118 middle recipes

Eat heartily, accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. In fact, I typed this accompanied by much loud Italian conversation. My parents were here, and both were shouting instructions over my shoulder. They disagreed about the arrangement of the lettuce - my mother said that the hole in the middle of the platter was necessary; my father insisted that it wasn't, saying you can just dump the tuna on top of the lettuce. I finally had to give up on this reply until they went home. So now, in the peace and quiet of the aftermath, I've finished it. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.

Don't know where I heard about this sauce, but it's a great drizzle for vegetables.

Lemon chocolate bars with a cocoa shortbread base, silky lemon curd middle, and bittersweet orange ganache on top. Three layers of contrasting flavor in every rich bite.

Light Pennsylvania Dutch cheesecake with low-fat cottage cheese and beaten egg whites for cloudlike texture. Sinks in the middle to cradle fresh berries or peaches.

Creamy lima bean spread with cumin, garlic, lemon, mint, cilantro and dill. Middle Eastern-inspired dip that's a lighter alternative to hummus.

Homemade chickpea falafel patties with cilantro, parsley, scallions, garlic, and cumin. A vegetarian Middle Eastern burger made from scratch with slow-cooker prepped chickpeas.

Kataifi pastries: shredded phyllo rolls stuffed with walnut, almond, and spice filling, baked golden, and drenched in lemon-cinnamon honey syrup. A Greek-Middle Eastern classic.

Fried eggplant and yellow squash drizzled with taratour (Lebanese tahini-lemon sauce), served with pita wedges. A Middle Eastern appetizer with crispy, golden vegetables and creamy sauce.

Devilish marshmallow cookies are chewy chocolate cookies topped with a melted marshmallow half and finished with a glossy chocolate frosting. Three-tier indulgence: cocoa cookie base, gooey marshmallow middle, and rich chocolate top.

Sarnapur is a creamy yogurt and Swiss chard soup with walnuts, rice, cilantro, and fresh mint. A traditional Middle Eastern soup served hot or cold.

Silky Middle Eastern milk pudding with slivered almonds, cardamom, and saffron. Elegant chilled dessert (firnee) garnished with bright green pistachios.

Middle Eastern halvah cake made with tahini, semolina, and warm spices, soaked in a citrusy orange-lemon syrup. Dense, fragrant, and not overly sweet.

Spicy stuffed meatloaf with a hidden middle layer of jalapenos and melted Monterey Jack, finished with a pour of spicy tomato sauce. Beef and pork blend for richer texture.

Tangy brown lentil soup brightened with vinegar and fragrant with coriander and garlic. Vegan, budget-friendly, and on the table in under an hour. A Middle Eastern kitchen staple.

Delicious and nutritious breakfast muffins to start an energized day or a tasty and healthy snack in the middle of the day!

Layers of buttery shredded kadayif dough sandwich rich cream filling, then get soaked with lemon syrup for this indulgent Middle Eastern dessert.