SalaamAlkaium,

I was thinking we can use this thread sisters or brothers to post our favorite recipes.

Okay lets start!

As salaamu alaikum, Severa.  What a great idea!  Here is one of my favorites:

Feta and Roasted Pepper Antipasto

Combine 1 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1/2 cup pitted and chopped black olives, 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion and 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red sweet peppers.

Stir in 1/2 cup of 'Greek with Feta and Oregano' dressing* and 2 tablespoons of grated lemon peel; cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

*if you can't buy this kind of salad dressing where you are you might try a homemade viniagrette with white vinegar, olive oil, garlic, romano cheese, sugar, feta and oregano, but I don't know if it would taste as good - experiment!

Anyway, this is served with small toasts or crackers.  It is so good! 

Can be stored up to 2 days in tightly covered container in the refigerator.

Peace, ummziba

i love to cook so here is one that goes over well for me

i take boneless skinless chicken breast, summer squash, onion, diced canned tomatoes, eggplant, sweet red pepper, diced sliced whatever you prefer, marinate them half a day in a mixture of montreal chicken seasoning, tumric, basil, garlic and olive oil, when ready bake uncovered at 350 for about an hour hour and half depending on thickness of breast stir once   serve with a salad and you have a simple one dish meal  i would be interested to know if anyone trys thia and how you like it As-Salam Aleikum 

Assalamu alaikum Sisters,

Seems a lot of you are talking recipes - so I've brought the recipe file back up to the top.  Hope some of you will add recipes to share.  Here's another favorite of mine (kids love it, especially served with tortilla chips):

Chili with Rice

1. Cook 1/2 cup rice in one cup water, till done, set aside (or use leftover rice!).
2. Brown ground beef (or turkey or chicken), drain fat and add: small diced onion, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tbls. chili powder (more if you like hot), 1/2 tsp. dry mustard, 1 cup diced sweet pepper and 1 cup frozen (or fresh or canned) corn.  Cook on low until onions and peppers are softened.
3. Add enough plain prepared (or homemade) spaghetti sauce to just barely coat ingredients.  Add the cooked rice.  Cook until hot through.
4. Just before serving, sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.  Add 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander (if desired).

This is good alone, with bread or soft tortillas, with baked tortillas or even spooned over more rice or cooked pasta.

I look forward to seeing some recipes from some of you!

Peace, ummziba.

ummziba
Assalamu Alaykum sister Im from scarborough canada where in canada are you from?

wa sallam

ameerah

Assalamu alaikum Sister Ameerah,

I do not wish to pin point my location, though, I don't live anywhere close to you (unfortunately!).  You are fortunate to live somewhere where there are lots of Muslims and lots of masajid and lots of support for Muslims!  There are only four Muslim families in my city - that's why I enjoy my "extended" family on IC so much!

Peace, ummziba.

Great idea!

I would love to post some recipes, but as I have just started learning about Islam and I am aware that there are some things it's teachings advise you not to eat. (I know that pork is one thing)

Can you please tell me what ingredients to avoid? Also, could you tell me why you don't eat certain things as it would help me with my knowledge!

By the way, the Roasted Pepper and Feta Antipasto sounds yummy and I am going to try it! (I am sure the others are lovely too but I only eat fish, not chicken or beef.)

Thank you!

Clara

Hi Clara,

You could substitute your favorite beans (white kidney, pinto or garbanzo) for the meat in the chili and rice recipe!  Leave them whole or mash them, however you prefer.

Our only food prohibitions are pork, blood and alcohol (and of course, our meat must be halal - slaughtered under certain conditions).  It is pork that causes the most "concerns" as there are hidden pork products in food you would never suspect - so we read our labels carefully!

Peace, ummziba.

Thanks Ummziba! I will try your suggestions. I like beans, i guess I could use other meat substitutes too, like quorn.

You have led me to another question! What conditions is Halal meat slaughtered under? I think I remember from religious studies at school (a long time ago now!) that prayers are said while the animal is killed. That is about all I can remember.

I know what you mean about things being in products you would not believe. I avoid gelatine, I know that this is sometimes made from pork so I know where you are coming from!

