HOMEMADE POGACA; TURKISH SAVORY PASTRY WITH CHEESE

Makes 11 pogacas

Preparation time: 20 min (+1 hour for dough to rise)                  Cooking time: 25- 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the dough:

7gr dry yeast (1 sachet)

3 ¼ cups all-purpose plain flour

1 tsp. salt

1/3 cup plain (whole milk) yoghurt

1 egg, beaten

½ cup mild olive oil or sunflower oil

½ cup warm milk

For the filling:

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

½ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

For the topping:

1 egg, beaten

Sesame seeds and nigella seeds to decorate

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F

Combine the warm milk and dry yeast in a small bowl and mix well. Let it stand for 5 minutes so that it gets foamy.

Let the dough to rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes

In a large bowl, stir in the flour and salt and make a well in the middle. Add the yoghurt, mild olive oil (or sunflower oil) and the beaten egg to the flour mixture, in the middle. Stir in the foamy yeast mixture and knead well with your hands for a few minutes, until the dough comes together. Shape the dough like a ball, place in the large bowl and cover with a cling film. Let it rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.

Crumbled feta cheese and fresh parsley make a delicious filling

While the dough is rising, prepare your filling. In a medium size bowl, stir in the crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F and grease a baking tray.

Once the dough has risen, punch down and divide into 11 equal pieces, each about a size of a small tangerine. Roll each piece into a ball, and then flatten into a round flat circle with your fingertips, about 10 cm, 4” in diameter (you can make them smaller if you prefer). Place a spoonful of the filling mixture (take care not to overfill) at one side of the circle dough, leaving a little unfilled dough margin near the edges. Fold the circle to cover the filling to form a half moon shape. Make sure the dough covers the filling and meet the other end. Seal the two ends of the dough, pressing with your fingertips well. Place the stuffed dough on the greased tray and repeat this procedure with the rest of the dough pieces.

Place the prepared pogacas, stuffed dough pieces side by side on a greased tray. Brush them with the beaten egg and sprinkle with nigella and sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for about 25 – 30 minutes, until they are golden brown at top.

Serve warm; glass of Cay, Turkish tea goes really well with these delicious pogacas.

 

Hash Brown Egg Bake Recipe

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Bake: 45 min.

MAKES: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 package (30 ounces) frozen cubed hash brown potatoes, thawed


• 1 pound bacon strips, cooked and crumbled


• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided


• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 8 eggs


• 2 cups milk


• Paprika

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the hash browns, bacon, 1/2 cup cheese and salt. Spoon into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. In another large bowl, beat eggs and milk until blended; pour over hash brown mixture. Sprinkle with paprika.


2. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Yield: 8 servings.

Note: This dish may be prepared in advance, covered and refrigerated overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Oreo Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 24 Oreos (crushed)


• 2 tablespoons butter


• 3 packages cream cheese (600 grams in total)


• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar


• 3/4 cups milk


• 2 eggs


• 1 cup sour cream/labaneh (160 grams)


• 1 tablespoon vanilla


• 1/4 cup all purpose flour


• whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 220°. and oil a 9inch pan (grease the sides of the pan as well)


2. In a medium bowl crushed Oreos with melted butter. Press into pan.


3. In another bowl mix powdered sugar with cream cheese using a spoon until smooth, and then mix in the eggs one at a time but do not over mix. Mix in sour cream/labaneh, vanilla and flour until smooth. Add some crushed Oreos to mixture.


4. Pour filling into prepared Oreo crust.


5. Wrap your pan in 2 layers of aluminium foil and place in a water bath (a bigger pan with 1 inch of water in it) then place in preheated oven.


6. Bake for 60 minutes, turn the oven off and let the cake cool with door closed for 1-2 hours.


7. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.


8. Decorate cheesecake with whipped cream and crushed Oreos.

THE 7 BEST FOODS TO EAT IN YOUR 20S

Your 20s require a lot of energy. You have ten years to choose and establish yourself in your career, decide whether to go to grad school or not, start saving for retirement, date enough of the wrong people that you finally start dating the right ones, stay up late enough that you don’t feel you wasted your youth, and periodically stave off a quarter-life crisis by reviewing all of the celebrities whose 20s were way worse than yours. You also have to make sure you’re in top shape for all of the dates, happy hours, brunches, late nights at work, and spin classes that make up this golden decade. 

