Fruit Pancakes and Fig Compote

I love fruit pancakes, and they are a great way to use fruit that is getting a little soft.  Right now in Turkey it is fig season.   Fresh figs should almost look too soft to eat.  Stay away from the firm ones.  The ones that are starting to split at the bottom and have a tiny glistening drop emerging from the star shaped fissure are perfectly ripe.  But, since they often get ripe all at the same time, you may have too many and they can get mushy on you.  While I love a soft fig, mushy is not my thing! Also in Turkey it is difficult to get maple syrup, so I am always looking for alternatives.
This morning made fig and peach pancakes with a fig compote.  For the pancakes, follow your own favorite recipe whatever that may be and throw in any fruit that is slightly soft. 
Fresh Fig Compote
1-1 1/2 cups of over-ripe figs (they are the sweetest)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4  cup of water
Roughly chop soft over-ripened figs, put in saucepan with lemon juice and water.  Boil down while pancakes are cooking.  If needed add more water, or boil down longer to desired consistency.  I like my chunky, but you could mash it if you would like it smoother. 
Drizzle anywhere you please…pancakes, yogurt, ice-cream—use your imagination!

-Jules

Quick Brownies

Now, quickly made food often has lots of nasty chemicals and preservatives.  However, lately I have caught the train for brownies in a mug.  A quick chocolate fix with no nasty scary stuff.  I bet you could experiment with this and switch out the white sugar with a more wholesome unprocessed sugar.  This recipe is from Food & Whine, however the original recipe calls for 4 Tablespoons of sugar and I find that two is sufficient.    I also find that if you use whole wheat flour the end result tastes just as chocolaty and delicious.

-Jules

Brownie in a Mug
4 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. sugar (I'd substitute palm sugar, which is less processed)
2 Tbsp. cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. canola oil (I'd substitute out coconut oil for a Real Food recipe)
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Put everything in the mug and mix well.  Put it in the microwave for about a minute.  It should still be wettish looking.  Feel free to get creative.  I found peanut butter chips mixed in or peanut butte spread right on top before microwaving is especially yummy.  Get crazy Ya’ll!

Lobster Pizza

Growing up in New England there are several foods that indicate summer is upon us…One of those foods is the LOBSTAH! Oh Lobster, how I love thee..
Now if you are ever lucky enough to have left over lobster, there are many things make with the left over deliciousness, such as the Lobster Roll or Lobster Bisque, or even Lobster Chowdah. However a lobster pizza is a great option, especially if you want to stretch a little left over lobster pretty far.

Lobster Pizza
Pizza Dough
1 Tablespoon of yeast
1 Cup of medium hot water (105-115 degrees F...hot to the touch, but not scalding)
1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 salt.
3Cups or more of flour

1 Tablespoon of yeast dissolved in 1 Cup of med-hot water, 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. When it "proofs" (20 +- minutes), add 2C flour with a spoon then add, by kneading, 1C or more of flour.
Grease the bowl, turn dough in bowl, cover and let rise. Place in warmish room. Several hours later punch down the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin or with hands pressing into pan.

Let rise again then add the fixings.

Pizza Fixings
After the first amazing lobster dinner, or just with cooked lobsters, removed all meat from the shell, including the tail, claws, smaller claws and around the belly. Chop up the lobster into bite size chunks. Reserve tasty meat for later.
After the dough rises in the pan, spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce on dough and sprinkle on shredded cheese. For a nice rich blend of cheese, use mozzarella, cheddar and a little parmesan. Throw on some thinly sliced Vidalia onions. Cook pizza until 3/4 done, about 20 minutes at 425 F. Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle Lobster meat on pizza. Put the pizza in the oven for about 10 minutes more until the cheese is bubbly, crust is golden and lobster meat is hot.
Then gorge!
-Jules

Homemade Ginger Ale

I saw these recipes the other day and knew they were right up Amanda’s alley!  My dad is undergoing some really hardcore chemo, and has been suffering from nausea.  He told me that Ginger Ale helped, but I didn’t think that Canada D*y would have a ton of actual ginger in it (which is actually scientifically proven to combat nausea.)  So I decided to whip up a batch myself.  On the Crumpets and Cakes  blog I found two great recipes.  One instant and without yeast, and one with yeast.  I decided to avoid the fermented recipe for my dad, instead  I made the second, faster Ginger Ale recipe.  I will report--it seemed to help with the nausea, which is good for everyone now and again.  However I will also point out that I loved it too!!  It was a little spicy, just a little sweet and really refreshing.  The best thing is that you can adjust how much of the ginger syrup to put in the soda water—so it can be as spicy or mild as you would like!

