Recipe: Cauliflower Musakhan

Obviously the original version of musakhan is a big leg of chicken with pinenuts and sumac served on a flatbread but this recipe gestures towards it and is both really easy to whip up (especially if you have some frozen or ready made naan). Usually it’s not served with a yogurt sauce but I think most things in life would be better with a yogurt sauce. You could easily add some fresh olives, tomatoes, or finishing olive oil instead and those would all be nice additions too.

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Recipe: Chicken Chasseur

This is a great fancy weekend meal because it is a nice and extra special dish but also it isn’t too involved. The only ingredient you might have to go out of your way to get is cognac. You can substitute in a white wine (or use both cognac and white wine) but that flavor really makes the sauce special since it’s such a simple dish. This can be easily doubled, made ahead, or frozen meaning decadence can be available at almost any time.

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Recipe: Chocolate-Orange Cheesecake

I recently made a cheesecake and then I made another and then, just for a good measure, I also made this cheesecake and this one was the winner by a clear mile. This cake is rich and creamy. The citrus seems to cut through a lot of the fatty flavors, I think this cake doesn’t need anything else added to it but you can top it with candied orange peel, dried mint, or more chocolate ganache if you want to really take it over the top.

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Recipe: Poppyseed Strudel Roll

This poppyseed bread roll is absolutely divine. The bread is soft and fully and the filling is nutty and just a little sweet making it very easy to eat and perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. The dough is very easy to work with and though some of the filling oozed out when I rolled it up there was plenty to make a very lovely looking swirl inside with a nice soft crunch as contrasting texture.

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Recipe: Aash e Jow

There’s an entire category in Persian food of thick stews/thick soups, آش [Aash] and since that’s one of my SOs favorite types of food I have been trying to find ones that we both like and it just so happens this very simple barley stew is a winner with us. This soup is filling on its own without bread or other side dishes and it has soft comforting flavors that aren’t too challenging for people not used to Persian flavors.

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Recipe: Orange Cookies

This one bowl cookies are absolutely perfect for when you’re craving those supermarket bakery cookies with the thick sugary icing on them (if you’re in the US you know exactly which ones I mean). These cookies are super unique and delicious with a citrus tang that is just sour enough to off-set the sweetness of the frosting. Add some sprinkles if you’re feeling cheeky or if you want these to be classy you can pipe some royal icing messages on top. The cookies don’t need to be chilled before baking so these are great for when you’re in a little bit of a rush as well.

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Recipe: Pampushka

Pampushka are a traditional Ukrainian style roll which can be either sweet or savory. This version is an herb and garlic butter topped version which is perfect for dipping in a hearty broth-filled soup or as a side dish at a big meal. You can top these with whatever your heart desires but the smell of garlic and butter before biting into a pillow-like bun is, to me, unbeatable.

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Recipe: Oven Baked Chana Pulao

I love a good pulao. It’s basically a mixed rice dish with whatever you want in it and this one takes pulao to even higher heights with it’s set it and forget method in the oven and frozen vegetables. This is my favorite type of meal because the only thing you really have to do is chop an onion which I know is a big ask for some people but for me personally, is a 30 second task. This dish is super flavorful, very filling on its own and can easily can scaled up for a crowd plus it’s vegan! Feel free to add whatever types of vegetables you like or have on hand and play around with the spices.

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Recipe: Thai Basil Chicken

This extremely simple one pot recipe is fantastic for a really hearty lunch or dinner. It all cooks in one skillet and it reminded me that I should make coconut rice more often because it’s such a lovely addition to this dish. You can add in whatever vegetables you have on hand and if you don’t have Thai basil, then using regular basil will give you a slightly different but still delicious dish. I served this in lettuce cups but it’s fine on its own too.

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