What is Beef Shawarma?

If you’ve never had beef shawarma, you’re in for a treat.! A famous Middle Eastern street food, shawarma is made with chicken or beef that is heavily marinated in oil, lemon juice, and warm spices. Then, it is placed on a vertical rotisserie or spit and slow-roasted for days until it is unbelievably tender. 

Most commonly, it is shaved off and served stuffed into bread with fresh toppings and a drizzle of tahini or tzatziki. However, you can also find it presented as part of a platter along with sides like tabbouleh and hummus. No matter how it’s plated, it’s always incredible and is guaranteed to leave you coming back for more. 

Don’t worry, though. You don’t need a fancy spit to make your own beef shawarma at home. I’ll show you how to create the same bold flavor and tender texture by searing on the stovetop instead! 

What Is Shish Tawook?

In the Turkish language, “shish” means skewer, and “tawook,” also sometimes spelled tauk, means chicken. Put together, the two translate to mean chicken skewer or chicken kebab. 

Believed to have first been served during the Ottoman Empire, shish tawook quickly became popular throughout the entire Middle East, spreading into Egypt and Levant during the Ottoman’s rule. 

It features pieces of chicken that are soaked in a yogurt marinade infused with garlic, lemon juice, and lots of warm spices. It is then grilled or baked until the chicken is fully cooked and tender. 

Thanks to the marinade, chicken shish tawook always turns out juicy and is virtually fail proof. It’s one of my all-time favorite recipes and is always what I order when we dine at Middle Eastern restaurants. Luckily, it’s simple to make at home, too! 

What’s the difference between chicken shish tawook and chicken shawarma? 

Both dishes are made with boneless skinless chicken and Middle Eastern spices, but they are not the same. There are key differences in how the two recipes are created and prepared. 

• Shish tawook is created with a creamy, yogurt-based marinade that features garlic, warm seasonings, and tomato paste. As a result, it has a rich, bold flavor and a distinct hue. 
• Alternatively, shawarma does not use yogurt or tomato paste. Instead, an olive oil-based marinade creates a stronger citrus flavor with warmer seasonings and a slightly spicier flavor. 
• Traditionally, shish tawook is grilled on skewers, and shawarma roasts long and slow on a spit. Although, you can also make oven baked chicken shawarma at home.

What Is Honey Cake? 

The origins of honey cake recipes can be traced all the way back to ancient Egyptian and Roman cultures. In its first stages, the dessert is believed to have been made out of honey and mashed yeast or barley.

During the 12th century, it was developed into a dessert similar to what we make today thanks to bakers in Italy. Soon, it was adopted by the Jewish culture and quickly became a custom surrounding the study of the Torah. 

Over time, the cake has been incorporated into a wide variety of cultures across the globe and can be found in many different variations. In fact, it is the dessert that spurred the creation of gingerbread. However, no matter how it is made, honey cake always comes together with a simple, spiced batter that is naturally sweetened. 

Soft, sweet, and incredibly tender, it’s one dessert that truly stands the test of time and remains a favorite in many homes, including our own! 

What does Golden Milk taste like?

Golden milk has a distinctive taste. It is warmly earthy, supremely spiced, slightly sweet, complexly flavorful, has a light bite to it, and with the addition of coconut oil or if using dairy milk it becomes a rich drink.

Some drinks with similar flavor include chai tea or spicy eggnog.

You have the option to sweeten it, then serve it warm and cozy or chilled and iced. I say this really just depends on the season. I think you'll love it warm during fall and winter months and chilled during spring and summer months.

It's touted to have lots of health benefits (see below) and some say it can even help improve sleep quality.

All the more reason to enjoy this delicious drink! It has tempting flavor and nutritious benefits.

What are Cowboy Cookies?

We are all familiar with the classic chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, sugar cookies and snickerdoodles but what exactly are cowboy cookies?

They are a cookie similar to oatmeal cookies as they include oats but what makes them unique is that they also include additions of shredded coconut, chocolate chips, pecans and cinnamon.

Some say they were created and attained their name in being a a good pack along cookie that held up well in a saddlebag, while others believe they originated in Texas and are named after the cowboys.

