Sour Cherry Cake

2 cups flour
1 tbls. Baking powder
1 teas. Salt
½ cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
¾ cup coconut milk
1 tsp. Almond extract
1 - 9 oz. jar of Sour  Cherry spread 

Directions:
  Mix flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
Using a  mixer  mix sugar, butter, eggs and almond extract  and beat until smooth and add the flour mixture slowly and the coconut milk and mix until smooth.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, grease and flour 2 -  9 in. round cake pans. Fill the pans and bake for 35 min. until done.


When cakes are cool, place one on a serving plate smooth side up and spread the Sour cherry spread all over the top of the one cake using all the contents of the jar.   Remove the 2nd cake and place on top  and sprinkle with powdered sugar to finish.

Fattoush Salad

    Ingredients:                            

1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 romaine lettuce heart, chopped - 10 leaves
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup mint, chopped
1/2 cup radishes, chopped                                                                          
1 cucumber, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cup pita chips * see notes

Dressing
2 teaspoons sumac
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup  extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Chop all of the vegetables and place in the bowl.
2.  In a small  bowl mix the dressing ingredients together: sumac, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil.
3.  Mix the vegetables, add the dressing and mix.
4. Top with pita chip`s

* Pita Chips - Take 2 flatbreads and cut into inch pieces place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with Za`Atar, bale for 15 min. at 350 degrees  remove from oven and let cool.

Tuna Noodle Casserole Mediterranean style

Ingredients:

1-  pd. wide egg noodles
fresh ground pepper
1 - 7oz. jar roasted red peppers drained and diced
3 ½ - cups milk                                                                                                                                                         1/2  - cup  flour
½ - cup shredded pecorino Romano cheese
2 - pouches white albacore tuna
1- 14oz. can artichokes in olive oil, drained and diced
5 -  scallions, diced
½ - cup grated parmesan
1- tbls. Greek oregano
olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish.
In a large pot cook noodles until 2 minutes short of al dente, drain, and return to pot.
Meanwhile, in a 5-quart heavy pot, heat oil over medium heat and add the diced peppers. Cook 4-6 min. and add the flour stirring 1 min. gradually add the milk stirring until smooth, continue cooking and stirring until mixture comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the pecorino Romano cheese.
  Add mixture to noodles in pot, along with tuna, artichoke hearts, and scallions and Greek oregano and  pepper to taste and toss.  Pour the mixture in the  baking dish and sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 20 min. or until bubbly and lightly golden on top.

Lemon Basil Tea Cookies

Makes about 36 cookies
Ingredients


2 - Tbs. dry basil 

3/4 - cup sugar

2 - sticks softened butter

1/3 - cup fresh lemon juice  

1 - large egg

3 - cups all purpose flour 

zest of 1 lemon  

Glaze
1/3 cup of powdered sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
¼ cup milk
Preparation
In a small bowl add dry  basil, lemon juice and zest and let sit  for 30 min.
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add  sugar, beating well. Add lemon juice, zest and basil and egg, beating until blended. Gradually add flour and beat until blended.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.
Bake at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

To make the  glaze add the powdered  sugar , lemon juice and milk and whisk, glaze should  be thin, if it is too thick add a little more milk.  Drizzle over  cooled  cookies and let sit  for about 30 min. to set