Moist Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

I apologize for the lack of posts. It almost seems like whenever I make a decision to start posting more, life swoops in and makes it so that I can not only not update more often, but that I can’t update at all! Life has been very un-cooperative as of late, and work has kept me uber busy. Allow me to outline to you my days: I wake up early at 7 late at 8 am, and scramble to catch my bus at 8:15 (you don’t want to know the craziness I go through every morning trying to get ready in 15 min) and hop onto the bus to work. I get to work at 9, and jolt myself awake with a caffeine boost, and then its work, work, work until 5 (sometimes 6). By the time I get home its 6 (sometimes 7) and I’m exhausted. So I figure I’ll take a quick break, rejuvenate, then bake something delicious, take loads of pretty pics, and then update away! What really happens: plop face first into my comfy bed with all its comfy pillows. End up accidentally falling asleep. Wake up an hour later wondering whats going on? Contemplate what I should bake. Check my email. Watch some youtube. Catch up on a TV show or two, and before I know it its midnight! :o

So then, I think to myself, on the weekend I’ll bake a BUNCH of stuff and then update throughout the week with it! Yay! Right? Nay. Every single weekend has been cloudy and rainy! EVERY. SINGLE. WEEKEND. How am I supposed to take pretty pictures without any good lighting? I swear its like life is laughing in my face. Working on files all day at work? Sure! I’ll pour in lots of beautiful sunshine and PERFECT weather. Excited for the weekend and all the baking? How about I stop the sunshine on Friday, give you thunderstorms on the weekend, and bring back the shine on Monday


The weathers a bitch. Plain and simple.

Now that I have that off my chest, on to these delicious lemon poppy seed cakes. I made them way back in January because I was getting the winter blues and need something light and ‘summery’, so I guess that would fit in quite snugly now what with all our 40C hot weather!

Moist Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

(from AllRecipes)

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour

• 1 1/8 cups white sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest

• 4 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

• 1 1/3 cups unsalted butter, softened

• 5 eggs

• 3/4 cup white sugar

• 3/4 cup lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

2. Sift together the flour, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar and salt. Then mix in the lemon peel, poppy seeds and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

4. In a saucepan over low heat; cook 3/4 cup white sugar and the lemon juice until stirring until sugar is dissolved. Let cool to just warm or to room temperature.

5. Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack-place a cookie sheet underneath this rack. Prick the top of the cake several times with a toothpick. Brush the top of the cake with the warm or room temperature syrup, allowing lots of the syrup to run down and soak into the sides and bottom of the cake. Cool slightly in the pan before removing the cake to the wire rack to cool completely. When completely cooled, wrap the cake in foil or plastic freezer wrap and let the cake rest at least one day before serving to your guests.

Read more...

Persian Cuisine: Part 1-Zereshk Polo O Morgh

Mini Series on Persian Cuisine: PART 1 - Zereshk Polo O Morgh (Barberry and Chicken)

I mentioned wayyyy back when that I was thinking of starting a mini series on Persian Cuisine, and finally got around to introducing it in my Eid/New- Year post.

I'm both excited and nervous about sharing Persian Cuisine with you guys and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

First a quick back story: I am an Iranian-Canadian, and proud of it! Though I consider myself to be quite Canadian (check out my Canada Day cupcakes!) I still have very strong roots to my Iranian culture. Though I may be quite  a bit bias in saying this, but Persian food is good. Like. Really. Good. Its the type of food that satisfies many palates. Unlike other cuisines that might be too spicy or too mild for some, Persian cuisine is a delicious middle. However, though I enjoy eating it, it dawned on me that I have absolutely NO CLUE on how to make any of it! So, I have asked my mom to show me, and I plan to document my learning through the blog so you guys can learn too!

I also happen to be very fortunate because I have a mother who knows how to cook. And I know many people may say, "SO?! My Mom knows how to cook too!" But no. seriously. You dont know how good you have it until you dig into what you think will be REALLYYY good food, only to find that your friend's mom just...doesn't make it as good as your mom! I guess this food obsession is genetic? ;)

Still not convinced that my mom is like the super genius of Persian food? Then take everyone else's word for it. OTHER Iranians are always commenting on how delicious my moms cooking is, and are often asking about 'her way' of making things. Her most requested recipe? This one right here. Consider this a secret family recipe. The thing that makes this go over the top is, are you ready for it? The tomato paste. Who would have thought huh?

Anyways, I thought I would kick start my mini-series on Persian Cuisine with something that is not only delicious (duh!) but relatively easy to make, fits many taste buds (I mean...its chicken) AND is a 'secret family recipe' ( which makes me giddy inside because we don't have too many of those around here).

The literal Translation of this recipe would be Zereshk (Barberry) Polo (Rice) O (and) Morgh (chicken)

Zereshk Polo O Morgh


Ingredients:
(serves about 3)

Morgh:
- about 1/2 a chicken cut up into individual size pieces
- Saffron
- 2-3 tbsp Tomato Paste
- about 1 cup Water
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion

Zereshk:

- small onion (optional)
- 1/4 cup Barberry
- Saffron
- 1 tbsp sugar


Instructions:




 1. chop up a medium sized onion and pour it into a medium-large sized pot 

2. Take a 'pinch' (really small amount) of saffron (make sure to use the tip of a spoon and not your fingers!) and pour it into a small bowl. Add about 2 tbsp of boiling water.