People of all ages love these cookies and they are a welcome change from the traditional cookies with one main flavor. These are tempting blend of so many cookies in one!

What's not to love about these highly textural cookies? It's a decadent cookie brimming to the max with all the best things!

Honey Baked Ham Recipe

A go-to method for spiral sliced ham. In the past I've hated how I'd always ended up with some dry slices, but not here.

I like Cook's Illustrated's method for spiral sliced ham so I used the same method here and just added different glaze rather than the orange maple one they used.

So many ham recipes (at the same weight) are cooked at 375 degrees for up to 3 hours but why? The ham is already fully cooked, it just needs to be warmed through for serving.

Here the ham is first brought up to room temperature in warm water so it heats more evenly in the oven. From there it's wrapped in an oven bag for faster cooking, and moister end result.

And then finally at the end it's unwrapped and coated with the glaze and heated at a higher temperature to help brown and caramelize it a bit.

It's the perfect protein for a holiday feast!

This post is sponsored by Danish Creamery. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Best Pumpkin Soup!

This is my idea of the best pumpkin soup! It's like autumn in a bowl and it has such inviting flavor, plus it couldn't be easier.

No chopping, seeding, roasting and pureeing pumpkin necessary in this recipe. Believe it or not this starts with canned pumpkin and you will be wowed by the end result!

Part of the secret to what makes it so good is the indulgent Danish Creamery Butter.This premium butter takes a bland fruit and turns it into something that is perfectly highlighted with rich flavor (sometimes I even sneak in 2 extra tablespoons of the butter!).

Danish Creamery has been using the same recipe to make their butter since 1895. Using just two ingredients, high quality cream and a touch of sea salt.

It’s just the way butter should be. Here it is the perfect compliment to this soup!

Wondering what to serve with this pumpkin soup? It pairs beautifully with rustic bread for dipping (a hearty French bread or whole wheat are great options), and a fall inspired side salad such as this delicious kale salad.

A New Favorite Fall Recipe

We all love the classic pumpkin chocolate chip cookies but sometimes it's nice to switch up tradition for something different but equally as delicious. These iced pumpkin cookies fill that space perfectly.

These are a very similar to those cakey pumpkin flavored cookies we are used to but dark chocolate chips are omitted and instead they're finish them with two types of icing and chopped nuts.

They may just take the winning lead for your favorite fall cookie!

They are fun to decorate two. One way I came up with is to use both types of icing and finish with a criss-cross pattern that becomes a pretty autumn plaid design. All you need is to small resealable bags or two piping bags to create it (and snip a small corner away with scissors to drizzle over).

Just plain on two per person because most likely everyone will want to try each type of icing. Let us know which you love the most!

Halloween Gingerbread Cookies

After just one bite I have the feeling these will become a new Halloween tradition for you. Not only are they such a cute treat but they are an intensely delicious treat too (every time I make them I think I eat half the batch myself!).

They have an abundance of warm ginger (which can be toned down for little kids and cut in half if preferred), and the deeply flavored, thick molasses keeps them soft for days. And that crisp bright icing is the perfect contrast and finish.

Forget trick-or-treat candy this is the new highlight of the season. And if you do have kids at home let them help decorate they'll have a blast!

Special Equipment Needed

You'll need the kitchen standards here such as an electric mixer, rolling pin, cookie sheets, parchment paper, a kitchen scale or measuring cups. Then also:

• Black edible food marker: I tested two different brands and preferred the Wilton edible markers.
• A piping bag for the icing.
• Small plain round tip such as #3 or #4 size.
• Gingerbread cookie cutter.

Perfect Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

We all love pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, but have you tried pumpkin whoopie pies yet?

They are very similar but rather than being dotted with dark chocolate chips two cookies are layered and meld together with a rich cream cheese frosting in the center. So it's like an irresistible cake but in single serve cookie form, and they're easier to make!

These soft and fluffy cookies are delicious rolled in chopped pecans or walnuts which also adds a light crunch. Or you could try adding some chocolate chips to the cookie dough for an extra decadence.

Try them at least once this fall, you won't regret it!