No Bake Chocolate Fridge Cake - Mozaik Pasta

Summer in Istanbul is unbearable. It is impossible to go out during the day because of the burning hot streets. That is why people go on a vacation to cool down in the crystal sea or they go out when the sun goes to sleep. 

Even though it is very hot, the weather is definitely better than the humid New York weather and garbage smelling streets. Do not get me wrong, I really liked New York but there is no place like home. Especially if your mom spent hours making your favorite food- yaprak sarma-  for your arrival. 

Although the weather in Istanbul is better, I still crave for a cool autumn weather and cozy leaves on the streets. But since it is still August, I find the answer in refreshing drinks and desserts. 

This recipe is a summer classic in our family. As a chocolate lover, I make this very often. It is also perfect as a dessert after a dinner party because it is fresh and light. The cool refreshing cake is very easy to prepare. You only have to pop it in the freezer and wait for it to set. 

The reason why I love this recipe so much is because you can add or substitute many different ingredients. Just follow the directions for the chocolate sauce and the other ingredients depends on your creativity. I used petit beurre biscuits, walnuts and some orange zest in this recipe but you can use crushed cookies, wafers, graham crackers, digestive biscuits, marshmallows, peanuts, etc. You got the idea. The sky is the limit. 

In Turkey, we call this "Mosaic Cake" because when you slice it, the biscuits and the other ingredients make the illusion of a mosaic. I really hope you try this especially during the summer,

Cafe Fernando's Almond Cookies

A cup of coffee and some flaky almond cookies with a new book in my hand I am sitting in my balcony trying to ignore screaming kids and enjoying the beautiful weather. Summer is officially here. After coming back from an exhausting volunteering project in İzmir, I can finally relax and have a time of my own. 

A couple of months ago I bought a new cooking book called Cafe Fernando. It is written by the famous food blogger "Cenk Sönmezsoy" who loves San Francisco, baking, chocolate and macarons, just like me. He has won many awards with his blog, book and original recipes. I wish I had found his blog earlier but late is better than never. 

photos from: http://bigumigu.com/haber/tasarim_gozu_olan_kurabiye_ustalari_araniyor_cafefernando 

I tried the first recipe on his book called "Cenk's Home Cookies". In Turkey, every mother or grandmother has their special cookie recipe that they can pass on to their children and grandchildren. We do not have a specific recipe written on a piece but my grandmother always bakes the best cookies by measuring with her eyes and experimenting with different nuts and fruits. And as you can imagine it might be very difficult to follow a recipe where you are asked a handful of sugar and plenty of flour. This is why I chose to try Cafe Fernando's recipe. 

photo from: http://bigumigu.com/haber/tasarim_gozu_olan_kurabiye_ustalari_araniyor_cafefernando

The cookies are so good that you cannot stop eating. It is not to sweet but has a crunchy topping and a flaky texture which is what I love in a cookie. I highly recommend that you try this because it is purely worth your time. It is time to use those almonds that you have bought a couple of months ago and that you couldn't use them because you've spent too much money on. Believe me it is worth it. I hope you'll enjoy. 

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Summer is the time where I get to travel and most importantly visit my summer house in Çanakkale. It is the only time where I get to relax, enjoy the sunshine on the silky sand, read a couple of books of my choice with my sunglasses on and swim in the crystal clear sea. However what I like the most is that I get to visit a small island called "Bozcaada". It is just across where our house is and only takes 45 minutes to get there with the boat. 

The port

Bozcaada is known with its jams, wine, fish, herbs and most importantly its super cold sea. But for me a cold sea is the best after a burning summer day. I can say that warm water is definitely not for me and this is why I love Bozcaada so much. I would love to spend the entire summer there but a lot of people choose to come here during the season and it makes this tiny cute island a disaster because of the traffic, and food problems. Even the hotels are overloaded and you can count yourselves lucky if you have a loaf of bread and a bottle of water. This is why I only go there just before the season starts. 

Ayazma Beach

The classic Bozcaada lunch, roasted eggplants, fried calamari and samphire...

for more photos of Bozcaada

Three weeks ago I went there for the weekend with my entire family; my aunt, my uncle, my grandmother, my grandfather, my cousin, my father and my mother. We visited  Alesta Otel owned by one of our friend who lives in Bozcaada. She invited us for the authentic island breakfast full of jams, pişi and olives. It was spectacular. After the breakfast, we had coffee and some cookie that I baked for her. I had to hide the cookie box on our way to the island because m uncle and my cousin were trying to eat "Just one more". Everyone, even the guests that were staying at the hotel fell in love with the cookies. Later I baked a batch for my Geography class and they also liked the cookies. 

So, I am sharing the recipe for the most amazing "Chocolate Crinkle Cookies":

Note: If you bake these overnight, it will be easier to shape them. They need minimum 5 hours of resting in the refrigerated. 

Super Easy 5 ingredient Noodles in 15 minutes

April and May are the busiest months for me. With many projects due and exams, I feel lost. But when I get in the kitchen and cook something, I feel less stressed and less overwhelmed. This is why I still continue to cook even with this crazy schedule. But I do not want to spend hours and hours in the kitchen because (I can't believe I am saying this but) sometimes cooking can be a waste of time. Although I love cooking, I do not have all the time in the world. So this is where "easy to prepare" foods save my life. I get to cook and destress but I also do not fall behind with my school work. 

Just like kısır, this recipe takes only 15 minutes. I had some leftover steak and I added them to the noodles, but if you have some chicken, shrimp or any other vegetables they will work as well. If you don't have any leftover, you can just simply cook some on a lightly oiled pan. 

If you are struggling with time like me, I hope this recipe helps you save some time. 

Kısır, The Turkish Bulgur Salad

Kısır is an all time favorite dish whether it is a leftover from your mother's tea party or a side dish for a picnic. It is a cold side dish that you can easily alter according to your own likes and dislikes. In a traditional Turkish kısır, there are plenty of cucumbers and tomatoes. But as you know I hate tomatoes and also not a big fan of cucumbers. This is why I do not like to add them but you can if you want to. Sky is the limit, you can try with whatever ingredient you want to, just be brave. 

Kısır is actually a women's favorite dish to prepare especially for tea parties. It is easy and quick to prepare, requires cheap ingredients that you always have in your pantry, is delicious and extremely healthy. I know that "quinoa" is the new trend right now but believe me bulgur is just as healthy and much more cheaper (in Turkey).  

image-facts from: google.com

My mother is known as the master of kısır by our family and friends. Every time she is invited to a party whether it is a birthday party or a tea party, her friends ask her to bring some. But like many Turkish moms, she does not have a recipe that she follows step by step, she just uses her eyes and hands to measure. With this method, the recipe might seem very hard to follow if you are not personally there watching her while she cooks. 

So, I went into the kitchen and watched her every step. I did my best to give you the exact measurements. I hope you will like the outcome, enjoy.