If there’s any one thing you can do to keep yourself going and make all the above easier, it’s paying attention to what you put in your body. We’ve rounded up a list of the seven most important foods to eat in your 20s. They all boost your health and fill you up, without adding to your grocery store bill

SALMON

Not only could salmon protect against skin cancer, this fatty fish is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that may help amp levels of serotonin, a key feel-good neurotransmitter, in the brain. “This boost is so great because women in their 20s are often susceptible to depression,” says Brooke Alpert, MS, a New York City-based nutritionist. So load up on lox during your next bagel run or try these super simple salmon cakes.

 GREEK YOGURT

This Uncle Jesse-approved snack is an excellent source of protein, vitamin D, and calcium, a well-known bone-boosting nutrient. “Your 20s are a great time to strengthen your bones. In fact, it’s the last push you can give before your 30s, when you can’t change skeleton density anymore,” says Alpert.

 BEANS

Fiber rich and crazy cheap, you get tons of nutritional bang for your buck. “They’re a really good vegetarian source of protein, plus full of potassium which helps keep your blood pressure in check,” Alpert says. Skip canned beans — recent research suggests that they could contain BPA, a chemical linked to heart problems — and go for dry beans instead.

 BERRIES

Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries: you really can’t go wrong here, people. “All berries are loaded with fiber, antioxidants and tons of vitamins,” says Alpert. And you don’t have to wait ‘til summer when they’re in season to indulge. Frozen organic berries are just as healthy, so keep them on hand to have a quick smoothie for breakfast, she says.

 EGGS

No shame if your post-grad budget calls for a breakfast-for-dinner situation a couple times a week. “Eggs are perfect for breakfast or a quick, healthy dinner,” says Alpert. “They’re extremely versatile plus loaded with protein and hard-to-get B vitamins.” Scrambled eggs post 3pm are now justified.

 QUINOA

Sub in this ancient grain for brown rice or potatoes. It’s a better-for-you carb that comes with two additional perks: “Quinoa is loaded with all the essential amino acids, plus a great source of protein,” says Alpert. Cook up a big batch that will last all week: it’s the perfect addition to a savory brunch but also works as a filling side dish at dinner.

APPLES

Besides the fact that they’re cheap and super portable, apples are low in sugar, high in fiber and filled with antioxidants, says Alpert. You can grab and go for a mid-afternoon or post-workout snack or add chopped bits to your next kale salad to liven it up a little.

Strawberry Super Pie

Ingredients

Pecan Shortbread Crust

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour


• 1 tablespoon powdered (confectioner’s) sugar


• 3/4 cup chopped pecans


• 3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

Fresh Strawberry Topping

• 2 pounds fresh strawberries, divided and hulled (do not slice prior)


• 1/2 cup water


• 1 cup granulated sugar


• 3 tablespoons cornstarch


• Several drops red food coloring (about 5-7, depending on your berries)

Whipped Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 and 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream


• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature (I used reduced fat Neufchatel. Just don’t use fat free.)


• 3/4 teaspoons vanilla extract


• 1/2 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a deep 10-inch pie dish and set aside.


2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, powdered sugar, and pecans. Pour in melted butter and mix by hand until combined. Press into the prepared dish. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely to room temperature, so as not to melt the cream filling.


3. Fresh Strawberry Topping: Mash enough strawberries to make 1 cup (I found it helps to slice them into fairly small pieces first. The mash will be a little chunky, but the berries should be fairly well broken down. Do not puree.) Place mashed berries in a small saucepan with the water. In a small, separate bowl, mix sugar and cornstarch, then add all at once to berries. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture thickens. Add the food coloring a few drops at a time, until you reach a nice strawberry hue (mashing the berries dulls their color, and the food coloring makes for a more appealing finished product). Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely. (Again, you will melt the cream layer if you rush it).