Clara

Clara,

You can find a really great explaination of halal food and about meat here:

http://www.eat-halal.com/halal.shtml - http://www.eat-halal.com/halal.shtml

If you like beans, you might enjoy this recipe:

Bean and Pasta Salad:

1 cup (before cooking) small pasta (elbows, shells, bow ties...)

I (540ml/19oz) can mixed beans, rinsed well and drained

1/2 cup each sweet red and green pepper, cut in slivers

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1/4 cup diced red onion, 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

4 tbls. olive oil, 4 tbls. lemon juice

Cook pasta and drain, cool.  Mix all ingredients together except last two.  Put olive oil and lemon juice in a jar with a tight fitting lid, shake vigorously.  Pour over salad.  Mix well.  Cover and chill at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.  This salad keeps well for up to 2-3 days in fridge.

Peace, ummziba.

Nachos

1pound of ground beef

Velveta Cheese 1 poound

Tortilla Chips(the round ones)

Green Chillies

Directions

Cook the  ground beef untill done(drain)

Take the cheese and chillies and put in a crock pot and melt stirring on occasions Then put the meat in the same pot and mix it in well

then serve on your tortilla chips

I like this dish with salsa

Its really quick and easy and kids love it.

Thanks again Ummziba! I am going to have so many lovely recipes, I printed the Pepper and Feta one out to use later.

I looked at the explanation of Halal meat. I remember now that our religious studies teacher told us how the animal's blood pressure dropped so dramtically when the practice was done correctly that is was one of the least painful ways of the animal being killed.

Anyway, while doing a bit more research, I found a link that may be of interest to those with a 'sweet tooth':

http://www.halalsweeties.com/ - http://www.halalsweeties.com/

Enjoy!

Clara

AlSalam 3alaikom

does anyone have a good spagetti recipe.

salam

Assalamu alaikum Rose,

I hope you meant spaghetti sauce!  Here goes:

Very finely chop (or leave chunky if you prefer chunky sauce!): 3 cloves garlic, 1 large onion, 1 can mushrooms (drained), 2 small ribs of celery, 1 large carrot, 1 sweet pepper.  Fry in bottom of large pot with a tbls. of olive oil, until onions are soft.

Add: 3 cans diced tomatoes (156 ml/28 oz), 3 cans tomato paste (156 ml/5 1/2 oz.) and three heaping tbls. white sugar.

Bring to soft boil, then simmer for one hour.  Serve on favorite pasta.  This makes enough for two big meals - eat one now, freeze the rest of the sauce for later!

If you like meatballs, add meatballs to sauce after 15 mins. of cooking, then cook for minimum of 4 hours, stirring occassionaly.

Meatballs: to ground beef (or turkey, lamb, or combination) add very finely chopped: one large onion, 1 celery rib, 1 sweet pepper, 1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese, 2 cloves garlic, 3/4 cup ketchup and enough dried bread crumbs to hold meat together well.  (You can add some bran with the crumbs if you like.)

Roll meat into approximately 2 1/2 inch balls and drop into gently boiling sauce.

Before serving, spoon off excess grease from meatballs from around edges of pot.

(*Meatballs can also be baked in the oven instead, they take about 20 minutes at 350 degrees - then serve like that, or drop into hot spaghetti sauce for last 15 minutes of cooking.)

Hope this is decipherable!  Happy cooking!

Peace, ummziba.

Al Salam 3alaikom,

Thanks ummziba thats exactly what i wanted and it looks yummy.

I will try it inshallah.

DavidC wrote: Spaghetti Sauce: Take a can of V-8 juice. It has all the vegetables in it already. Pour it into a crockpot. Add whatever. I like chicken thighs, mushrooms and anaheim peppers. Slow cook all day until thick. Good for anytime you need a simple meal that can be taken off the shelf.

hmmmmmmm,

well the part about "slow cook all day until thick", not what I was looking for, but really that sounds good. Not bad!

salams

• CHICKEN SOUP.     1 ib.chicken ,2 tsp black pepper,3 tsp garlic powder,2 bay leaves,6 oz tomato past,1 tsp salt,2 medium tomatoes(seeded and cut into small pieces ),3 onions(chopped), 2 maggi ,and 3 cups of water.   MIX ALL INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND COOK FOR 2 HRS.    MAKES3 SERVINGS.

