making your kitchen your happy place
Sisters Alia and Radwa Elkaffas are busy moms. They were raised in the Midwest in a tight-knit Egyptian family, and they both understand how important food is to that family connection. Now they both have families of their own, and their lives revolve around that same question that every busy family asks every day: “What’s for dinner?” And after years of blogging and developing recipes, these two sisters have answers.
Pretty Delicious is a collection of Mediterranean recipes, with a Minnesota flair. But more than that, it’s a way of thinking about cooking for your family differently. These sisters emphasize setting up your kitchen so that it’s organized, it’s calming, and it makes you feel happy. They feel like if you go into the kitchen after a stressful day and find yourself feeling good about being there, it’s easier to think of something delicious and nourishing to make. And with ideas like these, there are plenty of ideas for dinner or any other meal.
There are Mediterranean specialties like Mama’s Egyptian Falafel, Labneh, Spiced Red Lentil Soup, Chicken Shawarma Two Ways, Mama’s Best Kofta, and Egyptian Baked Rice. And then there are the dishes that blend those Mediterranean flavors and ingredients with their Midwestern lifestyles. There are Baklava Cinnamon Rolls, Sumac Chicken Wings, Pizza “Pie” (with phyllo as the crust), Greek Cowgirl Caviar, Spicy Aleppo Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Tahini Slaw, and No-Churn Salted Tahini Cookies ’n’ Cream Ice Cream.
These women lean into breakfast, with recipes for Coconut Chia Pudding Three Ways, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Oven-Baked Shakshuka, Strawberry-Mascarpone Stuffed-Croissant French Bread, and Egyptian Fava Bean Salad, just to name a few. They also go big for desserts, with recipes for Turkish Coffee Tiramisu, Mama’s Kunafa, Mango and Cream Tres Leches Cake, Banoffee Pie Parfaits, and Triple-Chocolate Hazelnut Skillet Brownies.
But in between, these women believe in grazing. They list several dips that can also be turned into a sauce for dinner, like Spicy Zhoug Sauce, Roasted-Tomato Baba G, Silky-Smooth Hummus, Middle Eastern Pico, and Baba’s Tahina Sauce. These can be paired with veggies or Homemade Pita Chips, Middle Eastern Pickled Cucumbers or No-Knead Za’atar Focaccia. And then there are the tips to make perfect, flavorful rice and menu ideas for throwing a party for brunch, dinner, or even dessert.
The years that the Elkaffas sisters have spent working on their blog Food Dolls has paid off, with over 100 recipes and engaging ideas for making dinnertime more delicious and less stressful. Personally, I thought this was a lovely cookbook. I love the idea of making the kitchen your happy place, making it easier to relax and enjoy yourself as you cook, especially cooking for family. And there were several of these recipes that had my mouth watering at the descriptions and photos.
If you’re a fan of Mediterranean foods or wanting to learn more, this would be a perfect cookbook to start with. If you’re a fan of their Food Dolls blog, then choosing this is probably an easy choice. But I think it’s also a great cookbook for anyone who struggles with dinner or feels guilty about not doing enough for dinner, because their system for organizing the kitchen could help anyone who feels overwhelmed just walking into their kitchen.
A copy of Pretty Delicious was provided by Clarkson Potter, with many thanks, but the opinions are my own.
