Cafe Leilee

04/26/2013 11:04 AM

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Orange Blossom Jam ????? ???? ?????

The Seville orange tree in my parents' house calls my name every spring in time for orange blossoms. Finally this year it got the attention it deserves, as I fought the bees and the early heat of the Bay Area and picked its blossoms for this nostalgic orange blossom jam.In the Mazandaran province of northern Iran which is located by the Caspian Sea, Seville oranges among other citrus trees are in

Cafe Leilee

04/05/2013 02:28 PM

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Dill Potatoes ??? ????? ?? ????

Along with so many other New Year resolutions, the resolution to blog and publish a new post at least once every 2 weeks was forgotten almost the second I purchased my own place and moved out of my parent’s nest! The excitement of furnishing my condo took over the plans for blogging, dancing, and so many other things. But as Maz Jobrani the famous Iranian-American comedian pointed out in one

Cafe Leilee

12/03/2012 11:08 PM

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Quince and Walnut Bars ?????? ?????? ?? ????

These past few days it's been raining crazy here in the Bay Area, and this gave us the best excuse to stay indoors and enjoy comfort foods followed by tea with these quince bars.Ingredients:4 Eggs2 cups sugar1 cup vegetable oil2 teaspoons baking powder6 1/2 cups cup flour1 cups coarsely chopped walnut1 1/2 quince jam1 teaspoon cinnamonDirections:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Cafe Leilee

10/30/2012 01:20 AM

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Penne with Butternut Squash and Goat Cheese ??? ?? ??? ?????? ? ???? ??

A coworker of mine reminded me last week that butternut squash is in season when she was telling me about the butternut squash risotto she had made over the weekend.Immediately I knew what I wanted to make with the first butternut squash I got my hands on. I had this recipe saved up for this moment, and earlier today I finally welcomed fall to our home with this creamy, tangy, and crunchy pasta di

Cafe Leilee

10/01/2012 11:10 PM

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Eggplant with Eggs (Mirza Ghasemi) ????? ?????

After three years of writing in this blog, I think it's time to confess my biggest food scare!Eggplants! The beautiful purple eggplant whose close siblings, tomato and squash, I absolutely love, is "the" only thing I cannot bring myself to eat.This is going to be even more embarrassing to admit to my Persian speaking readers, since foods made with eggplants are so popular in Iranian culture. In Pe

Cafe Leilee

09/11/2012 12:12 AM

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Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce ??????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ????

This is the ultimate lazy, healthy, Sunday meal. It takes little time to make this dish, and it's loaded with delicious tomatoes (not so healthy with the carbs though, but who cares!). Need I say more!?Buon Appetito!Serves 4Ingredients4 large tomatoes2 garlic cloves, finely chopped4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs such as basil, marjoram, oregano, or parsley1 lb spaghetti**I would normally make this with

Cafe Leilee

08/04/2012 03:00 PM

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Tomato Rice (Kateh Gojeh Farangi) ??? ???? ????? ?? ????????? ???

Summer means different things to different people. To some, it's the season of shorts and summer dresses, others get excited about beach time and pool parties, and then there are those like me who get excited about all the produces that start to appear in the farmers market. I told you before, summer always seems like a marathon for me. There are just so many things I like to cook with and preserv

Cafe Leilee

07/15/2012 09:37 PM

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Apricot Jam ????? ??? ???

Jam making had been cursed for me in the past couple of years! The first misfortune was with kumquat jam. After hours of seeding those tiny suckers, I wasted my hard work by burning the jam and having to throw the whole thing away.Then it was time to burn some beautiful raspberries last summer in the same manner. I left it on the stove top and went to grab my book and finish the chapter I was read

Cafe Leilee

07/03/2012 06:10 PM

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Persian Fresh Herb Mix (Sabzi Khordan) ???? ?????

It's about time I introduced you to the quintessential Persian side dish, sabzi khordan. What it is, is basically an assortment of different herbs trimmed, washed, and beautifully arranged on a platter. It is eaten as an accompaniment to many Persian dishes and sandwiches. I have given a sneak peak preview of it on couple of my previous posts here and here.Beside being a side dish, sabzi khor

Cafe Leilee

06/25/2012 11:54 PM

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Strawberry Cake ??? ??? ?????

Going through my recipe index couple days ago I realized I have posted more recipes for desserts than any other course in this blog. The main reason why I have more dessert recipes here is that I can't finish up a meal without getting my teeth into something sweet. Whether it's a homemade ice cream, a glass of tea with a slice of cake or even some chopped up fruit, I put the seal on my mouth when

Cafe Leilee

06/18/2012 05:54 PM

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Rice Stick Granita (Faloodeh) ??????