AlSalam 3alaikom,

This is one of my favorite recipes:

Sheesh ta ouok (a Lebanese food)

• Take chicken breasts and cut into thin long pieces. Then marinate in mayonnaise, garlic salt (or a piece of garlic mashed), mustard, black pepper, salt, spices, and a little of oil, for at least 2 hours in the fridge.

Then take out and put them in the oven at about 325 (stir from time to time) till cooked.

• Cut up cabbage with mayonnaise.
• Make garlic sauce: in the processor mix in an egg, then 2 pieces if garlic with continuous mixing, a dash of salt, then pour oil (about 1 � cup) slowly as the mixture becomes thick. After, still mixing, add a little of lemon juice. Keep this mixture in fridge.

Finally make sandwiches, using Arabic bread, by spreading some garlic sauce, with the cabbage salad, chicken and if desired some French fries. Put in the oven till warm or crispy.

i forgot to add in the pickles

it gives great taste

Asalam sisters,

There is this food that this moroccan family cooked for me. I never figured out what it is called, but if anyone recognizes it, please send me the reciepe or at least the name of the food! It is so good and I want to be able to cook it someday.

It is chicken..with peas and some sort of whiteish brown gravy. Shukriya and Shokran sisters

Mindy~

Assalamu alaikum,

MindyRahman: I have not come across that recipe yet, but if I do I'll post it here!

It's tomato season!  (at least where I live!)  This is one of my family's favorites:

Stuffed Tomatoes with Sauce:

Wash and cut just the tops off of a dozen large size tomatoes.  Carefully scoop out the insides with a regular cutlery teaspoon (as opposed to a measuring spoon!), leaving thick enough walls so the tomato stands firm.  Scoop all the insides into a bowl. 

Place the tomatoes in a 9x13 inch oven proof dish with sides.  Keep the lids.

Sauce:  take the bowl of tomato "insides" and use your fingers to scrape away the seeds and jelly part.  Place the meaty tomato pieces onto a cutting board and cut into smallish pieces.  Discard the seeds, jelly and juice.

Put tomato pieces in a large pot.  Add:

• 1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz/796 ml), drained (or, use equal amount of peeled, seeded, chopped fresh tomatoes)
• 1 can tomato paste (5 1/2 oz/156 ml)
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 large chopped sweet pepper (any colour you like)
• 1 minced clove of garlic (more if you are garlic lovers!)
• 1 tbsp. granulated white sugar (more to taste, if tomatoes bitter)
• 1 tsp. each: dried oregano, dried basil, dried parsley (or equivalent fresh), (I never add salt, but you can if you wish)

Place sauce on stove and bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer (without lid) for minimum of two hours, stirring occasionally.

Stuffing:

• ground beef (or lamb, or turkey, or combination - beef tastes best!), enough to fill the tomatoes (I always make a bit more and freeze as a small meatloaf for another time!)
• finely chopped: 1 med. onion, 1 sweet pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1/3 cup celery leaves
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
• 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
• 1 tbls. worcestershire sauce
• black pepper (I never add salt, but you can if you wish)
• dried bread crumbs (about 2/3 - 3/4 of a cup - enough to make the meat mixture "stick" together nicely)

Mix well and stuff each scooped out tomato with the meat mixture, pushing meat in firmly.  Let the meat stick up over the tops of the tomatoes a bit.  Place the lids of the tomatoes on top of the meat.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, without covering.

To Serve:

Scoop up each tomato with a slotted spoon and use any other utensil to steady it while you tip it over to let the water/fat run out.

Serve tomatoes with your favorite rice or couscous and top with the sauce.  A nice vegetable goes good with this (especially green beans or corn).

***You can prepare the tomatoes and sauce up to 24 hours ahead and just keep stored, covered tightly in the fridge until time to cook.

***I find 3 tomatoes for adult males, 2 for adult females and 1 for kids about right.

Enjoy!   Peace, ummziba.