Cheese Meatballs for Cheese Monsters :-)

Everything is even more tasty with cheese. It makes us happy! Even if we hear the word ' Say Cheese', we put on our smiles, right?? :-) Only thinking of cheese alone makes me smile..
Yes, I' m the one! The Cheese Monster and I'm so thankful to God for the enjoyable tastes of our lives ! Do you like meatballs? What about cheese meatballs?


1 pound ground beef (90 % lean)
1 small onion(finely chopped)
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I had a few dry bread slices leftover, grated and used them)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (More cheese? Why not? Also. spreed some cheese on top of the sauce while serving)
1/2 tsp salt,
1/4 tsp pepper
1 glove garlic(minced) or 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.  Shape into balls.
Bake for 25 min (400 F- 210 C) Until no longer pink inside.

Aria loves to eat them without sauce.

With or without sauce, we all love cheese meatballs.
This year we'll have cheese meatballs instead roasted turkey.

Have a delightful Thanksgiving everyone!!


More ideas for Thanksgiving food:

Homemade pumpkin dessert
Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin dessert with coconut cookies
Traditional Turkish Pumpkin Dessert 'Kabak Tatlısı'
Chocolate cream pie
Easy potato salad
Cheesy cauliflower

Use the search box on the side bar for more recipes. Thanks for stopping by!


'yonca is cooking'  easy recipes&easy life
                   7 years old !!! 

Sweet Ghost Brownie Bites

An easy and fun Halloween treat! Brownie bites and marsmallows! They both are Aria's favorite and turned into a yummy and very easy Halloween treat.

1 cup butter(melted)
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup cacao
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup flour,

Decoration:
Marshmallows, red colored sugar, dark chocolate

Melt the butter, add the ingredients in order and mix them all. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. Place marshmallows on the brownie in last 2 minutes. (One marshmallows for each bite)

(I used 9x13' greased pan)

Marshmallows always make delicious Halloween treats, don't they? Yummy ghosts!
Red colored sugar for lips. What can I say? Our ghosts are smiling, They don't really look spooky, also break off small pieces from the chocolate bar and roll them into little balls for eyes. I put the eye balls, right after I took them out of the oven. Actually, using m&m for the eyes is another idea. Let it cool. After I sliced it, my son used the red colored sugar for making them smiling :)

It has been a while since I spent some time in the kitchen with my son.
He enjoyed eating these brownie bites much more than baking :)
Happy Halloween!

Broiled Chicken with Peach_Mushroom Sauce

8 chicken breast
3 peaches(one cubed peaches to add to the grated peaches)
1 lemon (grated peel and juice of a lemon)
1/2 cup mushroom (sliced)
1 tsp honey
2 tsp cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard,
3 tbsp olive oil,
salt, pepper,

Saute mushroom slices in a saucepan and add rest of the ingredients to the pan except chicken.
Bring a boil. Simmer until peaches are soft.

                      I love the peaches give a wonderful flavor to the chicken.

                                       
                               Turkish rice pilav with chickpeas! My dad's favorite!

Basicly grill/ or broil chicken breast cuts brushing both sides with the sauce. Cook until no longer pink in the center. Serve with adding more sauce.
After grilled chilcken day, most of the time, our next day lunch is a green salad using leftover chicken on top! Oh, love that!

Just before serving the dinner..Life is enjoyable!
Wonderful woderful life..

D & R visit after dinner

Since I have more peaches before saying good bye to summer, I made also a basic peach sauce for desserts using cinnamon, corn starch and vanilla extract. 

Next day brunch..French toast with peach sauce, vanilla ice-cream. 

It is almost October. I think in Long Island, 60-65 F degrees. 

Izmir is a hot city. Today was 80 F degrees here.

A great modern city for having a summer house.

BTW, if you are interested in buying a house in Turkey guys, here is a good example which is on sale from the owner in famous Cesme, Izmir

For more info call 90 0533 220 2173 Also feel free to contact me!

  

Oh, no! Summer, don't go! Recipe/ Cinnamon Lemonade

I've been using skype for years to connect with  people from my family and friends far away. Last year I started to chat with my son during work hours. Sometimes he forgets the time if he is gaming. So, I need to remind him, some stuff.
This morning he accidently wrote to me at his group chat window. He noticed in a moment and opened another chat window.
-Aria, take a shower..(me)
-In a sec
After half hour. I just clicked his name to see the chat window though...and typed again

- Aria...showerrrrrr!
He answered me in caps !
MOM DONT TALK IN THAT CHAT
MOM OMG!
-Sorryyyyyyyyy, my mistake ..soo sorry ..