4. Cut tops off of remaining strawberries. The top of each berry will be flat and the rest of the berry should be left whole, allowing the berry to “stand” on its top with the tip up. Set aside.


5. Make the Whipped Cream Cheese Filling: Whip the heavy cream in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a smaller bowl and set aside. Place the cream cheese in the now empty larger bowl (no need to wash it), and beat gently until smooth. Add the powdered sugared a few tablespoons at a time and incorporating after each, then add vanilla. Continue to beat until completely smooth. Carefully fold in whipped cream. Spread in the cooled pecan shortbread crust and refrigerate for a half hour.


6. When crushed berry topping is cool and the crust and cream filling have chilled, arrange the reserved berries with the cut-sides down and tips pointing upward on top of the cream layer. The berries will look like they are “standing” on the cream filling. Start at the outside and place berries side by side in a circle, moving inward, until the cream surface is covered (some cream will show through.)


7. Carefully spoon the cooled fresh strawberry topping over pie, using a small spoon to dribble it between each berry. The cream layer should be completely covered, but do not overfill, as extra topping will simply slop over the side. Save any leftover topping for toast, waffles, ice cream, or go at it with a spoon.


8. Chill at least two hours or overnight. Slice, serve, and save the world!

Notes

Pie will keep in the refrigerator covered in plastic wrap for five days, though the crust will soften somewhat.

Kale, Hemp and Flaxseed Oil Pesto

Kale pesto made with Omega-rich hemp seeds and flaxseed oil. Ready in 5 minutes! Feel free to substitute walnuts for the hemp and/or olive oil for the flaxseed oil if that’s what you have on hand. The pesto recipe is vegan and gluten free (see notes).

Ingredients

Pesto

• 2 to 3 cloves garlic


• 3 cups packed kale (about 1 small bunch)


• ¾ cup hemp seeds or toasted walnuts


• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)


• ¾ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt


• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper


• Red pepper flakes, optional (if you want to add some kick)


• ¼ cup flaxseed oil or extra-virgin olive oil (more if desired)


• Entirely optional: ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Pasta (if you want pasta…)

• 1 pound (16 ounces) whole grain pasta, like linguine


• 1 cup reserved pasta water

Instructions

1. Make the pesto: In a food processor, add the peeled garlic cloves and process until the garlic is minced. Add the kale, hemp seeds, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Turn on the food processor and drizzle in the oil. Process until the pesto reaches your desired consistency, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Taste and add more lemon, salt or pepper if necessary. (You can thin out the pesto with more oil, but if you’re serving with pasta, keep in mind that you can also thin it out with reserved pasta cooking water.)


2. Cook the pasta (optional): Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve one cup cooking liquid before draining the pasta.


3. If you intend to have leftovers, transfer the amount of pasta you think you’ll be eating immediately to a serving bowl and mix in pesto with splashes of cooking water. Otherwise, you can mix the pasta and pesto together in your cooking pot, adding splashes of cooking water as necessary. Keep in mind that you have diluted the flavor a bit with the cooking water, so taste and add more lemon, salt or a drizzle of olive oil as necessary.

Muffin Tin Lasagna Cups

Ingredients:

1/2 pound lean ground beef, cooked

1/2 pound mild Italian sausage, cooked and combined with the ground beef

24 Wonton Wrappers (you can find them in the refrigerated section by the vegetables)

2 cups of Shredded Parmesan Cheese

2 cups of Low-Fat Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 cup of Low-Fat Ricotta Cheese

2 cups of Pasta Sauce

Fresh Basil

Here’s what to do:

• Spray the muffin tins with non-stick spray


• Put one Wonton Wrapper in each muffin tin opening, with the edges coming out


• Then layer the ingredients. First a layer of Parmesan Cheese. Then a basil leaf (optional). Then Mozarella Cheese.The next layer is the meat mixture. Followed by a dollop of ricotta cheese. Then pasta sauce. The last layer is a little more Parmesan Cheese.


• Then bake in the oven at 375-degrees for 15-18 minutes. Until the edges turn golden brown.


• Once it’s cooked, take out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then pop out of the muffin tins. If the wonton wrappers are a sticking to the pan, use a sharp knife and run it around the edges to loosen the cups.