Mr. Dad taught me how to ride my bicycle when I was nine, I was fourteen when he taught me how to drive his car, I was sixteen when he made me in charge of depositing his pizzeria's cash receipts to the bank, and I was twenty when he let me pack my bags and move back to America all by myself.My father is an Iranian father, he grew up in a traditional home with traditional Iranian values,

Cafe Leilee

06/08/2012 02:39 PM

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Rice with Green Peas (Nokhod Polow) ???? ???

Before we say goodbye to Spring, I'd like to share a recipe made with one of Spring's best gifts to humanity, green peas. I've never been a big fan of peas, I never picked them out of my food, like I do so with eggplants! But, alone by themselves they're not something I crave for. My favorite way of enjoying them is in this polow. Mixed with dill and ground beef and layered with rice they become s

Cafe Leilee

05/29/2012 03:27 PM

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Stuffed Grape Leaves (Dolmeh Barg-e Mo) ???? ??? ??

We grew up mostly among Mr. Dad's side of the family in northern Iran. The Master's relatives were originally from Tabriz, a city in the north western region of Iran. While throughout the years most of them had migrated to Tehran, along with their sweet accent they kept their refined taste in throwing elegant parties which the women from Tabriz are famous for.I first experienced these lavish parti

Cafe Leilee

05/14/2012 02:40 PM

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Oven Baked Gyro Meat with Tzatziki Sauce ??????? ?????? ???? ?? ?? ??????

Every member of our family has a way of saying happy mother's day to the Master. I always try to make her her favorite dishes, Camera Girl makes jello for her (there is a story behind this which I will share with you later) and treats her with some frozen pineapple and mango frozen yogurt, Sous Chef brings flowers, and Mr. Dad surprises her with some new cloths (yes, Mr. Dad has quite the taste in

Cafe Leilee

05/04/2012 12:42 AM

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Tiramisu ????????

The recipe for this tiramisu is from a book which has a very sentimental value for me. During the time that Camera girl and I lived in the States alone, about 10 years ago, we were financially broke, and spending money on things that were not essential to our daily life was not an option. We each held two jobs, we shared a full time job at a drugstore, and on the weekends we worked separately in d

Cafe Leilee

03/18/2012 04:48 PM

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Iranian Pan Fried Fish with Seville Orange ???? ??? ???? ??????

Ladies and gentlemen, I here present to you the recipe for the missing dish in my blog for Nowruz (Persian New Year). Sabzi polow and fish with kuku sabzi are the quintessential Nowruz dishes Iranians all over the world enjoy on the New Year's day.Whether it is the famous whitefish in the Caspian Sea region, the baked smoked fish in the dry arid central deserts, or the different varieties of

Cafe Leilee

03/13/2012 12:18 AM

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Yogurt with Spinach (Borani Esfenaj) ?????? ??????

What you see above is a sample of what Mr. Dad calls dinner! Mr. Dad is a man of simple foods. While the rest of us, the ladies of the house, like to sit down at the table and have an actual meal full of carbohydrates and protein, Mr. Dad prefers to have foods in the form of snacks and appetizers. But, just because the food is simple doesn't mean he has to eat it in a non elaborate way

Cafe Leilee

02/27/2012 02:38 PM

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Swiss Chard and Cheese Frittata ???????? ??? ????? ? ????

Hello! Yes I'm still alive, and no I have absolutely no good excuse for abandoning you for such a long time. You see I'm one of those people who needs to have a tight schedule in order to get anything done. That's why during fall, even when I was dealing with fiscal year end at work, and working on the hardest project for business school at the same time, I managed to squeeze in few posts. But now

Cafe Leilee

12/15/2011 02:34 PM

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Bûche de Noël (Yule Log) ???? ??????

Because I just finished the hardest course in the MBA program, and I have only one more class left to graduate, because we're approaching Christmas and well I'll be in Paris during Christmas, and just cause I'm feeling rather jolly these days I'm going to offer this recipe as a peace offering for being absent for such a long time.This was my first time making Bûche de Noël and it was very eas

Cafe Leilee

10/28/2011 12:41 AM

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Breakfast Braid ??? ??????

Do you recall Potato Bubba from our Cinnamon Rolls post!? If you remember I mentioned how she's so proud of Idaho potatoes and how she always recites all the foods you can make with potatoes. When she gave me her family's recipe for the most delicious cinnamon rolls she mentioned that for Christmas her family uses the same recipe for the dough to make a breakfast braid filled with scrambled eggs,

Cafe Leilee

10/03/2011 01:31 AM

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Shirazi Rice With Tiny Meatballs, Herbs & Kohlrabi Fries (Kalam Polow Shirazi) ??? ??? ??????

