Eggplant Parmesan

Two plump eggplants were part of the bounty I picked up from my erstwhile veggie co-op, so I thought to make Eggplant Parmesan. I like this recipe because you bake instead of fry the breaded eggplant slices.

Ingredients:

2 eggplants, peeled & thinly sliced (1/4")

1 egg, beaten

2 cups breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning

1 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce

8 - 16oz of grated mozzarella (I love cheese. You may not.)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Method:

1. Peel and slice eggplant. Place in layers in a colander, sprinkling a little Kosher salt on each slice. Let sit for about 2 hours. (This allows the moisture to seep out and keep the baked slices crisp).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
4. In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Blueberry-Rhubarb Crumble

I went back to my old food co-op on a one-off basis this week -- they needed a fill-in person and said they were getting rhubarb. That stuff is so hard to find and I love it so! I can't even find out how you grow it, it seems like it would be an easy and early addition to the garden. (Of course, I haven't looked terribly hard.) Below is a recipe I found on Cooks.com, and significantly added to. I used frozen blueberries and fresh rhubarb. Mmmmm . . .

BLUEBERRY - RHUBARB CRUMBLE
For filling: 3 c. fresh or frozen blueberries 2 c. fresh rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces or 2 c. frozen cut rhubarb 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 2 tablespoons orange juice For topping: 1 1/2 c. regular rolled oats 2/3 c. brown sugar, packed 1/2 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. butter 1/2 c. sugar 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour Whipped cream 1. Thaw fruit, if frozen. Do not drain. 2. Mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together. Pour mixture over rhubarb and blueberries. Add orange juice. Stir until fruit is well coated 3. For the topping, in a large mixing bowl combine the oats, brown sugar and the 1/2 cup flour. With a pastry cutter or fork, cut butter into oat mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 2/3 cup crumb mixture for topping. Pat remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased 9 x 9 inch baking pan. 4. Bake in a 350 degree oven 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Like that raw food thing was going to last . . .

I'm making these for my last graduate workshop of the semester -- can't make them for the kiddies because of the evil, dreaded peanut butter, but I figure adults can handle it.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 12oz. package small peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt

3. Beat butter and sugar together. When creamy, add egg and vanilla and mix to combine.

4. Gradually add in the flour mixture, beating until just incorporated.

5. Fold in chopped peanut butter cups.

6. Drop by tablespoon about 2" apart on a lined baking sheet

7. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes.

Going Raw, part 2 -- Carrot Cucumber Salad w/ Spicy Peanut Dressing

Something that greatly amused me as I was trolling the Internets for simple raw recipes was the number of raw junk food ones I found. I mean, raw "ding dongs"? Raw "oreos"? Raw "chocolate banana bread"? The sweet recipes outnumbered the savory two to one. I think, if you want to eat the sweet stuff, EAT THE SWEET STUFF. Don't drag out a dehydrator and pretend to make oreos.

Anyway, this recipe is just a salad and could have been listed on any recipe website. I like that it's not officially "raw" because I feel enough like a fraud.

Ingredients:

2 large carrots

1 cucumber

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon Bragg's Aminos

1 tablepoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup of water

Method:

1. Peel thin strips of carrot and cucumber with a vegetable peeler.

2. Mix the remaining ingredients together in a bowl.

3. Toss the vegetables with the dressing. Top with raw, unhulled sesame seeds.

Going Raw -- Marinated Portobello Mushrooms

My cousin Eileen sent me an email describing a raw foods dinner party she hosted. (Eileen can be very hard core in her diet at times.) While switching to a completely raw food lifestyle holds zero appeal -- sorry, but I like my chocolate, steak and bread -- of late, I have been eating fewer fruits and vegetables than a nine-year old boy. So, I thought, why not try to have a raw food day? What's the harm in it? It's only one day.

Here, then, is a recipe I found on the glorious Internets, home to just about every perversion (0h, relax, all you offended raw foodists out there!)

Ingedients:

4 large Portabello mushrooms

2 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

2 tablespoons of Bragg's Amino Acids

2 tablespoons raw, unhulled sesame seeds

Method:

1. Slice the mushrooms into strips

2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add the mushrooms and "gently massage" until they are evenly covered.

3. Allow to marinate for at least two hours. Eat.

4. Feel very virtuous and still hungry