Sounds fancy, eh? It’s not. Don’t be alarmed. On Sunday nights, I usually try to make a big pot of something that we can eat for dinner and that will last Ameir and I all week to take to work/school for lunch. This came together so quickly, I was back to lounging on the sofa in no time. (Summer break!). This thick sauce would also be good over couscous or stuffed into a hoagie roll with cheese melted on top.

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This is a very tasty and filling weekend breakfast. It does take some time for the potatoes to cook, but it’s worth it. The tomatoes are optional, but I really recommend them because they make a tangy sauce and also provide some liquid for the potatoes to cook in. To make this quicker, microwave-boil the potatoes before putting them in the skillet.

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This recipe is now featured on KeyIngredient.com! Seeeee?

Also known as “Why Is It So Cold In The Spring In NC” Soup or “We Just Had A Huge Barbeque on Saturday, What Will I Do With All The Leftovers” Soup.

This whole week is rainy and cold. It doesn’t make sense, so I decided to make stew. Yes. Stew solves all problems, including what to do with all of the leftovers from Ameir’s graduation barbeque. These will all be very imprecise measurements, since I was working with leftovers from the fridge. The stew is a combination of guacamole, roasted corn, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and shredded leftover chicken. It came together so quickly, in less than 20 minutes! It also stores well and tastes better the next day.

Recipe here: (more…)

Allah disdains not to use the similitude of things, lowest as well as highest. Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: “What means Allah by this similitude?” By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path), (Al Baqarah 26)

As I sat in the law school courtyard one morning, pondering over my Property reading, I was (not surprisingly) distracted by a huge bumblebee undertaking an impossible task. Wings buzzing at top speed, she was attempting, quite unsuccessfully, to fly into a closed window. I’m assuming she didn’t realize that she was trying to cross clear glass instead of clear air, but she was persistent nonetheless.

At first, it was hilariously amusing. She’d smack straight into window, fly around a little, then try again and smack straight into it. Bzzzzzzzz – smack! – bzzzzzzzz – smack!

But as my unruly mind started to wander, it stopped being funny.

This poor bee was attempting, with every beat of her wings, to grasp that fleeting mistress that every living creature wants from the depth of its existence. Sakoon.

I cannot translate this word directly into English. Sukoon is a softening calmness, a cooling peace of the soul. It at once encompasses freedom and restraint, as a heart with sukoon is free to love, live and worship and also restrains itself from anger, envy, and discontent. It fortifies a creature’s trust in God and thus his or her ability to have faith in Him. When God allows us to feel moments of sukoon in this life, it’s like a little gift, a taste of what bounties Paradise will hold.

This bumblebee was in a state of unrest and despair. She was trying with every ounce of her strength to reach her destination, her place of sukoon, but there was something invisible blocking her path. But she kept trying, literally throwing herself into her task, determined to find a way no matter how much it hurt.

In a few minutes, she had figured it out. This path was closed to her; there would be no success there. She turned around and flew away to find another path to get home. Her wings must have been aching with pain, her body bruised from her efforts, but she refused to give up. She would find her sukoon, somehow, because if God closed one path to her, He would surely open up another.

Salam ‘Alaiki, ya sayaddati. How many lessons you taught me that morning.

This one will make you consider dropping out of law school and opening a pizzaria. The key to this is the garlic-herb oil that is brushed onto the crust before the toppings are added and the cheese is melted all over the top.

Garlic-herb oil

Warm a quarter cup of olive oil on the stove over medium heat. While it is heating, chop two inches of rosemary and one garlic clove and add them to the oil. Add a few dashes of red pepper flakes, dried basil, and dried oregano. When the rosemary and garlic start to sizzle, stir a few times and then remove from heat. (these are the proportions I used for a small pizza. Make more as you need it).

The crust

For the crust, I used a crusty-chewy Afghani bread (from Jerusalem Bakery in Raleigh), but you could also use focaccia. Microwave the bread for about 15 seconds to soften, then spread with the oil, making sure to get the herbs and red pepper onto the bread. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. (Don’t let the garlic burn!) Alternatively, use a store bought crust or dough and bake store bought as directed on package until almost done, then brush the oil on top and bake for 5 minutes.

The toppings

Slice very thinly: five mushrooms, a bit of red onion, a bit of tomato. Put down on the pizza the tomato, onion, then mushrooms and salt and pepper well. Press down the toppings with your hands. Pour a little bit of garlic-herb oil over the mushrooms and put it in the Low Broil until the mushrooms soften. A picture is on the left of the crust with half of the toppings (the bread already had black seed on it).

Top with cheese (I used mozarella), press down, then drizzle a bit of the oil on top. Salt and pepper, then put in a Low Broil oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. Switch the broiler to High and let the cheese brown to your liking.

Cut into slices, serve with a salad or soup!