Ardî Shawkî bil-Bayd (Artichokes with scrambled eggs) (Syrian)

This is a simple and fast (and delicious) Syrian breakfast. As we're so great fans of artichokes we were happy to discover it. As a tip, adding the artichokes later keeps the eggs lighter. 
Enjoy :)
Recipe source: Saveur.

Last year: Ginger, apple and lime smoothie (raw vegan).
Two years ago: Oven-baked salmon with herb crust and caramelized baby carrots.
Three years ago: Pina colada cupcakes (muffins) and Brussels sprouts side with garlic, nutmeg, lemon and chives (vegan).

Banana and chocolate chunk cake squares

What should friends who help you move get? You know, after a long trip to pick up heavy mail-delivered luggage and boxes and after carrying them to your place? You should give them something as a thank you, right? So what should it be?
One answer could be a quick to make delicious moist banana cake studded with chocolate chunks :). Served directly over said boxes (see above). Straight from the oven, before having a chance to unpack, because there's nothing that says "home" more than warm cake :).
Enjoy.

The cake is not to sweet or fat, the banana fragrance and flavor can be felt all throughout it and the glorious dark chocolate chunks are a winner (especially when the cake is still warm and the chocolate is melted and gooey) :).
Recipe adapted from here.

Last year: Brownies with mixed seeds and vanilla.
Two years ago: Cinnamon and brown sugar palmiers.
Three years ago: Diet muffins with cranberries, dark chocolate and spices and Risotto with caramelized onions, artichokes and bacon.

Kela Ki Subji (Indian banana curry) (vegan)

A surprising main dish made of savory curried bananas, served with white rice. Better than you would expect. The bananas are the main ingredient and you can very much taste them and smell them in the final dish and yet it's as far from dessert as any other main course.
Try it whenever you want a fast and light meal.
Recipe source: here.

Last year: Simple broccoli, artichoke and bechamel souffle.
Two years ago: Moroccan preserved lemons (vegan).
Three years ago: Black olive dip (French Tapenade) and Concentrated orange juice caramel (vegan).

Courgette and feta cheese tart

A thin base of puff-pastry is topped with fried courgette slices and grated cheeses, then baked until crispy and delicious. The feta cheese you can taste in the final tart is both baked and fresh, as half of it is scattered on top after the baking :). 

All in all, this was a wonderful combination of flavors, typical to Greek savory pies and very easy to make at home due to the convenient store-bought puff pastry. Slice it into squares and serve it both warm from the oven or cold :)
I'm also submitting the recipe to this month's Sweet Romania challenge, hosted this month by Stefy, and focused on puff pastry recipes. 

Last year: Bulgogi (Korean fried beef with cellophane noodles).
Two years ago: Home-made Raclette bowls with wild mushrooms, lemon and capers.
Three years ago: Spaghetti and tuna balls and Orange and poppy seed muffins.

Leek, potato and bacon soup (British)

This is a common staple in British kitchens, especially in the autumn and winter since it's an ideal comfort food. Variations on this delicious combination of potatoes and leeks in a creamy soup can be found in the cuisines of other countries as well (see the French Potage Parmentier, for instance). 
Since it's still pretty cold we've started plunging into this ever since October; it's pretty easy to make and a hot bowl of this thing helps you cheer up, relax, enjoy the chilly evening and so on :)
I definitely recommend it for this time of the year. Have fun making it and enjoy! :)
Recipe source: here. 

Last year: Halloumi and chickpea salad with mint and oranges.
Two years ago: Bell pepper sticks with refried bean dip.
Three years ago: Tikka Masala chicken cous cous (British-Indian) and Czech poppy seed cakes (kolaches).

The Sidecar (cocktail)

A strong(ish) drink made with lemon juice, cognac and Cointreau and served in a glass sweetened with a bit of sugar. It was invented in Paris in 1931. A nice way to relax after a long day :).
More on the history of the drink here.
Recipe source: here. 

Last year: Pears with rosemary sugar dust (raw vegan).
Two years ago: Beefsteaks in apple juice.
Three years ago: Broccoli and pancetta orecchiette, Noodle salad with black sesame (vegan) and Chocolate and stout cupcakes (Irish).