Persian cuisine is very diverse, there are those foods that are cooked and induldged by every Iranian, and there are those dishes that are rooted in only particular regions of the country, and if you're not from that area of the country then there's little chance that you get to taste that food.My mother's father was originally from Tabriz, a city in the northwest region o

Cafe Leilee

09/21/2011 02:17 AM

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Fresh Corn Pancakes topped with Avocado and Tomato Salsa ????? ??? ?? ????? ???? ????? ? ???????

I have a special relationship to the recipes that help me use up the excess produces I have on my hand. It's probably because of the mini tightwad in me who is willing to sacrifice her recently narrowed waistline for the sake of saving good food go to waist.This stinginess has given way to the discovery and creation of Banana Bread and Marinara sauce, and now this amazingly delicious mini corn pan

Cafe Leilee

09/07/2011 02:52 AM

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Cafe Leilee's menu for camping ??? ???? ???? ???? ???? ???

If you read my previous post you'll know that Cafe Leilee's staff spent the long weekend in the Yosemite Valley. And if you have been following this blog longer than that you'll also know that Cafe Leilee's staff are a bunch of food lovers who in every event find some excuse to indulge on good food. We're a family who used to pack big pots of cooked Persian rice along with fresh herbs, pickled cuc

Cafe Leilee

08/28/2011 03:19 PM

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Greek Festival in Belmont, California

This Labor Day Weekend, September 3-5, the Greek Festival will take place in Belmont's Church of the Holly Cross. Besides vendors who sell jewelry, dresses, and ceramics, there is going be a lot of fun activities for kids, an open bar for the adults, and lots of good food for all. If you're in the mood for a fast food style Greek food, you can munch on fried calamaris, gyros, souvlaki, loukan

Cafe Leilee

08/23/2011 11:20 PM

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Sour Cherry Slab Pie ??? ???? ??????

Whenever I'm making a fruit dessert I can't help but tease my sisters. Startled by the sound of the mixer they jump into the kitchen to check what I'm baking. Then I just say: "bleh...you won't like it, it's a fruit dessert."For the longest time the only fruit dessert I used to make was apple pie, and even though it is my favorite apple pie recipe it never excited the younger sisters. This made th

Cafe Leilee

08/07/2011 03:14 PM

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Saffron Pistachio Ice Cream ????? ??????? ?? ????

I wonder if my mom still gets upset when I murmur my plans for buying my own place and moving out. I don’t see her teary eyes anymore (knock on wood) when I mention my plans and draw my timeline for buying a house. Is it because she doesn’t love me anymore, or is it for the fact that I’ve slowly occupied her kitchen. Since she still pets me like I’m still her cute little 3-year old, I would say th

Cafe Leilee

07/27/2011 12:56 AM

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Book Review - The Legendary Cuisine of Persia ????? ???? - ?????? ?????? ?? ?????

I never felt I needed to buy a Persian cookbook written in English. Having my mother as a master of Persian cooking and several Persian cookbooks written in Persian, the only thing that drew me towards buying The Legendary Cuisine of Persia was the wealth of historical information about food and Persian cuisine. Margaret Shaida’s The Legendary Cuisine of Persia is not just an exquisite collection

Cafe Leilee

07/07/2011 02:29 AM

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Fillet Kabob (Kabob Barg) ???? ???

I was twelve when I first started cooking. It started with making a soup for my mom and two sisters who were down with a bad flu. I don't really remember how the soup turned out, but I remember how I felt after making it. I felt proud, in charge and responsible, all the feelings that a first child would come to acquire. Years have passed since that stressful afternoon of making soup, but I got to

Cafe Leilee

06/14/2011 12:59 AM

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Pasta with Pesto, Asparagus, Mushrooms, and Tomatoes ????? ?? ?? ????? ???????? ???? ? ???? ?????

These past 3 months have been a little more busy than usual in Café Leilee. Although it might not be evident in the blog, we had some amazing creations in our kitchen. The 20 page papers on ethics on top of other school works and a job rotation were just the cherries on top of all the other activities we had to do to help my cousins move back to Iran. And then you need 3 weeks to cope with their d

Cafe Leilee

03/31/2011 11:53 PM

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Chickpea Shortbreads ??? ??????

