Baked Fontina

Ooey, gooey cheesy goodness. Perfect for a party or for a romantic evening around the fireplace. Or the way we had it, clustered around the oven, dipping out gobs of cheese while trying not to get burned!

Baked Fontina
Recipe from Made in Melissa's Kitchen

1 1/2 pounds Italian Fontina, cut into 1-inch dice
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 Tbs minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 crusty French baguette

Preheat the broiler and adjust the oven rack to 5-6 inches from the heat source.

Scatter the Fontina cubes evenly in a 12-inch skillet or cast-iron pan.  Drizzle with the olive oil.

Combine the garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and sprinkle evenly over the cheese.  Sprinkle with the salt and pepper.

Place the pan under the broiler for 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and starting to brown.

Serve family-style:  right out of the oven with crusty chunks of bread for dipping.

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce

 

I think I could eat these Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches everyday. I've made them several times now and each time I like them better than the time before. I've made them using zucchini instead of eggplant. I've made them with jarred pasta sauce instead of the Tomato Tarragon Sauce. Delicious. Delicious. Delicious. These were particularly wonderful because I made them with leftover breaded eggplant slices I'd made earlier when I was putting together a delicious Eggplant Parmesan. I threw the extra eggplant into a ziploc bag and froze them. Now when the craving strikes, I can have warm, gooey Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches in a matter of minutes and with no mess to clean up!

 Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce

Recipe from What Did You Eat?

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups fresh or canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1- 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggplants, peeled and cut to make sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices in all
4 eggs, beaten to mix
Cooking oil, for frying
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut into 8 rounds

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tarragon, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Dip each slice of eggplant in the eggs and then in the bread-crumb mixture, coating well. In a large frying pan, heat about half an inch of cooking oil over moderate heat until very hot. Fry the eggplant in the hot oil, in batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put a slice of goat cheese on top of each and then top with the remaining eggplant slices. Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Put the sauce on plates and top with the eggplant

Fried Mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce

 As luck would have it, I noticed a container of fresh mozzarella balls marked down while I was at the grocery store the other day. I didn't really need them but since our stores rarely carry fresh mozz, I had to buy it. A quick Google and Sharon's recipe for Fried mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce was the perfect solution. Crispy on the outside. Warm and gooey on the inside. Mmmmmm.

Fried Mozzarella Bites with Homemade Tomato Sauce

Recipe from Culinary Adventures of a New Wife

1 8 oz container of mozzarella balls

2 large eggs

1/4 cup of milk
1 cup of plain flour
2 cups of panko
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
salt and pepper
canola oil for frying
 (you'll end up with a lot of excess flour, breading, etc.  Halve the breading if you prefer, but having the excess makes dunking easier! Or, you can double the amount of cheese)

1.  Drain the cheese and dry on paper towels. Prepare your breading station by having 3 bowls ready. Put flour in one, season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix the eggs with the milk and pour into the second bowl. Add the breadcrumbs with the dried oregano and garlic salt to the last bowl and mix well.

2. Dip each piece of cheese in the flour, then in the egg mixture and lastly in the breadcrumbs, shaking off excess after each step. Repeat the breading process again and place cheese balls on a flat plate.

3.  Heat about oil up to minimum line in Fry Daddy or in a medium sauce pan to 350 degrees. Carefully lower cheese balls, a few of a time and cook until they are golden, about a minute or so. Remove and drain in paper towels. Repeat with the remaining cheese making sure oil comes up to temperature before adding more cheese.

Tomato Sauce:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14.5 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes (try Muir Glen)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

1. Heat the oil over medium-heat and add the onions. cook until translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for a minute more and add the diced tomatoes.

2. Fill half of the tomato can with water and add to the pot. Add spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until sauce is thickened (this process took awhile for me.  I let simmer until very thick b/c I like thick sauce). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

It's been a long week: Fried Green Tomatoes with Warm Indian Spices

Between the kitchen remodel project and my still being sick, there hasn't been much cooking going on. Hopefully things will be looking up soon because I'm getting sick and tired of feeling sick and tired! For some reason, feeling sick might stop me from cooking but it doesn't stop me from thinking about cooking. If I could cook right now, I'd fix my favorite Fried Green Tomatoes with Warm Indian Spices and served with Mango Chutney. Yum! I originally found this recipe over at SpiceLines awhile back and make it over and over and over again whenever I have green tomatoes.The garam masala brings a little warm heat to the tart tomatoes and the sweet-tart flavor of the mango chutney is the perfect complement.

These Fried Green Tomatoes with Warm Indian Spices will be my contribution to the Saturday Blog Showcase co-hosted by All That Splatters and Thibeault's Table. Head on over to Thibeault's Table to see what everyone else made this week!

Fried Green Tomatoes with Warm Indian Spices
Recipe from SpiceLines


4 medium to large green, unripe tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon (or more) garam masala, to taste
1 large egg
2 tablespoons milk
1-1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1/3 cup ghee, clarified butter or canola oil (enough to fill the frying pan ¼ inch deep)
Chutney of your choice

Core the tomatoes and cut a very thin slice off the top and bottom. Cut each tomato into 3 horizontal slices, about ½-inch thick. Season the tomatoes lavishly with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Be liberal with the salt—the tomatoes need a good sprinkle to bring out their flavor.

Set up an assembly line of three medium-sized bowls. In the first bowl, mix 1 cup of flour with 1 tablespoon or more garam masala. The mixture should be quite fragrant. In the second bowl, briskly beat the egg and milk until frothy. In the third, put the breadcrumbs.