-Jules

Recipes from Crumpets and Cakes

Ginger Ale: Instant  version:
1 cup fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
club soda
juice of one or two limes, juice from half lemon
mint for garnish

Directions:
Combine ginger, sugar and water in a saucepan. Simmer slowly for 10 minutes, until sugar is dissolved and ginger is softened.

Strain warm syrup and allow to cool. Fill a tall glass with ice, add 1 part(used 2oz shot glass) of ginger syrup and 3 parts of club soda.
Squeeze lime and lemon wedge into glass. Use more syrup if desired. Garnish with mint. Stir and enjoy.

Ginger Beer:
1c sugar
freshly grated ginger root (1 1/2-2 tablespoons), use the fresh ginger root you can find, it really makes a difference
juice of one lemon
1/4tsp baker's yeast
cold fresh spring or filtered water

special equipment:

clean 2L plastic bottle, funnel, patience
Directions:
Through a funnel add sugar and yeast to a plastic bottle. Mix grated ginger root and lemon juice and then transfer it to a bottle, add water to fill it half way and shake well to mix all ingredients. Add more water, leaving about an inch head space, screw the cap on and shake again. You can also mix all the ingredients in a jar and then transfer to a plastic bottle. Leave in a warm place for about two days and then transfer to refrigerator, to stop fermentation process. Refrigerate overnight. Pour it through a strainer and enjoy!

Yoğurtlu Pancar Salatası—Beet Salad

Oh, not only is this pretty, but it is amazinly tasty!  I have made it with skim yogurt and whole fat.  Let me just tell you, it tastes fine with skim yogurt, but decadent with whole milk 0r cream yogurt! This salad is served cool or cold and is considered a side dish or a meze.
--Jules 
Yoğurtlu Pancar Salatası—Beet Yogurt Salad
3 to 4 large beets boiled and cooled
1 cup of yogurt
1/4 of water
2-4 cloves of mashed garlic
1-3 teaspoons of dill
salt to taste
First shred the beets.  I used a food processor because I did not want to stain my hands.  Then whisk the yogurt, mashed/pressed garlic, water and dill together.  Finally, fold everthing together and salt to taste, about a 1/2- 1 teaspoon.  Serve cool or cold as a side salad.  Yum!

Sarma (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

I apopogize for the lack of posting on my end.  Between the longest chest cold known to man, exams, starting a MA and transcontnentail travel  I have been doiong the bare minimum to keep us from staving to death, and a lot of take out.

I am back…cooking and posting.  Which is good because this recipe is extremly time consuming.  I love sarma, sometimes called dolma. Grape leaves stuffed with rice and beef, served with yogurt on top. It is worth every minute.

-Jules

Sarma

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
3 onions diced finely
1 tsp of salt
2 cups of uncooked short grain rice
1/2 cup of water
5 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 1/2 of black pepper
1/4 cup of olive oil
3 teaspoons of mint
75 to 100 medium grape leaves
If you can’t find fresh, brined will do.
1 lemon

Take all of the ingredients above and combine, except the grapeleaves and the lemon.  Mix thoroughly. The seasoning will be most evenly distributed if you knead it with your hands.

Set the mixture aside.  Wash the leaves, then place them in a boiling pot of water for 5 minutes, until tender, but not too soft.  If the leaves were brined soak them in cool water and rinse before use.  Firmly squeeze out any water, but be careful not to rip the leaves.

To Fill

Gently separate each leaf, (I recommend readying several at once then rolling assembly style) tear off the steam. Holding the leaf vein side up, place a small amount of filling horizontally

1. Looking at your left palm, turn down the right corner of the leaf

2. Now the left corner.

3. & 4. Bring first the right then the left sides of the leaf in, in a parallel fold

3. Fold

4. Fold

5. Now the tricky part. Using your thumb to keep the roll tight, start rolling the filling down towards the bottom of the leaf.

Keep it Tight (or it will spill all over the place)

Whew! Finished!

Now, go make a hundred more. Make sure not to stuff them too much or when the rice expands during cooking it will burst the grape leaf.  When you are finished, take a heavy bottomed pot with a lid, cover the bottom with grape leaves(the ones that ripped or seemed tough), then carefully place your sarmas inside, seam side down, close together but not tightly packed. Place them in concentric circles leaving the middle of the pot open. 

