Easy Eggplant Parmesan

As I started to type this, I realized that our eggplant parmesan does not actually contain any parmesan.  Oops - we'll have to add it next time.  J was very resistant to the idea of this dish until we saw Alex Guarnaschelli make her Eggplant Parmigiana on Alex's Day Off.  We loved her recipe, but it was a lot of work, used too much cheese (and I love cheese) and yielded way too much food.  We scaled things back and started making this easy version.  You can used store bought sauce to make it even easier. 

Since we made this up as we went along, all of these measurements are just guidelines.  Depending on the size of the eggplant, you might need a little more egg/flour/breacrumbs or a little less.  You can add a little water to the egg to extend it.

Eggplant Parmesan

Eggplant

1 large eggplant
kosher salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c flour
1 1/2 c breadcrumbs
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
paprika, taste
garlic powder, to taste
onion powder, to taste
dried basil, to taste
dried oregano, taste

Sauce

1 T butter
28 oz can San Marzano tomatoes (whole or diced)
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T brown sugar
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
fresh basil, chopped, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

oil for frying
fresh mozzeralla, sliced
cooked pasta


1) Slice eggplant into 1/2" rounds.
2) Arrange eggplant in a single layer in a large baking dish; sprinkle with kosher salt on both sides and allow to rest for an hour.
3) In the meantime, melt butter in a medium saucepan; add onion, carrot, celery and saute until translucent and tender.
4) Add garlic; saute for 1 minute.
5) Add tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, basil, salt and pepper; mix well.
6) Simmer over med-low heat for at least 45-60 mins (longer is fine); if using whole tomatoes, break up with wooden spoon as they begin to break down.
7) Rinse eggplant with cool water; pat dry.
8) Place breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl; season with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, and dried oregano to taste.
9) Place beaten egg and flour in individual small bowls.
10) Dip each eggplant round in flour, then egg, then breadcrumb mixture.
11) Heat 1/2" of oil in large skillet over medium heat.
12) Fry eggplant 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown; drain on paper towels.
13) To serve, layer pasta, eggplant, mozzarella and sauce.

Falafel

I foresee this recipe making frequent appearances on our menu in the next few weeks.  Given how hot it has been, we are trying to avoid the oven, and these tasty falafel require just a few minutes fry time.  We serve these on pita bread with tzatziki, feta, tomatoes and lettuce...a falafel gyro!  Making both the falafel and the tzatziki makes the meal a bit labor intensive, but luckily both can be prepped ahead of time if necessary.

Falafel

1 can chickpeas, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 c fresh parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 egg
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp baking soda
1 T olive oil
up to 1 c bread crumbs
oil for frying

1) Remove and discard chickpea skins (optional).
2) In a large bowl, mash chickpeas until thick and pasty.
3) Add remaining ingredients; mix well; batter should be thick and not too sticky.
4) Cover the bottom of a large skillet with oil; heat on medium/med-low.
5) Form batter into thin 2" patties (approximately 12); fry on each side until golden brown.

Pierogies

Overall - a success!  I used this recipe and this recipe as guidelines.  To make the filling, I started by making mashed potatoes as usual (potatoes, milk, butter, salt and pepper).  I then split the potatoes in half; to one half, I added chopped scallions, chives, and cheddar cheese.  To the other half, I added caramelized onions, chives and feta.  In the final product, the pierogies with onions, chives and feta were much more tasty as the mixture had a bolder flavor to start with.  Next time, I think I will leave out the milk since the potatoes were runnier than I liked and overseason the potatoes a bit as the flavor got washed out.

Pierogies

1 egg
scant 1/2 c sour cream
1 1/2 c flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
filling

1) In a medium bowl, mix the egg and sour cream together until smooth.
2) In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
3) Slowly stir the flour into the sour cream mixture into the dough comes together.
4) Knead the dough on a lightly flour surface until firm and smooth.
5) Roll the dough out to 1/8" thickness.
6) Using a biscuit cutter or glass, cut out 2-3" dough circles.
7) Place a scant T of filling into the center of each circle.
8) Fold the dough over and seal well around the edges.
9) Add pierogies to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 5 mins.
10) Drain pierogies, rinse with cool water and lay on a towel to dry.
11) Saute in olive oil/butter until crispy.

