Pink and Blue Geometric Ostrich Egg

Hello everyone!

It's been a while since I have posted about something that I have painted. More specifically, an egg that I have painted. So I decided to share an ostrich egg I recently painted as a gift for someone.

Baklava

Here's another recipe that calls for phyllo dough! Although we live in different states now, my sister Wardah and I both decided to use phyllo dough to create yummy pastries on the same day. While she made spanakopita, I chose to make baklava: the popular sweet, crispy pastry made with buttered sheets of dough layered with nuts and lightly sweetened with a honey syrup.

Spanakopita

Hello everyone!

Today's blog post is about an appetizer that my family and I love. A decadent spinach, feta, and cream cheese filled "pie" with layers of crispy, buttery phyllo dough crust. Do I have you interested yet?

Tres Leches Cake

Hello everyone!

Tres leches cake is a cake that my family and I have been wanting to try for many weeks. Ever since my sister heard of it on Laura Vitale's Youtube show, she's been obsessing about how awesome it looked and how much she wanted to try it. When my mom told me she had invited my uncle's family over for dinner, I decided that it was the perfect opportunity for me to try this dessert.

Starbucks Java Chip Frappuccino

Believe me or not, I have never enjoyed coffee. I just cannot handle anything with the bitter taste of espresso. Back when I was in high school, a friend took me to Starbucks one day. Overwhelmed with the variety of choices, and extremely unfamiliar with the taste, I just picked a drink that sounded cool - a "small" peppermint white chocolate mocha. Yet even after pouring in three packets of sugar and lots of creamer, my drink tasted so bad that I had to throw it away. That was the day I learned that I did not like coffee. Wait, scratch that, that was the day I decided that I did not like any Starbucks drink.

For many years after that, I got hot chocolate wherever I went. Then, in college, the Starbucks study sessions began and I was offered a sip of my friend's Frappuccino. Cowed, I told her my previous experience with the bitter drink. Long story short, I was then forced to try her drink. I completely fell in love with the frappe, and ever since then I have been ordering "tall" Starbucks frappes of all flavors every time I am in a 1 mile radius of a Starbucks coffee shop.

The Frappuccino that I find myself craving the most these days is the Java Chip Frappuccino. That is, I was craving it until yesterday. Unfortunately, I wasn't within a 1 mile radius of a Starbucks, and I just did not have the energy to drive any further for some coffee. I finally decided that I would just man up and make it at home. Lemme just say that I was not disappointed and neither will you be.

Java Chip Frappuccino
Serves 2

1 cup cold coffee (I make mine with instant coffee powder and milk)
2 scoops or 4 tablespoons coffee ice cream
2 tablespoons chocolate chips
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup or fudge
1 cup crushed ice
whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and mini chocolate chips as toppings (optional)

Scoop ice cream into blender. Resist licking the spoon or scoop before going back for the second scoop. Pour the chocolate chips in- yeah, you can eat the ones that fell onto the counter. Pour in the coffee. Put in the chocolate syrup. Again, resist licking the spoon until it's all in. Throw in  the ice. Blend all the ingredients together until you get a thick, icy mixture. Pour into two tall glasses and serve with whip cream and other toppings.

Yes, now you can attack it. Enjoy!