Eggplant Pasta

This has quickly become a new family favorite. It's been a good year for eggplant, so our creativity has been put to the test.

The ingredients:
2 cups cooked pasta - penne or a similar shape
5 or 6 Japanese or Chinese eggplant - about 3 cups peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes - cherry, grape or pear tomatoes work very well
2 cups sliced mushrooms
6 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup olive oil


1. Begin by peeling and dicing the eggplant, Put it in a large skillet with a generous amount of olive oil.

2. Salt the eggplant, and saute for about 10 mintues before adding the sliced mushrooms and chopped garlic.
















3. Keep the heat on the low side and saute until the mushrooms are cooked and the eggplant is translucent and has absorbed the olive oil.

4. Chop the tomatoes and add to the eggplant mix.

5. Turn off the heat. Chop the fresh mozzarella and sprinkle over the top. Add the chopped, fresh basil.

6. Add the pasta; stir and serve with a little grated Parmesan.

You will thank me!

Grilled Vegetable Casserole

This is not dinner in 30 minutes, but it is cooked partly outdoors and it is So Delicious. It also uses large quantities of vegetables, so if your garden is overproducing, you can use it all.

Ingredient List
At least 4 - 6 Chinese or Japanese eggplant - the skinny ones
At least 3 - 4 zucchini
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
4 - 6 eggs
1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil
Italian spices
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
Marinara sauce
Shaved Parmesan for garnish

Begin by slicing some eggplant and zucchini lengthwise. Put them on the grill with a little salt.

Cook them until they are a little bit charred and soft.

Next: Chop the cooked vegetables. Put them in a glass casserole dish.

Step 3: Beat 4 - 6 eggs - depending on how many vegetables you have - one egg for every cup and a half of chopped veg. Add some Italian spices to the eggs - about a tablespoon.

Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the vegetables, Add the beaten egg and toss so that the vegetables are coated with oil and egg.

Step 4: Add about a cup of seasoned bread crumbs. Toss again so the pieces are coated with crumbs.

Step 5: Cover the casserole with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes (40 if your casserole is quite full).

While the vegetables are baking:

1. Heat some marinara sauce on low.

2. Grate some cheddar or jack cheese - about 1 1/2 cups.
When the vegetables are cooked, sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for 10 more minutes - uncovered.

Serve with marinara sauce and shaved Parmesan.
Enjoy!

Fruit and Cider Pancakes

I'm searching for a better name for the long list of pancakes I have made over the past decade or so. "Cake" is not what I am going for, but they always consist of batter fried in a pan, so this is it for now. These have a summery flavor and are simple to make.

This summer was a good year for fruit and I like to use what's on hand.

For these tasty breakfast treats you will need:

5 eggs
1 1/2 cups of mashed fruit
1 + cups of any flour you like; I have used wheat, quinoa, and brown rice flour - all with good results.
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup of cider; it can be hard cider or the non-alcohol kind.

Mix your ingredients together. Heat some coconut oil in a large frying pan, and spoon in some batter, and cook on a low heat setting.

Make the pancakes dollar size for easier flipping. If you like thicker batter, it's all right to add more flour. I tend to like a crepe-like result, so I use less flour.

Top with fruit sauce, honey, syrup, jam, butter or anything else that you like on pancakes. I usually sprinkle some chopped pecans on mine.

Roasted Vegetable Soup

I'm a big fan of recipes with variable ingredients. This roasted vegetable soup will work with whatever vegetables you happen to have around your house, in your garden or available at the farmer's market. Put chunks of raw vegetables into a Dutch oven, or any covered casserole dish or enamel baking dish. Slow roast the vegetables along with wine, olive oil, and salt.

When the vegetables are soft and somewhat caramelized (3 - 4  hours in a 325 oven), remove the covered dish from the oven, add the broth and any herbs that you like. Return the dish to the oven for another hour.

As your final step, allow the roasted vegetables to cool a bit, and then puree them with a hand blender. You could add some sour cream or creme fraiche, if you like. And you might want to add more herbs or salt to bring it into the perfection zone!

Any combination of these will work in your soup:

Onions - peeled and quartered

Whole peeled garlic cloves

Tomatoes - remove stems and cut in halves or quarters

Sweet potatoes - peel and cut into chunks

Broccoli

Cauliflower

White or red potatoes - peel and cut in halves or quarters
Leeks - clean and cut off green tops
Shallots - peel and put in whole

Chili Peppers, Ortega, Pasilla, jalapeno - remove stems and seeds and cut in half

Winter Squash - any kind - peel, remove seeds and cut into chunks

**Winter squash can be hard to cut and peel, so I put the whole squash into the oven for 30 to 40 minutes before I attempt to cut and peel it. Works like a charm!**

Other ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil 

1/2 cup red or white wine - add at the beginning

2 - 3 cups broth - add after vegetables are roasted

Herbs - basil, dill, parsley, thyme, rosemary, turmeric, ground caraway,

Basil, dill, and parsley can be used in large quantities. Thyme, rosemary and oregano are too strong for more than a pinch. (See note below.)

