My Favorite Arabic love song

 Bismillahi Rahmanu Rahim

I don't know with which one to begin because I have so many Arabic songs that I love so much and I love to listen over and over again!

Allah, soon ... so soon the time will come! I can hardly wait for the moment when a bound will be tight forever!

Every love song that I love is connected to a precious moment from our love story: Kadreyah and Karim :) AlhamdulilAllah!

The moment when I first saw my husband...

...the moment when he first saw me...

...I remember the moment when our eyes met each other first time...

Our story goes on with so precious moments... so special and indeed... so rare between couples... sometimes I was thinking that it is not fair and I was asking myself, I was asking my beloved husband that how come all those beautiful things? And if I really deserve all the goodness and all his precious love for me?... I was thinking to this because meanwhile I have these things in another corner of the world... someone is suffering... another one is hungry... many are crying... much more are hurt and destroyed... so how come that I was receiving so much grace from Allah?

Than my beloved one was all the time reminding me that for every good thing, for every good thought, for every good eyes look and for every simple kind fact, for every blessed word... for every moment when we stop a moment to see the others and for every second when we take for our "precious - busy" time to give a hand to a person in need... we receive back much more that could we think... and much more that could we imagine... even if it comes later, over the time... Allah never forgets and HE gives us every little thing in the right moment with a right way!

Also, in hard times Allah never gives us more than we could take or that we could stand...

I love you my beloved husband!

Our story continuous with a very beautiful part... the part when Allah send us on the same road life and put us in the road of engagement...

Marriage what is one of the most beautiful dreams we had from the moment we discovered that we are in love with each other! ALHAMDULILALLAH!

I know that I have reached home! You are my home, my beloved husband!

And now check out what is behind the story :)))))))))) the real one without nothing hidden :D...

Karkady - Hibiscus Tea

Karkady is one of the most popular and unusual drinks that you can find in Egypt. Made from the dried, dark red petals of the Hibiscus flower.  It is served in many of the popular cafe's throughout Egypt. The best Karkady comes from Upper Egypt. Be sure to bring home a bag of dried petals from Aswan or Luxor.

* 1 cup hibiscus petals

* 2 cups sugar

Pick over the dried petals, removing any stems or leaves.  Soak the hibiscus petals in cold water to cover for 1-2 hours. Transfer the petals and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Remove the pot immediately and strain the liquid through filter paper.  Return the petals to the pot, add fresh cold water to cover, and repeat as above.  Repeat the process until the karkady loses its reddish hue.  Then, discard the petals and sweeten the juice while it is still hot.  Serve cold, although it is a pleasant drink when served warm in the wintertime.

It is possible to purchase hibiscus tea bags from other lands as a substitute, but the intensity of flavor will not be the same. I have found hibiscus tea bags from Europe in the international food department of a very large supermarket.

Raspberry Mint Cairo Cooler

I feel kind of thirsty... so how about a nice refreshment drink?... especially because the hot days of summer are almost here...

Ingredients:

1  cup fresh mint

2 1/2  cups pineapple juice

1  cup frozen raspberries

3   ounces frozen limeade concentrate, thawed

16  fluid ounces cold carbonated lemon-lime beverage lime wedge (to garnish)

Instructions:

1. Rub the mint leaves around the inside of a large iced tea jug or pitcher, then drop them in. Pour in remaining ingredients and mix well.

2. Serve with a lime wedge on the edge of the glass.

Bon apetit! 

Basboosa - Semolina Cake with Honey and Lemon

 Bismillahi Rahmanu Rahim

I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!

Ingredients:

Ingredients

Semolina flour / sooji  / rava - 1.5 cup

Butter - 1 stick or 1/2 cup, softened (If you do not want it to be very rich, you can try adding only 1/2 stick or 1/4 cup. I have tried this recipe twice and the second time I used only 1/4 cup butter).

Plain yoghurt - 1 cup

Baking powder - 1 tsp

Vanilla extract - 1 tsp

For the honey syrup

Honey - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 3/4 cup

Rose water - 3 tbsp or 1 tsp rose essence

Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Method

1. Cream  the butter and 1/2 cup sugar using an electric mixer. Add yoghurt and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Now add the semolina flour and baking powder. Mix well with a spatula until you have a sticky dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat an oven to 375 F. Transfer the dough into a well-greased 7 x 11 inch baking dish or a 10 inch round cake pan and level the dough using your hands. 

3. Bake for 20 minutes. Take out the baking dish using your oven mitts. Now cut the partially baked dough to squares or diamonds. Press an almond or any nut you prefer onto each diamond. Now return the baking dish back into the oven and bake for another 13 - 15 minutes till the edges are brown. Now put it on broil mode for 2 - 3 minutes so that surface will turn golden brown. Take it out of the oven.

4. Meanwhile combine the honey,  sugar and 2 tbsp rose water in a saucepan. Stir at medium-low heat until the  sugar dissolves and the mixture has a syrupy consistency ( would not take more than  7 - 10 minutes). Add the lemon juice and 1 tbsp rose water. Turn off the stove. When the basboosa is done in the oven, take it out using your oven mitts. Pour the honey syrup all over the hot basboosa. Cool and take out the cakes from the baking dish using a metal spatula. It tastes best after 1 - 2 days. Enjoy!!

If you note... I didn't add here no information about calories :D :D :D... I just want to enjoy this without looking to numbers :D :D :D.

Egyptian Koshary Pasta

 Bismillahi Rahmanu Rahim!

I am telling you from the beginning that I just simply adore this dish :) and I love also to made this :)! It was not a success from the beginning and I am still improving myself :D... but I love to try and to experience and I don't give up until I am not at least close to be perfect ;)...

Oh! and I have to tell you that no matter how much I love food, I still want to enter on my high school clothes and to have a healthy body and a harmony with myself! Besides, 3asady loves that his wife looks good and... sexy ;)... so pay attention to the calories too ;) and don't forget that we have to eat to live, not to live to eat! ;)

This meatless dish layers common grains, such as rice, lentils and pasta with a tomato-cinnamon flavored sauce.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups cooked penne pasta

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin , divided

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder

1 cup cooked lentils

1 can (15 ounces)  crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon  Crushed Red Pepper

3 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups)

2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 2 cups), optional*

Instructions:

1. Combine rice and pasta; spoon in bottom of shallow serving platter. Keep warm.

2. Whisk together vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and garlic powder in a medium bowl. Add cooked lentils and stir to combine. Spoon over rice and pasta.

3. Combine tomatoes, water, sugar, cinnamon, salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin and red pepper in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Stir in squash. Spoon tomato mixure over lentil layer. Partially stir tomato mixture into other layers, but do not completely combine all layers. If desired, prepare crisp-brown onions as directed below and add as a topping.

*Cook onions in large skillet with 1 tablespoon oil over high heat, stirring frequently, until brown and slightly crispy, about 10 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 169, Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 281 mg, Carbohydrates: 34 g, Protein: 7 g