Tomato Cream Soup

I never thought I liked tomato soup.  After trying this recipe, I've changed my mind.  This soup goes great with a nice crusty grilled cheese sandwich! 

Tomato Cream Soup
Adapted from Food Network
3 servings

1-14 oz can chopped tomatoes
3/4 c olive oil
salt and pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 T butter
1/4 c chopped basil leaves
1/2 c heavy cream


1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2) Strain the canned tomatoes, reserving the juices.
3) Spread tomatoes on baking sheet; season with salt and pepper; drizzle with 1/4 c olive oil.
4) Roast tomatoes until carmelized, about 15 minutes.
5) Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat.
6) Add the celery, carrot and onion; cook until softened, about 10 mins.
7) Add roasted tomatoes, reserved juices, garlic, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter.
8) Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 mins.
9) Add basil and cream.
10) Puree with immersion blender or food processor.

Mushroom Struedel

This is a fun, tasty (if somewhat time consuming) recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen.  We've made this in both forms -- the larger struedel and in the mini triangles.  It takes a lot more time (and more phyllo) to create the triangular struedels.  They would be great finger food for a party, but for dinner for us, we'll probably stick with the big struedel.  This time, we used mushrooms from our CSA (oyster maybe?) and baby bellas for the filling.  The parmesan flavor is really subtle, so next time, we plan to try using boursin or another soft cheese for a stronger flavor. 

Mushroom Struedel

3 T butter
1 medium onion, minced
1 lb mushrooms, chopped (a mixture is best)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 T chicken broth or white wine
1 T flour
1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste 
12-8 sheets phyllo dough
1/4-1/2 c butter, melted
freshly grated parmesan
1 egg, beaten

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2) Melt 3 T butter in a large pan; saute onions until soft.
3) Add mushrooms and nutmeg; saute 5-7 mins until liquid releases and partially evaporates.
4) Add the chicken broth, flour, thyme, salt and pepper (if using wine, cook for 2-3 mins before adding flour, etc).
5) Set aside; let cool.

To make struedel:
6) Lay one sheet of phyllo flat on counter; brush with butter.
7) Top with another sheet of phyllo; brush with butter; top with third sheet of phyllo.
8) Spread 1/4 of mushroom mixture in center of dough; top with 1 T of parmesan.
9) Brush edges of dough with egg; fold into thirds, tucking in the ends forming a neat parcel.
10) Brush both sides with egg; place seam-side down on greased baking sheet.
11) Repeat 3 more times for a total of 4 struedel; bake for 15 minutes.

To make triangular mini-struedel:
6) Lay one sheet of phyllo on counter; brush one half of dough (lengthwise) with butter.
7) Fold in half; brush one half of dough (lengthwise) with butter.
8) Fold in half again to form a thin strip 1/4 of the original width.
9) Place a scant T of filling and 1 tsp of parmesan near end of strip; fold corner of dough over filling to opposite edge.
10) Continue folding as if you were folding a flag.
11) Place seam-side down on greased baking sheet; brush with egg and sprinkle with parmesan.
12) Bake for 15 minutes.

Vegetarian Moroccan Stew

This is the perfect fall dish (adapted from Taste of Home) -- lots of seasonal orange veggies!  We did not have any coriander or allspice, so we just omitted those ingredients.  This would be excellent with naan! 

Vegetarian Moroccan Stew

1 large onion, chopped
1 T olive oil
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
3 c water
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
4 medium carrots, sliced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 can chickpeas, rinsed

1) In a large skillet, saute onion in oil until tender.
2) Add the spices and salt; cook 1 minute.
3) Stir in the water, squash, potatoes, carrots and tomatoes; bring to a boil.
4) Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes and squash are almost tender.
5) Add chickpeas; return to a boil.
6) Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Black Bean Burgers

This is a really excellent recipe, courtesy of Diana.  The burgers reminded us of a veggie burger I had at Tuscarora Mill, one of our favorite restaurants.  I had to adapt the recipe slightly in order to scale it down.  My version made 4 patties.