Salt - add initially and at the final step, if needed

1/3 - 1/2 cup sour cream or creme fraiche - add at the end

Cooked rice, barley or corn - add after the soup is pureed

Cooked, chopped vegetables, such as green beans or asparagus - add after the soup is pureed

Sauteed mushrooms - add after soup is pureed

If you like to use your imagination, this is a terrific way to make a hearty winter soup with fabulous flavor.

Note: One way to add a strong spice like rosemary to a broth is to put it in a tea strainer or a gauze drawstring pouch and let it steep in the hot broth for a bit. You will get some of the flavor and the aroma, but without the woody bits.

Chili Casserole

This is sometimes called chili relleno casserole, but by any name it is delicious and easy.

1. You will need 2 cans of peeled whole green chilies. You can also roast and peel your own chilies and use a slightly hotter version, such as a Poblano or a Pasillo.

2.Any kind of cooked meat or cheese that you like - about 1 pound. Chorizo or another ground meat, or shredded chicken, pork or beef are all good options. Cook and season it with cumin, chili powder, onion, and garlic.

3. 6 - 8 eggs depending on the size

4. About 1 cup of crumbled queso freco or cotijo cheese. If you don't have those, shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar will be fine. Cheese is optional in this dish.

5. About 1/2 cup of mild to medium enchilada sauce.

6. 1/2 cup half and half

7. 1/3 cup of flour (any kind) plus 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Step 1. Pour the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass casserole dish.

Step 2. Add a layer of chilies.

Step 3. Cover the chilies with the meat mixture.

Step 4. Add a second layer of chilies over the meat.

Step 5. Beat the eggs together with the half and half and the flour. When these are well mixed, add the cheese. Pour the egg/cheese mixture over the meat and chili layers.

Step 6. Bake covered at 325 degrees for 1/2 hour. Uncover and bake for another half hour or until the egg mix is set.

Slice like you would a lasgana and serve with rice and frijoles.

Flavor Cubes

 Gardens are producing already, so I am posting this in a hurry because I think it is a time saving idea and an efficient way to handle quantities of produce.

Use peppers, tomatoes, herbs, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, and some olive oil to make a sofrito. I like a little heat in nearly everything I cook, so I use jalapenos and poblanos, but you can also use bell peppers and ortega chilies in your sofrito.

Cook the mixture until everything is soft. Spoon it into a Pyrex mixing bowl, and let it cool  slightly. Use an immersion blender to make a paste, and spoon the paste into ice cube trays.

When the flavor paste is solid, remove from the trays and wrap in wax paper. I found this nice unbleached wax paper at Sprouts.

After your pieces are wrapped, pop them into a zipper bag and store them in the freezer.

Use them to flavor rice, soups, stews, stir fry dishes, salad dressing, or any other place where you need a flavor burst.

Rice nearly always needs a little something to make it interesting, and popping one or two of these into the water when you are boiling it will do the trick quite nicely.

The total time for creating these flavor cubes is pretty modest. When the gardens are gone, you will have some pleasant reminders of your summer harvest.

Mango Citrus Cake

I'm a big fan of cooking with whatever is around. More particularly, I like to use up whatever Really Needs to be used up Now. One day last week, I found some sliced mango in the refrigerator ( I really thought this would get eaten.) and started on this cake. The result was a fruity, citrus-y cake that resembled a carrot cake or a hummingbird cake. Buttery frosting made it decadently delicious, but it is definitely good enough to be eaten as a coffee cake or a muffin with no frosting at all.

1 cup of sliced mango

Zest of 1 orange

Zest of 2 lemons

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 2 lemons

1/3 cup brandy

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup soft butter

4 eggs

1 cup coconut flour

2 cups wheat flour - You might need a little more depending on the size of your citrus fruits.

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 sliced bananas for the filling between the layers 

Frosting:

3/4 cup soft butter

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons buttermilk or heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

A few drops of orange extract

1. Puree your mangoes and mix in all of the other ingredients in order. Stop for a few minutes after you add the coconut flour. Coconut flour takes a few minutes to absorb liquid. 

2. Add the flour, baking powder and soda, and salt and stir until mixed thoroughly.

3. Put into greased muffin tins, two 8 inch cake pans. 

4. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. The middle should be a bit springy before you take it out.

5. Make the frosting while you are cooling the cakes.

6. Frost the top of the bottom layer very lightly; and add banana slices.

7. Add the top layer and frost the top and sides.

8. Invite some friends over!

Everyone is fortunate in one way or another; our task is to identify the ways in which we ourselves are fortunate. Alexander McCall Smith