Everyone around the world is eagerly anticipating the arrival of Ramadan. It will begin on Sunday night with tarawih prayers and the first fast will be, God willing, on Monday when the new moon can be sighted. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and a month of fasting, purification and intense worship. Ramadan is the month where the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him.) Many non-Muslims may wonder why do Muslims actually look forward to the punishment of not eating or drinking all day! Especially now in the month of August with incredibly hot, long days. Ramadan is not only a month where we fast but it's also the month with endless rewards in this world and the hereafter. That is what we are after. We want the rewards of the fasting, of all the good deeds we try to accomplish and of all the acts of worship we perform in this amazing month, and we do this for only one reason, for God. We don't fast to show off for people, we don't fast for any prophets or saints, we don't worship to show others we are such good Muslims, we don't have seven course iftar (breaking the fast) dinners to outdo our neighbours, we do it for God alone and ... continue reading...
Herbes De Provence Pastry Crust
Herbes de Provence Pastry Crust 1 cup/148g plain/all purpose flour ½ cup/74g whole wheat flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon Herbes de Provence ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated 5oz/127g butter, cold in small pieces 2-4 tablespoons water, ice cold In a bowl of a food processor, add the flours, the salt, the herbs, and the cheese and whiz till well blended. Add the cubed, chilled butter and pulse, till the butter is cut uniformly into the flour and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the 2 tablespoons of water and pulse again. If the mixture looks too dry and does not hold together when pinched together, add more water, a tablespoon at a time. Turn the mixture out onto a floured board and gently bring the mixture into a smooth ball. Don't knead too hard but enough to get a blended ball of dough. Flatten the ball into a disc, to make it easier for rolling, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. If the dough was made before hand, remove the dough from the fridge and let it soften a little before rolling, about 15 minutes. If at any time the dough becomes too soft and hard to handle, put back into the fridge to cool. Note: Alternatively, ... continue reading...
Mushroom Tart
I write this sitting at the neighbourhood park watching my son play. He loves the park. Everyday, the first thing out of his mouth is whether I can take him to the park. I don't mind the park since I grew up across from Regent's Park in central London. Regent's Park was our second home and I believe there was a method behind my father's madness. He was away from home on business many days and I am quite certain, he deliberately purchased our flat across from the park. This is what kept my mother's insanity intact. She had four children under the age of seven when we first moved to London, insanity indeed. We spent hours at the park feeding the vicious ducks. That description may surprise you as you may have expected something more effusive about the pretty, Mallard ducks and the cloud white swans, but quite honestly, those ducks were horrid and I stand by my original description, vicious. Looking back, I believe we only went to feed the ducks because my mum felt too guilty throwing the bread ends away. I know it wasn't because those ducks were precious! Regardless of the ducks, the park was gorgeous. Spring and summer in the park were unforgettable; The Rose Garden, the fields of ... continue reading...
Hot Days, Cool Nights and Stunning Sunsets.
It has been unimaginably hot here in Denver the last few days. I believe most cities are experiencing the same. I was talking with my sister in Toronto yesterday and she was also complaining about the heat. My dad is there visiting her from Houston and they all insist he brought the scorching heat of Houston with him. It is a very stifling, smothering heat. It actually reminds me of that scene in "Rango" when Rango enters the desert and his skin dries and moults over and over again from the heat and lack of water. That is how I've been feeling lately...parched. The one saving grace for us is the rain that follows this heat. It has been raining in the afternoon and allowing us a reprieve from the torturous heat of the day. The nights are cooling down nicely and the cool breezes soothe our blistered bodies. Our favourite thing to do when it gets hot here is to escape into the mountains. It's always a pleasant temperature up there giving us about a 10-20 degree drop. I often find myself looking at ... continue reading...
Potato-Cheese Phyllo Pie
On Sunday, we opened up our doors to some very special guests. We haven't seen them in about a year or so and it was a great thrill to be in their company again. They happen to be the parents of my friend Tammi who graced me with her presence last week. Her parents are vacationing near Vail and so she concocted a plan to visit us both in one trip. Worked out brilliantly I think. Aunt Carole and Uncle Art are wonderfully, smashing people and I always enjoy our visits. Three years ago, my husband and I went to Las Vegas for his company trip and Aunt Carole and Uncle Art carted us around one evening to various touristy spots (they live in Las Vegas) and were very patient with us as we acted like blithering idiots at the amazement of it all. I always make sure they come over for a bite to eat at my house whenever they visit. They are like having a favourite uncle and aunt and they are ... continue reading...
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