Even my baby brother loved it!

So sometimes I like to go to Google Maps and just search different types of cuisine and see what restaurants are located near me.  So, a while back, I typed "Falafel" into Google Maps and I was shown a little treasure, not too far from home, that I am now addicted to.  The place is called Shahrazad Market & Cafe.  Half of the space is a Middle Eastern grocery store and the other half is a restaurant.  Needless to say the food is amazing!!!  And the atmosphere is so authentic (even of you can tell it used to be a Quiznos).  So I ate there twice, once with my mom and once with my most awesome little sister-in-law.  (We're going back tomorrow because we found out that on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10:00AM to 12:00PM they have a "Special Breakfast" which is all you can eat falafel, baba, hummus, and more for . . . get this . . . $4.99 per person!!!)

Anyway, this past weekend, I got this wild idea to go over to Shahrazad to do some grocery shopping.  Mainly because last time I bought basmati rice at my grocery store, I paid $5.99 for 1 pound of rice.  And at Shahrazad, I got a 10 pound bag for $12.99.

While I was there, I did some browsing in the spice section and bought a couple of really great things.  Then I made a stop at World Market and picked up a couple more things I needed, including a cast iron grill pan.  This prompted me to come home and do some cooking.  So I made a tri-cultured meal!

The menu consisted of Thai spiced chicken kebabs, Middle Eastern za'atar, and a Jewish zucchini fritada.  Okay, so maybe that's a little weird, but I swear to all that is good and holy, it was delish!!!  (By the way, I got a spring form pan for Christmas so I made a homemade New York cheesecake as well.)

First, the Thai spiced kebabs . . . Basically I cut up boneless, skinless chicken breast meat into large chunks and skewered them with fresh onion and red and green bell pepper.  Then I dusted them with some Thai spice and cooked them on my new cast iron grill pan.  Now, you might be asking yourself, what is Thai spice?  Of the top of my head, I do not know.  But I do know that you can buy bottles of it at World Market.  You should pick some up.  (This is the same spice that I have made -and posted about- Thai chicken lettuce wraps with.)

Now on to my newest addiction.  Za'atar!!!  It is basically a "spice blend" that contains sesame seeds, sumac, and more.  From what I have read, it boosts mental abilities and so, in the Middle East, it is traditionally eaten on the mornings, especially before school or an exam.

So, you use this za'atar mix, some flat bread (I prefer whole grain Tandoori Naan), and some olive oil.  What I did was sprinkled some olive oil over my naan, sprinkle liberally with the za'atar, then put under the broiler for a minute or two.  Then drizzle some more olive oil over the top and enjoy.  (My baby brother loved this so much that I gave him some of my za'atar to take home with him and he plans to go to Shahrazad (for breakfast with me tomorrow) and pick up his own huge jar of za'atar (for only $3.99!!!) while we are there.

 

Next I made a Jewish zucchini fritada.  It's creamy and cheesy and so delightful.  I could est this every day.

Ingredients

• 1 pound zucchini, grated
• 8 ounces eta cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped finely
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions

1. Set the grated zucchini in a colander for at least 1/2 an hour.  Squeeze out as much water as possible.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Crumble the feta cheese and add to the zucchini.  Sprinkle with dill. Mix well.
4. Place the zucchini mixture in a greased 9" round baking pan.  Sprinkle with grated cheese.
5. Bake 45 to 60 minutes until golden brown.

And the last thing I made was a New York Cheesecake.  (I will admit right up front that it tasted wonderful but it didn't look so great.  I followed the recipe that came with my spring form pan to the letter.  But it made so much batter that I ended up over filling the pan which caused it to rise too much when then in turn caused it to crack.  So, as I said, it wasn't the prettiest cheesecake.  But it was a first attempt and it was so yummy!!!

Ingredients

• 15 graham crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 4 - 8 oz, packages of cream cheese
• 1-1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter.  Press into the bottom of a spring form pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth.  Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs, one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate.
4. Mix in sour cream, vanilla, and flour until smooth.
5. Pour filling onto prepared crust.  Bake 1 hour.
6. Turn the oven off and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5-6 hours.  Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.

So there you have it.  Now I have a headache and it is Friday night.  I'm off to watch an old Dean Martin flick and enjoy a glass of wine.  Good night.