Black Bean Burgers

approx. 1 c black beans (or 1/2 of a can, rinsed)
1/4 c chopped green pepper
1/4 c chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/4 c + 2 T bread crumbs

1) In a bowl, mash the black beans.
2) Add the pepper, onion and garlic; mix well.
3) Add the egg, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce; mix well.
4) Stir in the bread crumbs.
5) Form 4 patties.
6) Pan fry until golden brown on both sides.
7) Serve on a bun with the usual fixins. 

Corn, Rice & Bean Burritos

I don't know why it's taken so long to blog this recipe.  We've made it at least 4 times now, but last night's version was the best yet.  The mix was looking a little dry, so we added in a can of stewed tomatoes.  It added a ton of flavor and made the salsa unnecessary.  If you don't use the stewed tomatoes, I highly recommend preparing the rice with chicken broth.   

Corn, Rice & Bean Burritos

1 c fresh or frozen corn, thawed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 T coconut oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 can black beans or the equivalent of prepared dry beans (about 2 c)
1 1/2 c cooked rice or quinoa (optional: prepare with chicken broth instead of water)
1 c chopped fresh or stewed tomatoes (optional)
flour tortillas
cheddar cheese, shredded
green onion, chopped
sour cream
salsa

1) In a large skillet, saute the corn, onion and peppers in oil until tender.
2) Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute longer.
3) Add the beans, rice and tomatoes; heat through.
4) Spoon onto tortillas; top with cheese, green onion, sour cream and salsa.

Vegetarian Korma

This is a really tasty recipe! I cooked it much longer than the original recipe suggested. Although the vegetables were cooked, they were not as tender as I like. I plan to use the below cooking times next time. I also found it just a tad salty (perhaps my curry powder includes more salt than most?), so I cut the salt in half. We served this over basmati rice with naan on the side.

Vegetarian Korma

1 1/2 T oil -- I used coconut oil.
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 potatoes, cubed
4 carrots, cubed
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
4 T ground unsalted cashews
4-6 oz canned tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 T curry powder
1 c frozen green peas
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 c coconut milk
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; stir in the onion and cook until tender.
2) Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute.
3) Add in potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, about 4 oz tomato sauce, salt and curry powder.
4) Cook, stirring frequently, for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add in additional tomato sauce as necessary.
5) Stir in peas, pepper, and coconut milk.
6) Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
7) Garnish with cilantro and any remaining cashews.

Chive Risotto Cakes

I saw these made on Barefoot Contessa and knew that we had to try them. The original recipe made way too much risotto, so I've cut everything in half below. This should make about 5 or 6 good-sized cakes. They are very rich, so you need a salad or other light side to round out this meal.

Chive Risotto Cakes

3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 c uncooked arborio rice
1/4 c greek yogurt
1 large egg
1 1/2 T chives, minced
3/4 c (2.5 oz) fontina cheese, grated
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 c panko bread crumbs
3 T olive oil

1) Bring a pot of water to boil over med-high heat (you will need about 3 times as much liquid as rice).
2) Add 1/4 tsp salt and the rice; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
3) Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool; drain well.
4) Meanwhile, whisk together yogurt, egg, chives, cheese, pepper and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium bowl.
5) Add the cool rice and mix well; refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
6) Form the rice mixture into about six 3-inch patties.
7) Spread panko in a shallow dish; place patties in panko, turning to coat.
8) Heat oil in skillet over medium heat; cook patties about 3 minutes on each side or until nicely browned.

Chickpea Potato Curry

This curry isn't what I expected from a curry, but it was really tasty! Very quick and easy for a weeknight dinner. We served it over rice, but it was so hearty we found that rice wasn't really necessary.

Chickpea Potato Curry

2 1/2 c low sodium chicken broth
2-15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
14 oz can fire-roasted tomatoes with chiles (or add a 4 oz can of green chiles)
12 oz Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T unsalted butter
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1-2 tsp salt (depending on your chicken broth, you may not need any)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 T cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cayenne

1) In a large pot, combine all ingredients.
2) Simmer vigorously over medium heat for 35 mins or until the potatoes are tender.