I didn't notice how it happened but I was in their chat window with his friends..
It must be embarrassing for an 12 years old boy though..I know..still sorry about that..
Anyway, Skype is part of our lives each day.
Do you use Skype often?

I love lemon!! Lemon scent as a air freshner, love it as a flavor for cooking and baking, especially for fish and chicken. Lemon scent certainly uplifts our mood and stimulates the nervous system. For me lemon is a must! Also I love how they look on the counter. Fresh lemon comes first but also preparing some lemon flavor for later use would be very helpful.

Whenever I grate lemon peel, use some and freeze rest of it in a ziploc. Freezing lemon slices to add your water also gives a wonderful flavor to your water, tea, soda..

Yes, September is at the corner but I don't feel like summer is over yet...lol!!! I need to smell cinnamon. Maybe the delicious scent and taste of cinnamon helps me welcome autumn this year :)

Simply put a couple of (or only one) cinnamon sticks in a boiling water. Keep it simmering 20-25 minutes. Smells good It also helps removing cooking odors from your home.

Okeeeyyy..I think I am ready for fall :) Hmmmm... actually,  a glass of low calorie lemonade would be good for now! What about cinnamon lemonade?

Low Calorie Cinnamon Lemonade

2 cups water 
Juice of 2 lemons.
Honey or Splenda to taste
Mix the ingredients and garnish with lemon slices and cinnamon sticks. Serve with ice cubes. Today no ice cubes for me. I have a bit of sore throat. If you have boiling water with cinnamon sticks, just add some to your lemonade. Heavenly!!!

Yummy homemade lemonade is ready!
Mmm..I am somewhere beetween summer breeze and autmn leaves!
Niiiiice!!!

                                                                        Welcome Fall!

Purslane-egg topped bread slices

One slice bread-topped full of Omega 3- protein, would be good enough to keep you full and provide a well balanced meal!!
Most of you guys know, the kitchen is my fun point, I also love the creativity of food. Allows me to combine west and east food culture..searching, sometimes replacing the ingredients with healthier ones,..creating and sharing my own recipes on this blog. It is the most enjoyable part of my life!. I try to keep my recipes easy, don't like time killer recipes at all!!..

A yummy egg- purslane recipe you can prepare anytime!

Purslane is a tasty and a rich source of omega-3's. Even your kids would love these healthy and delicious breads!!

Ingredients
A bunch of purslane leaves
4 eggs
1 small tomato(crushed)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 gloves garlic (crushed)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
4 slices of wholegrain bread
Salt, pepper

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil.
Add the purslane leaves and the crushed tomatoes to the skillet.
Cook untill it just changes color.
Sprinkle a pich of salt and pepper over it.

Break 4 large eggs on the top of the mixture. Cover the skillet and simmer gently untill the eggs are set to your liking, (about 4 muites for runny yolks) 

Transfer each eggs with the mixure onto bread slice.

On the skillet, melt, a teaspoon of butter and litely toast the whole grain bread slices (one side only). Place the eggs and puslane mixture onto each bread slices..I served with banana slices a touch of strawberry jam on them.

Delicious, easy and healthy! If you decide to give this recipe a try and if you come with a question,feel free to contact me!

Happily chat to you on FB or shoot me an email :)

I have so many recipes than I could share for 8 years guys! Working hard lately to post often! Happy Wednesday and thank y'all!

Aquacity!

I took Aria to Aquacity yesterday. It was a day trip with my son. A huge waterpark filled with fun for kids and families, in the city we live, Izmir.

  There is also a Thermal Hotel and its Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center is one of Turkey's and Europe’s most important Thermal Hotel and Treatment Center with its two hundred personnel, hygiene, architecture, naturalistic settlement and treatment capacity that provides international standards. It also has the characteristics of social activity, sports and treatment units.

We spent all day in Aquacity..Food was good too! Let's take a look at  this amazing place!

22 water slides
Indoor-outdoor water slide tube (Black-Hole) - 3 units
Outdoor water slide (head-turning, Surprise, Comfortable) - 4 pieces
On free-fall water slide (Slide Body)
3-lane water slide (Multi-Slide)
Tube slides (Free Fall Tube)
Corkscrew water slide (Twister)
Open water kamikaze slides (dancer-Brave Man) - 2
Space bowl (Space Hole)
Elevator rides to disabled people
Tube slides (Quick)
Water slides over the grass
Boot family slide (Slide Family)
Children's water slide (Single and Dual)
Children's water slides in the form of a cobra snake
Rabbit in the form of children's water slide

Tel; 90 232 2590102

The best part for me was tanning with the big pillows on the grass! 

