Homemade Eggrolls

Here is a twist to your favorite takeout side.4

Recipe

Ingredients:
- shredded cabbage
- shredded carrots
- ground meat (optional)
- 1 tsp. of curry powder
- 1/2 tsp. of salt
- 1/2 tsp. of black pepper
- 1 tbsp. of oliveoil
- egg roll wraps
- one beaten egg
- corn oil (for deep frying) 

Instructions:

1.  take out a big skillet and put the olive oil over high heat
2. add the ground meat and break it up 
3. add both the cabbage and carrots to the ground meat
4. add the black pepper, salt, and curry powder
5. lightly stir until all the ingredients especially the ground meat is done.
6. let the mixture cool while you beat one egg to seal the wraps
7. when you start rolling the egg rolls make sure you keep a damp towel on the egg roll wraps so they do not dry out.
8. to wrap : let the square wraps face you as a diamond and fill the wraps with about 1/3 cup of filling, pull in the two edges and fold over and roll, leave a little of the edge unrolled so you can rub some egg wash on it so they will stay closed.
9. pour some corn oil in the pan (enough to cover a little more than half of one egg roll)
10. let the pan over high heat and heat the oil for 5 minutes
11. add the egg rolls and flip when golden brown 
12. when the egg rolls are golden brown all over take out and put them in a plate with a paper towel to collect excess oil.
13. cool and enjoy !

Easy Garlic Butter Bread

This goes great with Italian food and meals with steaks, or roast.

Recipe

Ingredients:
-1 loaf of Italian bread or any hero bread of your liking
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 sticks of butter
- 1 tsp. of salt
- grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 tsp. of olive oil

Instructions: 

1.  mince the garlic and put a sauce pan on medium heat with the olive oil
2. add the garlic and after two minutes add the butter
3. stir until butter is melted
4. it is your choice if you want to brush the butter on the bread while it is liquid or you could store in a container in the refrigerator until hit hardens like regular butter.
5. if you want to make it now than brush the butter mixture onto the 2 halves of bread inside up
6. sprinkle the Parmesan cheese 
7. with the two halves facing up put them on baking pans and put in your broiler on high heat
8. bake till golden brown 
9. cool , cut, and enjoy !

Garlic Mash Potatoes

This side dish can be paired up with almost anything.

Recipe

Ingredients:
- 10 red-skinned potatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3tbsp. of salt
- 5-6 tbsp. of butter
-cilantro (optional)

Instructions: 

1.  Cut the potatoes into 2 inch cubes (your choice if you want them peeled or not)
2. boil the potatoes until they are soft
3. add the salt and butter and smash the potates (you choose whether you want them smooth or chunky, if you want them extra smooth you can add some cream, or  milk, or more butter.)
4. mince the garlic and fold it in to the mashed potatoes.
5. chop the cilantro and add it to the mashed potatoes , cool and enjoy.

Spaghetti Bake

This dish is simple and great for easy a weekday family meal.

Recipe

Ingredients:
- one pack of spaghetti (your choice of which kind of pasta or spaghetti)
-2 1/2 tbsp. of olive oil
- 1 pack of frozen vegetables ( the small veggies pack of carrots, peas, string beans)
- 1/4 pond of ground meat
- 1 tsp. of ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. of salt
- 3 tbsp. of salt for the water for the  spaghetti water
- 1/4 small can of tomato paste
- 4 cups of water

Instructions :

1. put a pot of boiling water with 3 tbsp. of salt on high heat.
2. take another pan preferably deep like a lasagna pan and put it on medium heat and add the olive oil
3. then add the ground meat , salt, and pepper and saute till meat is halfway done
4. after that add the frozen veggies and saute mixing occasionally till the veggies and meat are cooked through
5. when pot of water is boiling add the pasta , cook till pasta is well done but has a little bite to it (aldente)
6. add the tomato paste to the veggies and meat 
7. after the pasta is done mix it in with the meat and veggies in the pan 
8. add the water
9. cover pan with foil and bake in the oven for 20- 30 minutes at 350 degrees
10. take it out let it cool and enjoy

Spicy Vegetable Tomatoe Soup

Many of the ingredients in this recipe can be substituted, taken out, or other things like chicken or ground meat can be added.

Recipe

Ingredients:
- 1 zucchini
-3 carrots
-1 onion
-2 potatoes
- 2 celery sticks
-1 green bell pepper
-1 can of red kidney beans
- 1 bag of egg noodles
- 1 jalapeno (optional)
- 2 chicken bullion
- pinch of aregno
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of salt
-quarter of a small can of tomato paste
- 1 - 11/2 liters of water
- 1 -2 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions

1. Chop all the veggies into cubes of 1 inch sizes
2. put  the pot on medium heat and add the olive oil
3. add all the veggies including the onion, and beans and saute for 10 -15 minutes(if you are adding meat add it at this step)
4. add the water , the chicken bullion , tomato paste , salt, and pepper
5. turn the heat to high
6. let simmer for 30 minutes
7. add the noodles and cook for another 15 minutes
8. cool and enjoy

Easy Lentil Soup

This recipe is super easy and tastey

Recipe:

Ingredients:
- red or green lentils (4 cups)
- 1 cup of chopped white onion
- water
- 1 tablespoon of salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper (optional)
- 2 chicken bullion cubes
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
Instructions:

1. take your pot and put the olive oil in the pot over medium heat
2. add the onions and saute for 3-5 minutes 
3. add the lentils and mix in with the onions
4. add water to the pot and chicken bullion( the amount depends on how thick or thin you want it, if it comes out thick and you want it thin add more water , and if its the opposite then add more lentils)
5. let soup simmer for 30 - 40 minutes
6. let cool , squeeze a lemon wedge on top and enjoy

Fettoush (middle eastern salad)

This dish is very easy to make and is delicious to eat.
Recipe
You will need:
- 1 head of romaine lettuce
- 1 big tomatoe
-  cucumber of your choice (about 1 1/2 cups)
-  1-3 pita breads (depending on how much you want)
-  half a lemon
- 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 2 teaspoons of pomegranate syrup (optioinal)
the pomegranate syrup is like a concentrate
- half of 1 big white onion or red onion

Instructions:

1. Dice the tomatoes , onions and cucumbers into quarter inch chunks
2. Then slice the lettuce (size depends on your liking)
3. Bake or fry the pita bread - to bake cut into 2 inch squares lay 1 layer on sheet pan with a little drizzle of olive oil and turn oven on to 400 degrees , bake till bread is crispy- to fry cut into 2 inch squares heat frying pan on medium heat add corn oil to the pan about 1-2 cups depending on size of pan , when oil is hot, fry pita bread pieces till light golden brown. 
4. add tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, onions and pita bread in a bowl
5. add the olive oil, lemon, salt and pomegranate syrup(optional)
6. lightly mix/fold together and enjoy