What I used:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) of butter room temperature
• 3/4 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of light brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 cup of (mini) M&M candies½ cup of (mini) chocolate chips

How I made them:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Add your butter, both types of sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat well until creamed together. Next, add in the two eggs and vanilla and mix until all your wet ingredients are combined.
3. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
4. Gradually combine the wet and dry ingredients until everything is combined before add in the chocolate chips and M&Ms. Mix everything, making sure the chocolate chips and M&Ms are eventually mixed into the dough.
5. Spoon your mix into a muffin pan.
6. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let the bars cool before removing them from the pan
8. Enjoy!

P.S. This post is a part of my “What’s for Dinner” series, where I share what I’ve been cooking and my recipes.

It was perfection.

I marinated it like I normally do (marinated with olive oil, Montreal Steak seasoning, and Lawry’s seasoning salt), and airfried it on 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes on each side… depending on how well you like your steak.

Again, I’d recommend to serve with whipped potatoes, or my seasoned fries… or this baked version too!

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P.S. This post is a part of my “What’s for Dinner” series, where I share what I’ve been cooking and my recipes.

I can’t believe you are six today masha’Allah! You hear this from me quite often, but it is absolutely unreal how fast you are growing up and I wish there was a way to bottle this time up.  You light up my life in indescribable ways and I’m forever grateful to have the privilege to be your Mama.

This past year you demonstrated that you virtually can do anything… literally! The bright side, and hidden blessing, was we got to spend so much time together — something that I wished for endlessly since the first days of working outside the home when you were so small.

My love, you have lived through more things than people experience in a lifetime. Your first few years of school have been anything but ordinary, and it makes me so sad you missed out on those experiences and so many other things.. but you have amazed me, and continue to amaze me, daily with how resilient you are. You took an impossible situation, and not only lived or persevered through it… but you actually THRIVED in it.

Your resiliency in handling every curveball thrown your way will only help you in the future — I’m sure of it.

Your dedication, your love, your spark, your kind, pure and gentle soul – I hope you let nothing and absolutely no one change this about you. I know I tell you this often, but I mean it every time I say it – I couldn’t be more proud of you if I tried. In my heart, I have always known it, but it astonishes me how often even other people tell me they just know you are destined to do great things. You are going places Insha’Allah, and I can’t wait to see where the journey takes you (and I).

I’m forever not only your proud Mama… but also your biggest cheerleader. I know that if you put your mind to it, there is nothing that can get in your way … of whatever you set out to do. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for this year ahead. Don’t ever give up, and don’t ever let anyone get in the way.

Stay humble. Stay curious and determined. Stay you.  Because you, my precious Arham beta, are truly a gift from above. You are my reason why.

I love you to the ends of the ocean and more than the number of stars in the sky.

Love you always,
Mama

What I used:

• 1 (6 ounce) pre-made graham cracker crust
• 2 (8oz) tub of Cool Whip (thawed in fridge)
• 8 regular sized Hershey’s Chocolate Bars

How I made the hershey pie:

1. Break apart your Hershey’s chocolate bars and set aside several pieces to garnish the top. Tip: put the chocolate pieces you will garnish with in the fridge as cold chocolate is easier to grate.
2. Place the remainder of your choclate in a microw
   ave safe bowl. Warm them up in 30 second incredments unt until all the chocolate is melted.
3. Next, add in the Cool Whip to the chocolate bowl and mix together the Cool Whip and melted chocolate until both are well combined.
4. Transfer your mixture into your pre-made pie crust.
5. Grate chocolate shavings to garnish the top of your pie.
6. Refrigerate the pie and let it set before serving.

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P.S. This post is a part of my “What’s for Dinner” series, where I share what I’ve been cooking and my recipes.

1. I preheat my oven to 400 degrees.
2. I take my ribeye (or T Bone) steaks and marinated with olive oil, Montreal Steak seasoning, and Lawry’s seasoning salt.
3. Take an oven-safe pan, and heat olive oil in it on medium to high heat. Once the oil is heated, melt a tablespoon of butter in the pan.
4. On high heat, sear both sides of the steaks to form a caramelized crust
5. Then, transfer your pan(s) with the steaks to your preheated oven and cook for about 25 minutes.
6. Once its out of the oven, let it sit for a few minutes otherwise all the juices come out and dry up the steak

Serve with whipped potatoes, or my seasoned fries… or this baked version too!

