I love eggplant and I love basil!

This recipe combines my favorites along with cheese and the crispy fried goodness of eggplant in olive oil!

This is basically eggplant parmesean but with basil pesto instead of red sauce.

I also did not use ricotta cheese.

This was easy and so rich and delicious that I can’t wait to make it again!

Ingredients

2 large eggplants

2 large eggs

1 cup flour or Italian style bread crumbs

3 cups mozzerella cheese

1/2 cup parmesean cheese

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 eggs

1/2- 3/4 cup of basil pesto

a pinch of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Begin by dredging the sliced eggplant in the eggwash and flour.

I added slices of fresh basil to the 2 eggs for an extra bite of flavor.

Fry the slices until light brown and crispy and set aside.

Combine the pesto, heavy cream and nutmeg and mix well.

Coat the bottom of a large baking dish with the pesto cream mixture..

Place a layer of the fried eggplant on the bottom of the dish.

Combine the cheeses and 2 eggs and mix well and layer on top of the eggplant.

Then add another layer of the pesto and cream mixture.

Just keep douing this until you run out of ingredients.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly!

This light tomato, red onion and basil salad complimented the cheesy richness beautifully!

I don’t know why I’ve always been so intimidated by risotto.

Arborio rice seemed exotic and complicated.

Like most people I assumed that it meant hours standing at the stove; stirring, demanding an almost psychic sense to determine when it is ready.

Well it couldn’t be further from the truth.

This dish is fast and easy and virtually full proof.

I’d say that about 45 minutes is all that you need to have this dish prepared.

Ingredients:

2 cups risotto Arborio rice

8-10 cups water or vegetable stock

Method:

In a deep skillet toast the risotto in about 1/4 cup of olive oil.

Add 4 cups of liquid and allow to simmer slowly until most of the liquid is absorbed.

Then cup by cup add the remaining liquid as it is absobed by the rice while stirring.

Stirring brings out the starch and creates the creamy texture for which this rice is known.

In a seperate skillet sautee shrimp asparagus and scallops in butter and crushed garlic.

Add to the risotto and mix well.

You can add about 1/4 ohf heavy cream and parmesan cheese if desired.

Sliced peppers go well with eggplant dip which is light and garlicky!

I couln’t help but to end this meal with a little Dulce de Leche Cheesecake!

The secret to the delightful flavor of this dish is the roasting!

Roasted garlic, eggplant, rep pepper and sauteed leeks create a richness that makes this similar to a pate in texture and flavor.

This recipe is also full of nutrition. Lentils are hardy and full of protein and fiber.

This is also light and when spread on whole wheat or flax crackers leaves you satisfied yet not full.

It is also easy to make and can be whippped up on short notice.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant
1 cup lentils
1 glove garlic
1 medium leek
1/2 cup olive oil
1 bunch cilantro
1 lime
1 roasted red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

In a 350 degree oven wrap in aluminum foil the eggplant cut in half with a drizzle of olive oil on the flesh.

In a clay roaster or aluminum foil wrap the garlic and place in oven to roast.

Both should take no more than 30-45 minutes.

In a pan add a drizzle of olive oil to sliced leeks and sautee until translucent.

Cook 1 cup of lentils in 2 cups of water until tender.

When everything is done and cooled for handling, place in the food processor.

Add the cilantro and puree.

Add enough olive oil to create the texture you desire.

For a creamier dip; just add more oil.

I then chopped the roasted red pepper, very fine, and folded it into the finished mixture.

I wanted little “pops” of sweet juicy flavor and the texture contrast.

I, also squeezed some lime into the finished dish and then gave it a good mixing.

Serve with your favorite crackers or breads or even crudites.

This amazing potato salad recipe has endured a handful of incarnations.

Originally, it included bacon so I, a vegetarian, have been on a quest to replace that bacon flavor with a handful of substitutions.

I have tried avocado in the dressing, toasted pine nuts, immitation bacon; spices. You name it.

Nothing really captured not only the flavor of the bacon but the crispy texture or greasy mouthfeel, either.

Fried leeks were my next attempt to capture all of these elements that have always seemed to be missing from the veggie version of this very popular dish.

Recipe:

Chop and boil 4 lbs. of red skin potatoes

Chop 1 red bell pepper, 1 orange bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper

Chop 7-8 green onions

Chop 1 red onion

Fry 2 leeks until crispy

Add ingredients together when cooled

Mix togehter about 2 cups of Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise with about 2 Tbsn of yellow mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Learning about leeks was the next step.

My very knowledgable girlfriend gave me some useful tips when dealing with leeks:

Clean them very well as they have dirt in between the leaves and use only the white to bright green portion when frying or using for salads.

The dark green leaves can be used for soups and stews.

This corn on the cob cooks on the grill. What could be easier!?

Open the husks and remove the silk

Mix together butter and crushed garlic and rub all over the corn

Close the husk and place on the grill. Delicious! and Easy!

I used 1 medium eggplant and sliced into thick planks.

Then dredged them in flour, egg wash and Italian style bread crumbs and fried until golden.

Then I place them on a baking sheet and kept them at about 325 degrees until we were ready to make our burgers.

I toasted the buns with a bit of olive oil and made a mayo/spicy barbeque sauce to serve on the side.

My very handsome date, Wolf!

Meatless Monday! Fried Eggplant and spinach fettuccine is easy and fresh!

Fresh mozzarella puts the finishing touch on thinly sliced eggplant lightly coated in Italian breadcrumbs.

Roasted garlic and roasted cherry tomatoes add rich flavor to spinach fettuccine.

With all this flavor, who misses the meat?

Top with shredded parmesan and enjoy!

Toss tomatoes in olive oil and roast on 400 degrees until they pop open! and smell delicious!

Beautiful beaujolais makes dinner…beautiful!

Egg and water then bread crumbs go into frying pan with hot oil for a quick, light frying.

Mash up roasted garlic with a fork and mix in about 1/4 cup olive oil to create a “sauce”.

Add salt to taste.

Just throw in fresh baby spinach to the last few minutes to boiling pasta to add flavor and nutrition.