These are the most popular sweets baked and served during Nowruz to the visiting guests. Because for the 13 days following the New Years everyone is busy visiting relatives or hosting guests, the special New Year sweets are normally prepared and stored at least few days prior to the New Years. So I know I'm late in posting this recipe, but I couldn't wait until next year to share th

Cafe Leilee

03/20/2011 05:15 PM

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Happy Persian New Year ????? ?????

Happy Persian New Year!Hope the New Year brings peace, prosperity, and happiness for all.???????? ??????? ???? ???? ?????? ? ???? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ?

Cafe Leilee

03/15/2011 02:01 AM

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Rice with Noodles (Reshteh Polow) ???? ???

This year, the New Years falls on March 20th, you see the time and exact date of the Persian New Year always varies, because it happens exactly at the time of the vernal equinox and marks the beginning of spring. While the traditional New Years day dish is sabzi polow with fish, what is consumed on the eve of the New Year is always a dish containing some sort of noodles. Why noodles? Well the Pers

Cafe Leilee

03/08/2011 01:35 AM

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Lentil Bolognese ???????? ?? ???

One lazy afternoon, which happened to be around the New Years, I was sitting comfortably on the couch browsing through the latest edition of the Sunset magazine, when I came across this short article written in fine print about "Meatless Mondays", and how healthy it is to cut meat from your diet for only once a week. This short article was just enough to make "Meatless Mondays" a New Yea

Cafe Leilee

02/26/2011 09:02 PM

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Saffron Chicken ??? ???????

While the star on most Persian tables is the scrumptious rice, no rice dish is accompanied without a meat based dish. Chelow (plain rice) is usually accompanied by meat dishes in form of stews, however the rice dishes already mixed with herbs, vegetables, or fruits (polow) are complemented with simple meat dishes, like this saffron chicken.Serves 4Ingredients1 teaspoon canola oil4 chicke

Cafe Leilee

02/21/2011 10:51 PM

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Mexican Hot Chocolate ??????? ????? ??? ??????

The best way to end a stressful week in my world is drinking a cup of hot chocolate. Add a comforting soundtrack of contemporary Iranian music mixed with the sound of rain pouring outside, and you'll have yourself a very relaxing setting that will wash away all the stress which have been accumulated during the week. I have tried many recipes for hot chocolate, an

Cafe Leilee

02/08/2011 01:51 AM

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Chicken Rollatini with Spaghetti ???? ??? ?? ????????

Before I began blogging, I started to take pictures of anything I cooked and posted it on my Facebook. Out of all the food pictures I posted, the one that got the most comments was this photo. The melted mozzarella oozing out from the chicken rollatini makes for one of the most photogenic foods . So this week, when the picture for my delicious orange chocolate cake or breakfast smoo

Cafe Leilee

01/31/2011 02:08 PM

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Saffron Rice Pudding (Sholehzard) ??? ???

This Wednesday marks the 48th day after Ashura. Ashura is well-known because of its historical significance and mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad. Shia Muslims start the mourning from Ashura, the 10th of Muharram (1st month of the Muslim calendar) and continue for 48 days. Now, like many other cultural and religious festivals in Iran there

Cafe Leilee

01/24/2011 10:16 PM

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Beet Pasta Salad ????? ???????? ?? ???

Mother Nature has decided to grace us some sunshine and heat in the middle of winter. For the past week it has been sunny and relatively warm in the Bay Area. So we decided to pack for a nice picnic and enjoy this beautiful weather in the nature. Here is the recipe for the salad we enjoyed in our picnic. Needless to say the striking pink color of this salad made it appealing to the picki

Cafe Leilee

01/17/2011 10:33 PM

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Chicken Stew with Spinach and Prunes (Khoresh-e Aloo Esfenaj) ???? ??? ??????

Persian food always has the element of sweet and/or sour to it. While khoresh fesenjaan is the best example of sweet and sour, khoresh aloo esfenaj is the best example of a sour dish.This stew is traditionally cooked with cubed lamb and yellow prunes (known as aloo bokhara) which are extremely sour, but in our house it has always been cooked with chicken instead. And as far as the prunes, I find t

Cafe Leilee

01/10/2011 12:28 AM

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Herb-Crusted Salmon ???? ???? ????? ??? ?? ???????

There used to be a time where parents would force feed their children with nutrient packed foods and veggies. This held true in our family as well. Every day we were forced to drink a glass of milk, yes I know for those of you who grew up drinking pasteurized packaged milk this is not a big deal, but my dad eager to feed his children the old fashioned way bought our milk from a farm on the outskir

Cafe Leilee

01/02/2011 08:00 PM

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Open-Faced Date Omelet ???? ????