I used a 1/8 tsp measuring spoon to show you how little it is.

**TIP** Crush your saffron down to a powder using a mortar and pestle. This makes your saffron smell better and give off a stronger color

3. In a separate medium size bowl combine the following: 2-3 tbsp of tomato paste, 4 tbsp lemon juice, 1 cup of water, 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix. Add in the saffron mixture. Pour over the chicken in the pot.

4. Put the lid on and put it on low-medium heat to cook for about 40-45 min, depending on the strength of your stove top.

And thats it! your done your chicken! Now, while you are waiting for the chicken make your rice the same way you always do. Then, make the Zereshk. This is optional too, but I would suggest making it and trying it. I used to not be a fan when I was a child, but its grown on me over the years. It has a really sour (like lemoney not bitter) taste to it, and gives the dish that tiny little extra pop.


How to make the Zereshk:

1. Chop up your small onion if using and pour it into a pan and fry it up a bit.

Dice it up nice and small

2. Prepare some more saffron 'liquid' in a small bowl as you had before.

3. wash your barberries really well. Give them several rinses and pick out any stems or dirt.

Cleaning it out- pick out stems and any dirt/rocks that may be there

Wash

oohh look at my mommy's pretty ring! ;)

Drain

Use Berries while they are still moist!

4. Then, while barberries are still moist, add them to the pan and toss in the saffron.

5. Add 1 tbsp of sugar to cut back on the sourness.

** NOTE: Barberries 'bake' really fast, so only a few mixes should be enough. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER HEAT IT OR IT WILL BURN!

6. Take it off the pan and mix in some of the prepared rice into it. (about 1/2 cup)


How to arrange:

Pour some rice on to your plate. Top its of with about a spoon or two of the Zereshk you made, and top it with the chicken (and some of its juices)

Enjoy!!

Read more...

Home Remedies for a Cold!

Hello my lovelies!

I alas am sick again. Well, not sick again, more like I was feeling a lot better and then I stopped chugging the fluids and the meds and it came right back. *sigh*

Dont get me wrong, I'm not feeling no where near as bad as I did initially, no fever or sneezing here! However, I do have a bit of a dilemma. You see I was having some dimetapp for my cough, and as long as I have that, I dont cough. Yay, all is good right?

But no, life has to throw in a lemon. It turns out my sinuses were acting up, and thus, I couldnt breath through my nose cause it was all clogged up. But why not take Advil Cold and Sinus? My usual life saver? Because life hates me that's why. I called my pharmacist and she told me that I cant mix both cough meds with Sinus ones and that I have to suffer through one of them without medicine. :(

Well I'm taking my yucky tasting cough syrup but now my throat is SO DRY (because I'm forced to breath through my mouth ) that I can barely talk! *tear* If there is anything you are to know about Zahra it is that she talks. A lot. Like, you want to smack her in the hopes that she will shut up. But she wont.

So to not be able to talk is like death to me! But alas! Google to the rescue! I searched for some home remedies (while the humidifier was on full blast) to sooth a dry throat and came up with the classic lemon and honey trick. I sliced up some lemon slices and poured tea and honey over them. Very yummy. Somewhat effective. However, I have had 5 cups of it today, and I think if I have to have another cup I will probably start having a hissy fit. Yes, very mature, I know.

Soooo help me out peeps! What do YOU use as a natural remedy to a dry or soar throat? Any family recipes handed down from Great Aunt Jane? A trick you moms swear by? Let me know :)


P.S. Anyone want to write an essay on Thomas Hobbes Leviathan for me? preferably by Friday? pretty please? come on....I'll make you some brownies **bats lashes** ;)

Read more...

yah about that...

Im trying to figure out what to have for lunch....go to the residence foods place...or go to the oh so close stdent run cafe? hmmm....decisions decisions..... I felt SO nautious today and I dont know why. Yet i want food. how awful am I? ;)

Damn. Exams. SO BEHIND. All I do is keep watching Greys anatomy! I mean I was an on again off again fan...so now im watching the entire series online :D

omg Izzie is so funny..... "Im helping you BECAUSE THATS WOULD JESUS WOULD FUCKING DO" LOL I love her!

OMG Gossip Girl Episode coming up!!!! :)


So yes...that is all for now, and now some cupcake pictures :)

A TOTALLLYYY random recipe i made up from scratch just cause :p

Lemon Cupcake with cream cheese frosting and crushed Persian Pistachios! :)

WOW LONG ENOUGH NAME?!
Oh! and this time I actually *tried* ...like I bought a white board etc...
and bare in mind that these pics were taken at night! so lighting was REALLY hard -_-

k...

k....

im getting to the photos now :P

**click on pic if you want full view :)

Read more...