Like my recipes? Click this link to purchase my cookbook “What’s for Dinner”

P.S. This post is a part of my “What’s for Dinner” series, where I share what I’ve been cooking and my recipes.

What I used:

• 1 medium garlic
• Olive oil
• 2 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• ½ cup of milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parsley

How I made it:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, put your garlic on a foil sheet. Drizzle the garlic with olive oil and then wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in your preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
3. Next, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add in your potatoes, and cook until they are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and mash your potatoes.
4. Stir in your butter, milk, salt and pepper.
5. Finally, remove the garlic from the oven, and cut in half and squeeze the softened cloves into the potatoes. Blend the potatoes potatoes with an electric mixer until they are as smooth as you would like.
6. Garnish with parsley on top – serve warm!

These go perfect with my steaks!

P.S. This post is a part of my “What’s for Dinner” series, where I share what I’ve been cooking and my recipes.

• Buttermilk
• Boneless chicken breast, cut into thin slices
• Eggs
• Flour
• Cornstarch
• Sandwich Buns
• Tomatoes
• Lettuce
• Cucumbers

Seasoning

• Salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Cumin
• Turmeric

For the Spicy Mayo:

• 1/2 cup of Mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon of Louisiana Style Hot Sauce
• Cayenne Pepper
• Salt, to taste

How I made it:

1. I soaked the chicken for 24 hours in buttermilk seasoned with; salt, black pepper, garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, and turmeric.
2. The next day, I added 3 eggs (I had about three pounds of chicken) and mixed the batter well.
3. In a Ziploc bag, I then combined flour with cornstarch, and seasoned it with the seasonings mentioned above as well.
4. In batches, add your chicken pieces to the Ziploc bag. Close the bag and shake well. I have found this method always ensures me a nice coating and a good crust on the chicken.
5. Fry your chicken pieces in batches.
6. To assemble the sandwich, spread your spicy mayo on both sides of your bun. add cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, and your chicken.

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P.S. This post is a part of my “What’s for Dinner” series, where I share what I’ve been cooking and my recipes.

What I used:

• two pounds of boneless chicken
• 6 cups of chicken broth
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 (medium) onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons of minced garlic
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup of green onions, chopped
• 2 cups of milk
• salt and pepper, to taste
• about 1/2 teaspoon of dry parsley (eyeball it)
• about 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary (eyeball it)
• about 1/4 teaspoon of celery salt (eyeball it)
• Pie crust (2)
• 1 egg

How I made it:

1. Boil your chicken in a pot full of water, seasoned with salt and pepper. Instead of salt, i used Mrs. Dash’s seasoning instead. 
2. Take the chicken out of the broth, and shred the chicken. I find using two forks to be the easiest method to do this. Set aside to let it cool.
3. Leave about six cups of chicken broth in the pot and add your milk to it. Let it come up to a simmer on low to medium heat.
4. In a separate pot, meanwhile, melt the two stick of butter on low heat.
5. Next add the onions and let it cook over low to medium heat. Saute until the onions are translucent, and keep mixing it. Add garlic, and stir for another minute.
6. Add in the flour, and whisk until the flour is fully mixed into the mixture.
7. Over low heat, slowly add the milk and chicken broth mixture. Add in about two cups at a time, and keep whisking the entire time.
8. Season the mixture with salt, pepper, parsley, rosemary and celery salt.
9. Add in your chopped green onions and bell pepper, frozen peas, and whichever other vegetables you would like. Stir well to make sure everything is combined and mixed thoroughly. Over low heat, let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
10. Add your shredded chicken and mix well. Take the pot off the heat and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
11. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
12. Roll out your pie dough — put one on the bottom of your pie dish before spooning the filling mixture on top.
13. Top with the second pie crust dough on top (create a lattice, or decorate as you prefer).
14. Brush on an egg wash on top to help you get the nice golden brown color on top.
15. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until your crust is golden brown.
16. Serve while hot!

To make a lattice top crust: Cut your pastry into strips. Line the top of your pie dish with strips heading in one direction. Now fold back every other strip half way. In a perpendicular direction [or just turn the pan for convenience], add in another row of pastry strips that you cut. Now, take the strips that you folded back, and unfold them over the strips you layered below. Repeat the process on the other half. Confusing much? It’s much easier than it sounds!

The above recipe is enough to make two pies, so you can adjust your recipe accordingly!

Like my recipes? Click this link to purchase my cookbook “What’s for Dinner”

P.S. This post is a part of my “What’s for Dinner” series, where I share what I’ve been cooking and my recipes.