Going back to work after a long and relaxing holiday can be excruciating. Especially if you have spent the last 10 days sleeping until 10 in the morning. How are you to go back to your routine schedule and try to wake up at 7!? My best solution to a pain like this is a hearty and energetic breakfast which will wake you up and keep you on your toes for the remainder of the day. To make this di

Cafe Leilee

12/29/2010 02:11 AM

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Panko-Crusted Chicken Bites with Apricot-Mustard Sauce ??? ???? ?? ????? ??? ?? ?? ?????? ? ????

These chicken nugget look-a-likes (which by the way are much healthier) are great for parties as well as for kids. So make sure to include them to your New Years' party menu. Recipe adapted from Martha StewartIngredientsNonstick cooking spray1/2 cup all-purpose flourCoarse salt and freshly ground pepper2 large eggs1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1/2 cup freshly grat

Cafe Leilee

12/12/2010 11:17 PM

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Persimmon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing ??? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ???? ??

If you've visited your local grocery store recently, you can't help but notice the gorgeous persimmons which have appeared in the produce section. Whether it's Fuyu (the crunchy kind), or Hachiya (the elongated-shape kind), I can never get enough of this tastey fruit. In Iran, we only had Hachiya. As a child I would spoon out the jellylike pulp and enjoy them while watching car

Cafe Leilee

11/29/2010 01:16 AM

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Pomegranate Soup (Ash-e Anar) ?? ????

The Pomegranate bush is very beautiful. From the moment the first blossom appears to the time the fruit is fully riped and has its skin cracked and its ruby red seeds show is an amazingly beautiful process. In Iran the pomegranate thrives in the hot and dry air of the foothills surrounding the central Iranian dessert, so finding such a fruit in that climate was nothing short of a mi

Cafe Leilee

11/22/2010 02:37 AM

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Apple Pie ??? ???

Thanksgiving is by far my favorite American Holiday. It doesn't relate to any specific religion and it is all about being with family and enjoying food. Thanksgiving for me always works as an evaluation of how I have spent my year, and how I have gotten closer to reaching my American dreams. My first Thanksgiving after my permanent return to the US was in the year 200

Cafe Leilee

11/19/2010 01:44 AM

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Homemade Chicken Broth ?? ??? ?????

Before reaching the chilling winter season, I like to share with you my recipe for a homemade chicken broth. Up until about 2 years ago I used to use organic store bought chicken broth in soups. One time I decided to take a look at the list of ingredients on the box, and along the normal ingredients (organic chicken, water, celery,...) I found some mystery items as well, like organi

Cafe Leilee

11/10/2010 01:24 AM

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Roast Chicken with Pesto and Potatoes ??? ????? ??? ?? ?? ???? ? ??? ?????

This recipe is for one those days when the last thing you want to do is to spend hours slaving in the kitchen for a decent meal. Only 10 minutes of active time for a meal that is ready in 30 minutes. Ingredients2 lbs. fingerling potato, or Yukon gold potato or red-skin potatoes6 tablespoons pesto (to make your own click here)4 boneless skinless chicken breasts Salt and pepperDirectionsPreheat the

Cafe Leilee

10/31/2010 07:03 PM

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Sour Cherry Rice (Albaloo Polow) ?????? ???

If this rice dish is not the most beautiful and sophisticated dish you've ever seen, then I dont' know what is. You've got sour cherries, saffron, and pistachios, which don't only add exquisite colors to the dish but also make it taste like something worthy of fairies and gods. There are different ways of making this rice dish. Some make it with meatballs, some use cooked saffron chicken piec

Cafe Leilee

10/24/2010 10:52 PM

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Chocolate Spiders ?????? ??????

This year our family has the pleasure of having my cousins living close by. To pursue a research opportunity in Stanford, they moved to the States last June for a one-year stay. Their family includes a 12-year old handsome boy, and two mini monsters, 7-year old twin girls. So, we have taken the role of tour guides and cultural ambassadors and have been trying to intro

Cafe Leilee

10/11/2010 02:18 AM

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Fresh Walnuts in California ???? ???? ?? ?????????

Would you drive 130 miles on your day-off to experience the taste of your favorite childhood food item once again?As much as I like to think of myself as a food lover, I can never claim to be as passionate as my dad. This weekend he drove 130 miles to Jackson, California, to pick fresh walnuts. My dad's side of the family are originally from a small town in the Semnan province of Iran, c

	Cafe Leilee
	We love our homeland Iran, as well as our new home, America. So we decided to take a step forward into bringing the cultures of these two nations together through food.

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