cook's profile


Leila
 
Home Town:
Living In:
Member Since: Nov. 2005
Cooking Level: Intermediate
Cooking Interests: Baking, Grilling & BBQ, Stir Frying, Slow Cooking, Asian, Mexican, Italian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
Hobbies: Gardening, Camping, Walking, Reading Books, Charity Work
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Candied Kielbasa
Cheesy Polenta
New Orleans Shrimp Toss
Easy Lima Beans
About this Cook
I started cooking for myself at a young age. People generally enjoy my cooking, but I still feel inexperienced because there are a thousand recipes I have yet to try. With the help of my chefie boyfriend I have learned several techniques and shortcuts which are of great benefit. I have become pretty comfortable making a variety of foods-realizing that recipes are meant to be played with, ingredients don't always have to be measured, and a grill is nothing to be afraid of.
My favorite things to cook
I love making yummy desserts and sauces. I also love making and serving Persian food-opening people's eyes and taste buds to other traditions.
My favorite family cooking traditions
With mom. Basting the Thanksgiving turkey, making Christmas cookies, and learning how to make Persian food (including a perfect batch of rice with tadiq).
My cooking triumphs
I can't say that I am particularly proud of anything I have made-I take no credit for being able to follow a recipe. My own inventions tend to hit the spot, but I never take notes while I am cooking so those meals occur exactly that way only once, then they disappear into the memory as just another good meal~
My cooking tragedies
I turned on the wrong burner on the stove, and idiotically I had left a tupperware full of oil sitting on the stovetop... needless to say it was a complete disaster and I learned a lesson that day!
Recipe Reviews 51 reviews
Raspberry Coconut Layer Bars
Very yummy! It could probably use one more tablespoon of butter to keep the crust together. I made this in an 8x8 pan and came out with about 16 nice thick bars. I used 2/3 cup seedless strawberry jam instead of the raspberry and drizzled with a thick dark chocolate ganache to cut the sweetness that others have mentioned, and it was perfect! These are pretty gooey, but they hold together well enough to be eaten with your hands. The bars need to be chilled to get a cleaner cut, but the flavors are more prominent at room temperature, so I recommend leaving them out of the fridge before serving. Easy, impressive-looking dessert to take to a get-together.

1 user found this review helpful
Reviewed On: Jun. 26, 2011
Fereni Starch Pudding
This recipe must have been converted wrong. There is no way this much cornstarch should be used. The traditional Persian version would use 1/4 c rice flour for the starch, skip the other nuts and add a sprinkle of chopped pistachios on top. My mom used to serve it warm, no nuts, when we were sick.

0 users found this review helpful
Reviewed On: Jan. 23, 2010
Wienerschnitzel
I used thinly pounded boneless pork chops. The breading stayed on beautifully-maybe the refrigeration helps? I served this a la holstein, topped with a fried egg and anchovies, and it was as close to the real deal as you can get at home! Don't forget the lemon, it adds a lot to the dish.

1 user found this review helpful
Reviewed On: Dec. 1, 2009
 
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