::TGIF:surprises:recipe::

Hello everyone!

First off, I just want to start with saying that I received the versatile blogger award from Charlene over at A Cosmetic Affair - check out her awesome blog at: http://danceofthegods.blogspot.com/.

Thanks so much Charlene for this award {and my first one!} it totally made my day and now I have to pass it on and will probably do that at some point today or over the weekend but go and check out her blog! She has lots of great product reviews on beauty products that will make you want to grab your wallet and run to your nearest cosmetics store! :)

Second, THANK GAWD IT IS FRIDAY!!

This week has been especially brutal for me and it seems like it's beginning to look up {of course the week is nearing it's end and the weekend will be here, woohoo!}. But it was a tough week for me and I just want the days to get a little bit better. Lol.

Third, I am excited for this weekend, it is my Valentine's weekend with the boyfriend so we will see what he has in store for me. :) I love surprises.

I will also show you guys what I got from a few stores and I am hoping I get a package today from Philosophy! Fingers crossed! Also the package from Dorothy Perkins. :)

Also have my eye on a Nikkor 35mm 1.8 lens.....keep dreeeeaming about this lens and that is all I can think about! Unfortunately it's a little tight for my budget but it takes amazing photograph's and I'm not pro-photographer but I do have an entry-level DSLR Nikon D60 that takes lovely photo's but I want to play around with apertures and whatnot and take better photo's and close-up ones as well.

Anyways - it's recipe time, of course!

I find that alot of my recipes on here are a little vegetarian-esque. I'm by no means a vegan at all, I love meat although I do try and eat a lot less of it.

But there are meals out there that are meatless but taste meaty; if you will.

There is a shwarma place down the street from my sister's swanky apartment that has the most amaaaaazing falafel pita's. OMG. This stuff is out of this world good. I always think about it when I plan my trips to Toronto.

Where I live {slightly...ha! ALOT smaller city then the T.Dot} we don't have many ethnic cuisine-type restaurants so why not try and make them at home?

Here is a recipe that I got from AllRecipes.com ~ AN AMAZING WEBSITE ~ so check it out.

Anyways, let's get to cooking!

Bon Appetit!

Jeanie's Falafel

by Jean Marie

"This is a tasty dense falafel that contains no eggs. Serve on pita's with tzatziki or tahini sauce with lettuce and tomato."

Ingredients

1 (19 ounce) can chickpea's, rinsed and drained

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon dried parsley

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns

1 quart vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1. Mash the chickpeas in a large bowl. Stir in the onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, turmeric, baking powder, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Do not be afraid to use your hands. Shape the mixture into 1-1/2 inch balls; you should get 18-24. If the mixture does not hold together, add a little water.

2. Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil, and fry until brown. If you do not have a deep fryer, heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. You may need to adjust the heat slightly after the first couple of falafels, and be sure to turn frequently so they brown evenly.

Footnotes:

Editor's Note - We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will vary depending on cooking time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

There you guys go! Let me know if you like falafel or try this recipe.

I think I would omit the cilatro part of this recipe because I h.a.t.e cilantro! Do not like the taste of it AT ALL. So I will take that part out, but the rest sounds sooo delicious!

Enjoy yummy falafels!

-S.*

(Source: AllRecipes & Google Images)