Saturday's first group Iftar - Ramadan 1432/ August 2011

Salam to all!

This past saturday we invited all our friends and loved ones to eat over for Iftar (break-fast). {around 20 adults and kids}

I just wanted to show you some pictures of what we made (Nur and I, that is.. )

From left to right:  first row

1. Libyan Soup : Tomato, orzo and ground beef soup with a bunch of cilantro.
2. Beef kabob cubes : Beef tenderloin cut marinated with chopped parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon and mixed spice. and some lemon juice.
3. Chicken kabobs: My 2 yr old son Malik marinated it with Nur's supervision. He added salt, pepper, paprika, mixed spice, garlic & onion powder, and some other stuff.
4. Yellow rice with peas and carrots : Same way i make it with roasted lamb (you can find it here)
5. corn mayo salad : (recipe)
6. Tabbouleh: chopped parsley with finely chopped onion and tomato, salt, lemon juice and soaked bulghur,

second row:

1. beef kabobs : ground meat with parsley, onions, garlic, green hot peppers, and spices .. mixed in food processor to form a paste. then formed into shape.
2. roasted mini bell peppers, onions and tomatoes
3. grilled tomato salad : (recipe coming soon)
4. Hummus : store bought from sams club

Dessert section:

Summertime Iced tea : (orange drink in pic) taken from taste of home magazine.
Freshly made lemonade with mint
large platter of fruit
assorted favors of cheesecake
walnut carrot cake with cream cheese icing
coconut custard pie - store bought ( i have a similar recipe here)
dates

How we spent the day in the kitchen:

we went to sams club around 11am and grabbed all the stuff we needed. In huge gathering like these i like to use plastic plates, bowls, spoons, forks, cups and disposable aluminum trays. Aftar a long day of fasting and cooking, the last thing u want to see is a huge mountain of dishes!

Once we got in the kitchen we started by prepping the meats. Skinning fat, and cutting up meat.. preparing the kabobs.. and chicken all took around a good 1.5 hours. I made the soup, then placed it in a crock pot i had, on low heat. It stayed warm and fresh and I got it over with early.. so less stress!

Then while Nur was chopping the parsley for tabbouleh, i was skewering the beef cubes. The best thing to have in the kitchen is a HELPER.. we make a great team all the time.

lets see, after that... I made the Iced tea so it can refrigerate ... I soaked the bulghur, and Nur squeezed the lemons. Started getting the kitchen ready for guests, placed all the plates and cups and stuff where i wanted to put them.. trying to figure out what step to do next.

I started making the qatayef circles, and we filled them up with kunafa cheese together........ then it was time to turn on the grill. (around 6:20pm) So tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and chicken skewers went on the grill first, while Nur was forming the other kabobs.

Rice was made, Husband came home and helped finish grilling.. the meats that were done early were wrapped in foil and placed in the warm oven to stay hot. Made the corn salad.. once the tomatoes were grilled i made the "grilled tomato salad"......... i made the tea 20 mins early and kept it in a thermos and prepared the cups and sugar stuff, so as soon as they ask for it they can find it ready.


 everything was put in place and we were ready to eat at Maghrib at 8:25 pm.....

oh, and btw, we ate the Qatayef the next day because everyone was too full to eat anything else lol.. 

exhausting, but totally worth it! Alhamdulilah everything went as planned.