Add enough water to cover the sarmas (I used the water I cooked the grape leaves in, because it has all the nutrients from the grape leaves.) Juice the lemon and add it to the water. Cook on the stovetop on a low heat, for about an hour, until the rice is done. At 50 minutes, check on the rice, if it is not done, give it another 10 minutes or so. When serving, it is great with yogurt on top. I love to add mashed garlic to my yogurt, and then spoon it on top.

Carrot Cake

I have a backlog of posts, though I lost some of the photos when my hard drive crashed.  This summer I got married.  My mom wanted to make the cake herself.  Well actually, she wanted us to make it together as a special activity to do together.  She was right, it was special, knowing that together we had made it.   We baked the cakes the week before and froze them, then assembled them the day before the wedding.   The day before we frosted them and stacked them.  We had to measure out wooden dowels to support the weight of the layers so it would not collapse.  My mother is the one who decorated it with flowers and ribbon.  My aesthetic skills are not as finely developed as hers.  Scale is hard to tell below, but there were three tiers which each had two layers of cake.

-Jules

 

This recipe is just for one cake, not the three batches we needed for the wedding cake.

Carrot Cake

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cups white sugar
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 8 ounces of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Cake

Preheat oven to 350 F  and prepare two cake pans.  To prepare the cake pans cut out a circle of parchment paper the same size as the bottom of the pan, put it in the bottom of the pan and spray the whole thing with butter or cooking spray.    In a bowl mix thoroughly the sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla.   Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together with a whisk.  Incorporate the wet and dry ingredients and add the carrots, pecans and raisins.    Split the batter and pour half into each cake pan.  cook for 25- 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Frosting

Beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Slowly add the powdered sugar until it has all been incorporated.   Frost the cake when it is cool and enjoy. 

Pecan Pie Sans Corn Syrup

Living in Turkey there are certain things that are hard (or simply not available) to purchase.  Corn syrup is one of those things.   I was actually pleased to make a pie without the corn syrup since it is really not healthy anyway.  The recipe still has sugar in it, but at least it is not corn syrup.  I had a little trouble finding a recipe with out corn syrup, but I figured they would exist since pecan pie was made before development of corn syrup.   The pie turned out beautifully, rich and gooey without that sickly sweet taste you find normally.   I found this recipe online at Allrecipes.  I doubled the recipe and just used one pie shell since I found it made a shallow pie.

-Jules

Pecan Pie Sans Corn Syrup 
Ingredients
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy, and stir in melted butter. Add the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour--mix well. Then add the milk, vanilla and nuts.
Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie shell. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until done.

Chicken Fricassee

It was cold the other day and I wanted something warm and stewy.  I varied from the original directions for this recipe.  Instead of using chicken on the bone I used boneless turkey cut in chunks for a nice meaty flavor without the fat from the skin. For this dish  I used the recipe from the Bible of food AKA The Joy of Cooking.

-Jules

Chicken Fricassee

2-3 pounds of Turkey in Pieces OR
3-4 pounds of chicken parts
Salt
Pepper
4 Tbls butter
1 1/2 cups of chopped onions
1/3 cup of flour
2 cups hot water
1 3/4 chicken stock
8 ounces of mushrooms
1 cup of chopped carrots
1 cup of chopped celery
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup of cream or milk
several drops of lemon juice

Rinse the poultry and then season it. Using a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan melt the butter then sear the poultry.  Remove the poultry then add the onions to the juices in the pan.  Stir until the onions are tender then add the flour.  Keep stirring for one minute and then add the liquids.  Whisk the liquids until it comes to a boil.  Add the mushroom, carts, celery, thyme, salt, pepper.

Return the poultry to the pan then simmer for 20-30 minutes until the poultry is done.  Stir in the milk or cream and the lemon juice.  Serve with rice or add dumplings.   Yum!

Craptastic Soup

Last week I had a hard day.   I came home and to relax I made one of my favorite soups, Ezogelin.  Note: It is my favorite soup to eat,  I have never made it before.  I cracked open a cookbook and followed the recipe exactly.  It was horrid.  Ezogelin soup has finely cracked bulgur and red lentils in it.  It was flat tasting and the bulgur soaked up too much of the the liquid. It was like sludge.  I could have added more liquid, but it was not tasty enough and I would have ended up with WAY too much soup. 
I have manage to revitalize the soup though! In two ways!

