would list everything the children ate so I could tell the family what was mission in their diets. By growing up in Syria, attending [...]

Thanks the Sicilian for ice cream

Despite all the lecturing I do to people about healthy eating, I have no willpower when it comes to ice cream.  The years of knowledge I’ve accumulated about nutrition vanish into thin air when I enter good ice cream shop. Like most people, I would have thought this wonderful dish was created in a cold [...]