Enjoyed a couple of slides with Aria..Not really my thing but it was OK :)

A look from the top of  one of the open slides just before Aria slided.

I tried to catch him sliding but it is not easy..lol!!!

We took a ferry back to home..Taking shots of  Aegean Sea was amazing. I almost forgot how tired I was.

(From the Ferry-Aegean Sea, 02.07.2014) 

Oh, I just got those flip flops and loving them :) 

Happy 4th of July!!!

Turquoise and Summer!

Ohhhhh..summer breeze.. makes me feel gooood..very good! Every year when I feel it, makes me feel more ALIVE!! My heart beats for the color Turquoise every summer!! Cool color!!! Last summer I got a pair of shoes in Turquoise and this year is time to go shopping for a Turquoise dress! :)

Another new thing makes me really happy; Laser Treatment I had a week ago. I had numerious visiable veins on my upper leggs since pregnancy. I have been wearing my compression stockings for a full week. 
Glad I decided that in May, lol..not in June or July :) 
They need a few more days to disapeare complately. (Novar Policlinic, Atakent, izmir)
I have more time to be home lately..Yay!!! Freedom!!! I will spend more time on internet, reading more blogs, pages and more time with my family which I really need it lately!

Cotton Candy fun :)

Wishing you all an amazing summer filled with happiness, guys!  Thank you all one more time for your support, reading my blog, following me on social media, trying my recipes, your comments.. thanks for being here!!!

Cheeesy Zucchini Casserole with Pepperoni

3 zucchini (shredded)
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1 medium carrot(shredded)
1/2 cup milk
1/2cup tomato sauce
2 cups of mozzarella (shreeded) or shredded Mozzarella-Cheddar-Feta(optional) mix
pepperoni slices,
fresh dill (chopped)
3 gloves garlic (crushed)
dry mint, pepper,salt, oregano to taste,

Beat the eggs, cheese, chopped dill, dry mint, salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, scallions, carrot and zucchini. Mix the ingredients. Layer the combination of a 9x13' pan, greased with olive oil.
(I used a  pyrex dish)

If you'd like to add cheddar cheese, makes it more tasty and

This is a excellent way to use fresh zucchini.

Mix milk and tomato sauce in the  measurement cup and pour all over the mixture.

 Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F.(180C)

 Add peppperoni slices and sprinkle extra mozzarella cheese over on the top at the last 15-20 minutes.

I served it with spaghetti as usual.
I was thinking it would be good enough for 6 but not even a bite left after the four of us :)

Have a tasty weekend everyone!

A Quick and Easy Sunday Salad

I’m a huge salad and soup lover! If you are new to my blog maybe you haven't noticed yet but even my button is a bowl of soup ;) Do you like mushroom??? Here is the recipe; Cream of Mushroom Soup on yonca is cooking. Whenever I make this soup, my family and friends love it. Hope you like it too!

Sundays usually after a huge breakfast or early lunch, we have an early dinner. I prefer to cook soup and salad especially if we had alcohol drink one night before. Drinking can make it difficult to digest food and absorb vital nutrients.

Mmmm...our bodies need soup and s a l a d !!!

A bowl of warming  soup is the best for comforting a stomack. Also a colorful salad helps filling your bodies with full of vitamins. Powerfull! Vitamin C speeds up the metabolism of the alcohol by the liver. So, your stomach will thank you!!!

Here is a salad idea with red cabbage, rich source of Vitamin C and Vitamin E, is also cholesterol-lowering.

RED CABBAGE / POTATO SALAD

6 potatoes (peeled, cubed after boiled)
3 scallions (sliced)
  a quarter of a small red cabbage(shredded)
  red wine vinegar, olive oil, pepper and salt
 I garnised it with a few olive on top after took the shot.

When making this salad, cutting and tossing the veggies, dressing together, I feel like making an art!
The beauty of purpple makes me feel calm, serene and happy :)
I am curious what your favorite salad is??

Powerful! Delicious! Easy!
Enjoy the colors!!

One excited day!

Winter break is almost over. Students head back to school next Monday here.
One excited day from Aria's winter break..
He says it passed like the blinking of an eye :)

 

 

Happy Weekend everyone!!! :)