-Jules

Bulgur Pilaf

Lentil Soup

The original recipe for the Ezogelin soup was
1 liter of water
1 onion chopped
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
100 grams of red lentils
100 grams of fine bulgur
(Warning: Do not follow this soup recipe)
The onions were sautéed and then the rest of the ingredients were to be added and boiled.  As stated before, the soup was flat and the consistency was wrong.
I split in half and salvaged it in two ways.  To make the pilaf I put half the lentil mix in a saucepan, brought it to a boil and then added a cup of larger grain bulgur then sautéed onions and peppers and added them in with more pepper, paprika and cumin. 
To save the soup I added more tomato paste and pepper paste.  I also sautéed minced garlic and added chicken broth. 
I ended up with two experimental dishes which worked out great and I did not have to throw out the original craptastic soup.  Total Win!

Potato Börek

Oh borek!  Yum!  In Turkey börek can take on many shape, forms and fillings.  I love börek because it keeps well in the fridge, freezes well and reheats well.  I often make it for Bulent’s breakfast since he likes a hearty breakfast and he can take it out the of fridge and microwave it.   This is made from yufka but you could use savory phyllo dough. 

Pan ‘O Börek

Just one piece

 

Potato Börek

Filling

3-5  Large potatoes, boiled and smashed or broken up
2 onion, diced and sautéed
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 – 1 tsp of red pepper depending on how spicy you want it.

Moist Mix

2 eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil

Boil the potatoes then mash them or mush them into smaller pieces.  I like to have them be more chopped than mashed because then you bite into pieces of potato, which has more contrast.  In a saucepan sauté onion in oil, then add to the potatoes.  Then add the spices and mix in.   In a bowl, place the eggs, oil and milk whisk them.  Reserve 1 cup for later.
If you are using Turkish yufka (about 1 kilo) stack them on top of each other an cut them into four equal (triangular) pieces.  If you are using phyllo dough do the same thing.  You will need two sheets of thickness to make the borek.  Brush the moist mix all over the pieces of dough.  Place a small amount of the potato filling(2-3 tablespoons) on the wide side and spread evenly. Starting with the filled end roll up the dough.  The roll the cylindrical dough into a spiral shape. Repeat until you have used all the dough.  Put the spirals side by side in a greased pan.  Do not leave any room, they will not swell.  Using the reserved moist mix, pour the liquid on top and bake 35-45 minutes at 350 F.  Until they are golden brown.  Serve warm.  These freeze very well, defrost them, put them in the oven to re-crisp and they are like new!

Patlican Salatasi (Eggplant Salad)

This summer was so hot in Marmaris it was unbelievable.  There is nothing tastier that a cold salad for dinner when it is hot and sweaty out.  I love this salad.  It is tasty and easy and has that yummy roasted flavor. 

P.S. Please excuse the quality of the photo, and the appearance of the salad.  I was on vacation and took the photo with my phone, and the kitchen at the summer house is kind of like camping, one knife, four plates, a pot and a sauce pan.

-Jules 

Patlican Salatasi

1 large eggplant or 3 or 4 smaller ones (I like the small ones myself)
1 or 2 cloves of garlic (mashed)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of yogurt
A splash of olive oil*
1 tomato diced
Salt and pepper to taste

*optional

Poke holes in the eggplant(s) before you roast them.  I use the grill but you could roast them on the grill, the stovetop (over the flames) or broil them in the oven.  Whatever the method-roast the eggplant until it is soft about a half hour or so depending on the size.  After they are done, let them cool and then peel off the skin.  Dice the eggplant small ad toss in a bowl.  Dice the tomato and throw that in the bowl too.  Mash one or two cloves of garlic, to taste, remember it will be in the salad raw.  Add that to the mix as well as the juice of the lemon the yogurt and the oil if you want it.  The oil makes it taster but without it the salad is pretty light calorically, cooked eggplant has about 35 calories per cup.  I also use light yogurt.  Add about a 1/2 tsp of salt to start with and a little pepper.  Salt to taste, you may want to add more salt (I do) but I do a little at a time or to my serving on my plate as I am always afraid to over salt the whole batch. 

Mix well and chill, serve cold.  It is best served after an hour or two when the flavors have time to meld.

Scallops and Swordfish

Oh YUM!  I have been taking advantage of being at home on the east coast.    Fresh summer corn and fish from the guy who sells it out of a truck on a highway!  Not nearly as sketch as you would think. 

