Middle Eastern Food

Have leftover tahini in your cabinet after making hummus? You absolutely have to make a tuna salad with tahini! By replacing the mayonnaise in traditional tuna salad with tahini, you'll be taking a sandwich staple from drab to fab. The tahini adds a nice nutty flavor that really goes well with tuna. Add a little onion, lettuce, and tomato and you have the perfect tuna sandwich. Tuna Salad with Tahini Recipe

Looking for other tahini recipes? Check out 10 Recipe That Use Tahini As An Ingredient

Rice is one food that I do buy in bulk. I love that discount shopping clubs like Costco and Sam's Club sometimes offer basmati and jasmine rice in amounts to feed the masses. There is just so many ways you can make rice. It has to be the most versatile side dish.

Growing up, we had rice a lot. My favorite part was the burnt rice at the bottom. The sticky, chewy, burnt flavor was what I really looked forward to and I had to beat my siblings to it. I even have a memory of fighting my brother over it! Little did I know then that the crusted rice at the bottom is an actual dish called tah-dig in Persian cooking!

This recipe for tah-dig is so easy, but may take a few times to get the rice the way you like it. Some people like it more or less crusted. Every stove is different too, so you may have to take it up or down on the heat. But, all in all, it's a fool-proof recipe that even a beginner could make.

I love teas mixed with other flavors, like lemonade and different fruits. Ice pomegranate tea has to be one of my absolute favorites -- the pomegranate complements the tea flavor very well. After paying a few dollars for a single serving bottle at the convenience store every day, the cost began to add up. I decided to make my own iced pomegranate tea and the result was better than any other I had ever tasted.

Today, I share with you my recipe for iced pomegranate tea. Try it today! I know you will love it! Iced Pomegranate Tea Recipe

Review from an About.com reader: "The flavor is truly amazing & its so simple to make (and good for you too). This is now my favorite iced tea. Thanks for the recipe!! So long Lipton and sayonara Nestea"

I can't argue with that! Enjoy!

There are times when we are cooking for our family or having a get together with friends, and we want to serve a dish that is exciting and fun. Many times our family members or friends do not like to eat the same thing, and it can be frustrating to find a dish that will please everyone. I have come across this situation many times, and I have the perfect solution for it: the kebab bar.

A kebab bar allows your guests to choose their own meats and veggies for their kebabs. After assembling them, they hand them off to the chef (you) to be grilled! Here's how to make a kebab bar at home!

Memorial Day has practically become synonymous for being the first official holiday when most everyone grills outdoors. Weather permitting, outside in front of my grill is where you'll find me. I take advantage of any chance I get to play grill master, and this weekend will be no different. While burgers and hot dogs are tasty and traditional, I like to mix things up a little and serve something different. One of my favorite recipes on the grill is grilled lamb chops. These go perfect with grilled vegetables or grilled corn on the cob.

If weather in your area doesn't cooperate this Memorial Day weekend, why not try grilling indoors? If you have an indoor grill I have a list of my favorite top ten indoor grill recipes that will guarantee you won't miss out on the grilling experience at all!

Whether you cook indoors or out, don't forget dessert! Khoshaf, a dried fruit salad, would be perfect for this occasion, as well as an orange date nut bread. No matter what you serve this Memorial Day holiday, enjoy your day!

_{Photo by Ben Shafer}

Not long ago, I received an email from a reader who wanted to make his own pita bread, but add cinnamon and raisins. Initially, it sounded like  fantastic idea, but on second thought, I realized it wouldn't work out so well. The results would be less than ideal. Here is my response as to why cinnamon raisin pita would be a bad idea....

Cinnamon raisin pita may not be a good idea at home, but you can make authentic and delicious white and whole wheat pita at home. All you need is a few common ingredients and an oven, and you are good to go. Making pita can be a lengthy process, but is super easy. Make your own pita bread today!

Pine nuts are a commonly used ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking. They are mildly sweet, nutty and offer terrific flavor and texture to many dishes. It is becoming more and more popular in many different cuisines, but is definitely most popular in Mediterranean, Asian, and Middle Eastern foods.

Not all pine nuts are edible, so before you go harvesting from your pine trees in the backyard, read this article about pine nuts first. Please note that I do not advise this -- stick with the packaged pine nuts you find in the supermarket!

Did you know that some people experience a loss of taste or a bitter taste from eating certain pine nuts? Read more about it in this pine nut FAQ.

I love when I can borrow the flavor of one culture and fuse it with another. An easy recipe to do that with is hummus. The beans and tahini adapt very well to a variety of spices and vegetables, making it easy to introduce unique flavors. One of my favorite hummus recipes is chipotle cilantro hummus. The chipotle adds a bold smoky flavor and the cilantro complements it perfects. If you love chipotle, this hummus is for you! Chipotle Cilantro Hummus Recipe

Tahini is a staple in Middle Eastern food recipes. It adds texture and flavor to hummus and several other dips and is one o the base ingredients in many sauces! If you're not familiar with tahini, you should know that its a paste made from sesame seeds. It has a rich flavor and is delicious!

The bad thing about tahini is that it is often expensive to buy. I have seen it retail for as much as $12 at specialty food stores! The good news is that it is super easy and much less expensive to make at home. Nothing beats the taste of homemade tahini. Tahini Recipe

Forget the potato salad and baked beans! While they are staples for any cookout, they can be predictable and boring. Spice things up and make it a little interesting with international dishes! Middle eastern food offers a variety of side dishes that will go well with anything from kid fare to grilled chicken breasts -- even grilled mushrooms! Try these side dishes for your next cookout!

Speaking of grilled mushrooms, I have a wonderful recipe for grilled portobello mushrooms. When grilled right, they are absolutely delicious and can rival a steak -- not kidding! Check out my recipe for grilled portobello mushrooms. I like to add a little swiss or provolone and serve these topped with grilled onions. You really cannot go wrong with grilled mushrooms!

Tired of burgers and dogs? Try this 5 star grilled chicken recipe. It will knock your socks off!