Recipe index by type

I've figured that the blog needed a list like this too, because the labels "dessert", "soup", "beef" and so on will eventually include too many dishes and browsing through all the results might get tedious. 
So, in this list you'll find the recipes by the type of course they yield or the type of meat (or not) they use, if they're vegetarian, or vegan, if they're starters or drinks, if they're cakes or cookies or mousses and so on. 
(If you're looking for a more specific ingredient than a type of meat, say if you want a list of all broccoli recipes, then check out the link to the ingredient index just below.)
For a recipe index by country or region of origin, go here.
For a recipe index by ingredient used, go here.
Happy browsing! :)

Flourless chocolate cake with choco-whiskey sauce

A flourless version of a rich chocolate cake. It comes out moist and fudgy and yet with a light consistency, sort of like a solidified chocolate foam :). It's of course great as a gluten-free alternative to a classic celebration cake, but the texture and taste are so good you should make it just because, not for fitting any special diet. :).  
The cake slices, still warm, are to be drizzled with a hot whiskey and chocolate sauce and decorated with a few strands of whipped cream, as you can notice above. (The sauce is really the ka-boom part of the whole experience, so don't skip it. It contains a lot of alcohol which you can still taste after it's done, it's not sweet - as it has no sugar - and it's made with dark chocolate, it has a "serious" taste about it, but somehow compliments the cake perfectly). :)
Cake recipe adapted from: Cătălina. Whiskey sauce recipe is my own.

Last year: Poulet Vallée d'Auge (Chicken, apple and Calvados cream stew) (French).
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Chinese fried rice, Broccoli and ham torte and Cardamom lassi (Indian).

Harissa and truffle potato puree with mozzarella-olive sauce

A lovely dinner for two with sophisticated undertones. If you like the classic addition of truffle-flavored oil to potato mash and if you're a fan of spicy foods you'll love this. The mozzarella and olive   side bring just the right amount of flavors needed to complete the experience. Enjoy :)
P.S: I neither approve or disapprove of the holiday many people celebrate today. Some years ago, I passionately despised it for what I perceived to be its stupidity and kitsch. Nowadays I'm indifferent-tolerant to it. If people feel the need to celebrate love this way, who am I to stand in their way or be the grumpy Grinch? I guess it's not the worst thing in the world. (*Feeling peaceful, non-judgmental and trying to be a better anthropologist*).

Last year: Crispy cheese and guacamole tortillas.
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Tirolese spinach and cheese dumplings (Austrian), Spinach and cheese crostini and The perfect fluffy fried bananas.

Pizza Diavola (Italian-American)

The go-to in terms of spicy pizza. Super-easy to make and way better than any Diavola you could buy. Not to mention that by making it at home you'll have the satisfaction of feeling (and especially smelling) every step of the way. Enjoy :)

Last year: Deep fried Brie with tamarillo relish.
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Mashed potatoes with caramelized shallots and Parmesan, Pork in spice crust and Banana bread with nuts (American).

Sholezard (Iranian rice, saffron and rosewater pudding) (vegan)

For fans of sophisticated Middle Eastern desserts. For fans of intense rosewater and saffron flavors. For those who crave a fancy but easy to make treat. For those who started feeling the chilly evenings getting to them :) 
[But first of all, for Mira, who is today 2 years old. Happy birthday little one. :) ]
Enjoy.

Last year: Ti ki burfi (sesame seed burfi) (Indian).
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Pickled mustard and Marliesentorte (German hazelnut, chocolate and cream cake).

Turkey bites with vodka sauce

Vodka sauce (actually tomato and vodka sauce) is a classic addition to Italian pasta. Apparently there's something in the alcohol that enhances the taste of the tomato sauce, even if (most of) it cooks off. I thought it would also complement tiny morsels of fried turkey just right. And right I was. Enjoy :)

Last year: Smoked salmon pizza (Italian).
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Bacon-wrapped baby corn, Spicy chocolate truffles and Pissaladières (French caramelized onion tarts).

Tuna parsley fritters with mustard bechamel sauce

This was another impromptu dish I had to fix up in a hurry while not having my camera with me (which explains the poor quality of the pictures taken with a cell phone). But the dish had been planned in my mind for a long time before, and the final result did not fail me :). It was everything I imagined and more. Everyone was pleased, Miriam was happy, mission accomplished. Enjoy. :)

Last year: Tortellini and vegetable souffle.
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: Chicken with cream and mushrooms, Singapore noodles with chicken and Mexican-style scrambled eggs.

Guacamole de Granada (Guacamole with pomegranate) (Spanish-Mexican) (raw vegan)

A Spanish take on the ever versatile and ever delicious guacamole. Adding fresh pomegranate "seeds" gives the guacamole an unexpected freshness, sweetness, and occasional crunch. The pomegranate juice complements the lime juice in a very harmonious way, releasing a sweet citrus-y combined flavor. I, being both a guacamole and pomegranate major fan, really loved it. 
Recipe source: here.

Last year: Chili and lemon fried shrimps.
Two years ago: Sprinkle butter cookies (Italian).
Three years ago: White rice pudding with rosewater and almonds (Turkish), Florentine pie (with spinach and egg) and Bramboraki (Czech potato pancakes).