-Jules

Grilled Swordfish and Scallops

Preheat grill

Mix fresh crushed pepper, a little salt and about 1/4 cup of olive oil.   Brush on the oil onto fish before putting it on the medium grill.  Cook fish until firm but NOT hard.  Scallops should still be a little soft.  Serve with your favorite summer veggies and enjoy!

Garlic Chicken and Pesto

The other day I was at the pazar and smelled the basil wafted around as Iwas walking past the green grocers.    I immediately knew we were destined to have pesto for dinner that night, which was a nice change.  I am getting married this summer so between doing wedding planning and working, “cooking” dinner has consisted of asking my honey which kind of takeout he would like that night.  I do usually do make fresh salad, though.  The pesto had to be altered as pine nuts are VERY expensive here and  I am allergic to walnuts—the normal substitute.  Parmesan cheese is also VERY expensive.  It is about $30 a pound so I used a hard aged cheddar which is parmesan-esque.

-Jules

Garlic Chicken and Pesto

Pesto

3 cups of fresh basil leaves,
1/2 cup grated aged cheddar cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or almonds
3 medium sized garlic cloves,
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Thrown the basil and the garlic in the food processor and pulse until everything has been ground up.  Add the nuts and pulse a few times, then the cheese, then finally the olive oil.  I usually add less oil and have more of a pasty pesto to save on calories.  Mix in with hot pasta---serve with garlic chicken.

Garlic Chicken

4 cloves of garlic
4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup of yogurt or Kefir
Water

Press the garlic cloves in a garlic press or mince finely.  Mix the kefir or yogurt with the garlic and enough water to make the consistently soupy but still thick enough to coat the chicken.  Marinate the  chicken for at least an hour this way ( I like to do it overnight.) I find marinating chicken in yogurt or kefir makes the chicken really juicy and tender.

In a non stick pan heat up a little olive oil and sauté the chicken until it is done.  I like to cut the chicken breasts in half so they are not so thick and cook more quickly--serve with pesto pasta!

 

 

 

Zeytinyağlı Taze Fasülye

This dish has become one of my favorites. It is an “olive oil” dish, typically means it is served cold. It makes a great light meal, with fresh bread to dip in the juices. The technical name is Zeytinyağli Taze Fasülye  which translates into Fresh Beans with Olive Oil.

-Jules

Zeytinyağli Taze Fasülye

1 pound of fresh green beans
2 onions onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 big fresh tomatoes, finely chopped,
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp of salt
Clean and cut the green beans into 1 to 1 1/2 inch pieces.
In a deep pan, heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the onions and garlic until translucent.
Add the beans, stir, and cook them until they are brighter green
Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes and then add sugar, water, and salt.

Cover the pan and cook on low until the beans are soft (about 45 minutes.)

Serve cold with fresh bread on the side.

Kofte and Yogurt Carrot Salad Part 2 of 2

Köfte are a Turkish dish, a kind of a mix between meatballs and hamburgers. Every region has their own specialty which usually include slight different spices and shapes. Some are flat and round like hamburgers (but smaller) some are shaped like sausages, some are skewered and grilled. They are very tasty and quick. With these köftes I veered off the traditional recipe because I was trying to make it lighter but keep the savory flavor.

-Jules

Köfte—Light

1 half pound of lean ground beef
5 carrots shredded (should be just about the same volume as the beef)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 handful of parsley chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

The shredded carrots should be about the same volume as the meat. You may have to adjust based on the size of your carrots. Chop everything finely and kneed together (like meat loaf.) I recommend then putting it in the fridge for an hour. The tastes develop more if you let everything mingle and get friendly. Then shape meat mix into small patties about the size of silver dollars and fairly thin. Pre heat a non stick skillet—you want a little char. If they stick use a little olive oil on the pan. Cook up as many as you would like. Serve with salad and bread.

Kofte and Yogurt Carrot Salad Part 2 of 2

Köfte are a Turkish dish, a kind of a mix between meatballs and hamburgers.  Every region has their own specialty which usually include slight different spices and shapes. Some are flat and round like hamburgers (but smaller) some are shaped like sausages, some are skewered and grilled.  They are very tasty and quick.  With these köftes I veered off the traditional recipe because I was trying to make it lighter but keep the savory flavor.  

