118 middle recipes

Hearty wholegrain coffeecake with Bisquick, rolled oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon with a crunchy oat-nut-butter streusel layered through the middle and on top. Served warm for breakfast.

Classic tabbouleh salad with bulgur wheat, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, mint, parsley, and a lemon-olive oil dressing. A no-cook Middle Eastern grain salad that improves as it chills.

Chewy peanut butter bars stacked in three layers: a buttery cookie base, a gooey marshmallow middle, and a crunchy peanut butter, rice cereal, and peanut topping. A potluck and bake-sale crowd-pleaser.

Middle Eastern semolina cake soaked in citrus syrup and topped with toasted almonds. This yogurt-based dessert bakes up golden with a tender, moist crumb that pairs beautifully with tea.

Chewy coconut almond macaroons made with homemade almond paste, ground coconut, and egg whites. Naturally gluten-free, crisp on the outside, soft in the middle. Makes 3 to 4 dozen.

Timen Ajami spiced meat skillet with ground beef or lamb, allspice, Madras curry powder, rosewater, dried currants, and chopped almonds. A fragrant Middle Eastern one-pan dish ready in 45 minutes.

Broiled filet mignon brushed with butter and oil, cooked fast under high heat for a seared crust and a rosy, tender middle. A simple steakhouse classic you can nail at home in 10 minutes.

Traditional Middle Eastern semolina cake drenched in lemon syrup. This easy yogurt-based dessert bakes golden brown and soaks up fragrant citrus syrup for a moist, tender treat perfect with tea.

Shawayuh is Yemeni-style grilled steak seasoned with hawayij spice blend and cooked over hot coals. Simple, bold, and smoky with just meat, spice, oil, and fire. Authentic Middle Eastern barbecue.

Baked on the outside - chocolate lava in the middle. Simple to make - my children make them from scratch (I think it has a lot to do with licking the mixing bowl).

Syrian meat pies made easy with ground beef marinated overnight in pomegranate juice, lemon, and allspice, then baked in pressed buttermilk biscuit dough. Bold Middle Eastern flavor with a clever shortcut.

Coconut sheet cake soaked in lemon syrup with a drizzled cream cheese frosting. A Middle Eastern-inspired dessert with shredded coconut, lemon zest, and a sweet syrup that keeps it incredibly moist.

Mujaddara: the humble, soul-satisfying Middle Eastern dish of lentils, rice, and bulgur, cooked with cumin and crowned with deeply browned onions. A hearty, protein-rich vegan meal made from pantry staples.

Simple Middle Eastern yogurt and onion condiment with just three ingredients. Purple onion mingles with tangy yogurt and black pepper for a cooling sauce that pairs perfectly with grilled meats, rice, or flatbread.

Old-school chocolate chip cookies built on shortening and brown sugar for crisp edges and chewy middles, studded with semi-sweet chips and toasted pecans. A throwback recipe from the original Crisco era.

Stewart's Salad is a layered retro Jell-O salad with sugar-free lemon jello and pineapple, a fluffy cream cheese middle, and a golden pineapple-juice custard topping. A diabetic-friendly potluck classic.