-Jules

Köfte—Light

1 half pound of lean ground beef
5 carrots shredded (should be just about the same volume as the beef)
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 handful of parsley chopped
1  onion, chopped
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

The shredded carrots should be about the same volume as the meat.  You may have to adjust based on the size of your carrots.  Chop everything finely and kneed together (like meat loaf.)  I recommend then putting it in the fridge for an hour.  The tastes develop more if you let everything mingle and get friendly.  Then shape meat mix into small patties about the size of silver dollars and fairly thin. Pre heat a non stick skillet—you want  a little char.    If they stick use a little olive oil on the pan.  Cook up as many as you would like.   Serve with salad and bread. 

Two Cakes, One Success

I baked both of those cakes.  Only one was edible.  Sometimes that is how the game goes.  My future mother-in-law had a “gün,”  literally a “day.”  It refers to a tea party or women’s get together.  She asked me to make “American Pasta,” or “American Cake.”  She had a vanilla cake at a military base once and has been searching for it ever since.  The closest explanation was it was cake, vanilla and had frosting.  I thought it might be yellow birthday cake.  So that is what I made.   I searched for a great recipe, and found it.  She said it was a wonderful cake, though not what she had an American military base.  I suggested since I had been trying to match this described cake from her memory for a year now --her best bet would be to appreciate the memory as I have NO IDEA what she is talking about.  I have exhausted all the possibilities of cake I thought it could be tfrom the description.
This cake is billed as the “Best Birthday Cake.”  The author is correct.  The Smitten Kitchen is an awesome blog.  She does amazing things with food.  (Hint: Check out her oatmeal raisin cookies.)
To achieve the mess on the left only use 2 cups of flour because maybe you were drinking wine while baking—not recommended.  To achieve the height on the right, use the right amount of flour.  In Turkey they do not sell buttermilk, so instead of adding vinegar to milk (“my normal substitute) I used Kefir, and the cake turned out great)

-Jules

Yellow Layer Cake

4 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, well-shaken (or kefir)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line with circles of parchment paper.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each addition. At low speed, beat in buttermilk until just combined (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in three batches, mixing until each addition is just Incorporated.
Spread batter evenly in cake pan, then rap pan on counter several times to eliminate air bubbles. (Smitten Kitchen recommended this and I found it to work like a charm.  No weird bubbles. Bake until gold and a tooth pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around edge of pan. Turn upside down onto rack cool complete. 
Makes two 9 inch layers

Orange Chicken

This is my ultimate comfort food.   It is one of my favorite dishes that my mother cooks.  She does it a little differently with chicken thighs and legs on the bone, but my version tastes very similar and is a little quicker to make.  It is saucy and juicy and sweet and tangy.  My fiancé it loves it too—but is not a fan of sauce.  Which works out perfectly, I serve him the orange flavored chicken and veggies and reserve the sauce for my serving.  I want enough to be left in the bowl afterwards I can sip it with a spoon.  Yum!

Orange Chicken

1 liter of orange juice simmered and reduced by 1/3 (Or you could use orange juice concentrate and only add half the water recommended.)
2 tablespoons of hoisen sauce
1 tablespoon of ketchup
1 pound of boneless skinless chicken
3 large onions
1 package of mushrooms

Cut up chicken into smaller pieces (bite size makes it easier to eat)  Season with salt and pepper, maybe a little garlic powder.  Sear chicken in Dutch oven until browned. 

Roughly slice onions and mushrooms—sauté and add to chicken.  Add the orange juice, hoisen and ketchup to Dutch oven mix well.  Place pan in oven and cook on low heat (200 ish) until chicken is done and sauce has thickened. 

Serve over egg noodles.

Red Pepper Mac N Cheese

I love Mac N Cheese!  One of my favorite things about it is that it is very versatile.  You can add veggies, or meat.  Growing up my mom used to add stewed tomatoes or chunks of ham.  Yum!  The other day I wanted a fancier Mac N cheese without the chunks of veggies.  I decided to blend the additions right into the roux, and it was a success. 

-Jules

Mac N Cheese (Mom’s Recipe)

White sauce
6 tablespoons of butter 
6 tablespoons of flour
1.5 C milk
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese
1 lb pasta (any) al dente (firm)
Bread Crumbs

Additions

4 Red Peppers chopped
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced

Melt the butter on low heat, add in the flour.  Stir until bubbles appear - cook for 2-3 mines.  Add 1.5 C milk slowly - stirring constantly.  Blend the Peppers, onions and garlic until smooth and add to the roux.   Add approx 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 1 lb pasta (any) al dente (firm)

Mix together and bake covered till hot about 15 minutes

Take off cover, add (buttered) bread crumbs & grated cheese mixture - bake a few more ins or broil for a minute...watching constantly.  It burns quickly.