Prepare the tomatoes: Dredge each slice of tomato in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess. Next, dip the tomato in the egg and milk, and finally in the breadcrumbs. Be sure that the tomatoes are well coated with bread crumbs. Set aside.


In a heavy 12-inch cast iron frying pan, heat the ghee, clarified butter or oil over medium heat. When it is very hot, put four tomato slices in the pan. Fry them for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until the crust turns crisp and golden brown. If the ghee starts to smoke, lower the heat slightly. Do not overcook or the tomatoes will be mushy. Drain on a stack of paper towels. Proceed with the rest of the tomatoes.

Serve at once, with a generous dollop of sweet-tart mango chutney.

Craving Goat Cheese: Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce

Apparently I'm craving goat cheese. I sat down to pick out some recipes for dinner this evening. It's my oldest son's first day home from college for Spring Break so I thought I'd do something a little special. I looked over my recipes and saw that three of the four included goat cheese. Great by me but oldest son doesn't really like goat cheese!

I've been thinking about these Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce a lot lately. I've made them several times so far and each time I think I like them even more! I made these with zucchini instead and they were equally as delicious and cute because they were so tiny. Perfect as an appetizer.

These yummy little bites of warm, gooey goodness from What Did You Eat? are my contribution to Saturday Blog Show case this week

The Saturday Blog Showcase is being hosted by Thibeault's Table this week. Head on over to check out what everyone else made. Be warned though, you might want to avoid it if you're on a diet. I think I gained 5 pounds just drooling over the pictures of the Hot Fudge Sauce that Anne contributed this week!

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce
Recipe from What Did You Eat?

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups fresh or canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1- 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggplants, peeled and cut to make sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices in all
4 eggs, beaten to mix
Cooking oil, for frying
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut into 8 rounds

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tarragon, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Dip each slice of eggplant in the eggs and then in the bread-crumb mixture, coating well. In a large frying pan, heat about half an inch of cooking oil over moderate heat until very hot. Fry the eggplant in the hot oil, in batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put a slice of goat cheese on top of each and then top with the remaining eggplant slices. Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Put the sauce on plates and top with the eggplant.

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette

Delicious. Easy. And it looks awesome too! What's not to like? I'd been eyeing this recipe for Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette over at The Smitten Kitchen for quite awhile before I got around to trying it. I mean, there's the whole making a pastry crust. I have a bad history with that, you know. And then the butternut squash. Funny looking. Hard to cut. Must taste nasty (because I'd never tried it before.) But I finally gave in and am a ever glad that I did. That was a year ago and now I think about it all the time and make it as often as I can. The first few time I made it, I used a refrigerated pie crust, but for a recent party I decided to go for it. I made my own crust and found out that it was easy. Easy and delicious. In fact, I'm planning to make this for dinner this weekend when my oldest comes home from college. He won't appreciate it (or even touch it!) but I will! ;-)

Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Galette
Recipe courtesy of The Smitten Kitchen


For the pastry:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into
pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

For the filling:
1 small butternut squash (about one pound)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons butter (if you have only non-stick, the smaller amount will do)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced in half-moons
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste
3/4 cup fontina cheese (about 2 1/2 ounces), grated or cut into small bits
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

1. Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Prepare squash: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Peel squash, then halve and scoop out seeds. Cut into a 1/2-inch dice. Toss pieces with olive oil and a half-teaspoon of the salt and roast on foil lined (for neatness sake) sheet for 30 minutes or until pieces are tender, turning it midway if your oven bakes unevenly. Set aside to cool slightly.

Caramelize onions: While squash is roasting, melt butter in a heavy skillet and cook onion over low heat with the remaining half-teaspoon of salt and pinch of sugar, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. Stir in cayenne.


Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Mix squash, caramelized onions, cheese and herbs together in a bowl.

Assemble galette: On a floured work surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet. Spread squash, onions, cheese and herb mixture over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border. Fold the border over the squash, onion and cheese mixture, pleating the edge to make it fit. The center will be open.

Bake until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, let stand for 5 minutes, then slide the galette onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6.

Scallion Cream Cheese Bites

I personally think that "Little Pockets of Onion Cream Cheese Goodness" would have been the perfect name for ... these little pockets of onion cream cheese goodness! When I saw the recipe for Scallion Cream Cheese Bites over at Life's Ambrosia, I liked it because it seemed so simple. It was. (So easy in fact that I've made it twice in the past week!) What I didn't count on was that something so easy to put together would taste so good! Even my picky girls liked them! (Drats! More people to share with!)

Scallion Cream Cheese Bites

Recipe courtesy of Life's Ambrosia

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup chopped green onions (scallions)

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

kosher salt

12 – 15 wonton wrappers

water for sealing

oil for frying

In a bowl combine cream cheese, green onions and ginger. Season to taste with salt.

To assemble bites: Lay one wonton wrapper on a flat surface. Spoon one teaspoon of mixture into the center of the wrapper. Dip your finger in the water and run along the edges. Bring all sides together in the center, pinch just above the filling to enclose filling. Carefully twist to close.  Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once oil starts to shimmer, drip a small piece of a wonton wrapper in the oil, if it sizzles its ready. Working in batches so you don’t over crowd the pan, fry bites until golden brown, 2 – 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with kosher salt if desired. Allow to cool for several minutes. Serve.

Mediterranean Bread Pizza

Quick and delicious munchie idea: French bread toasts topped with tomato, Kalamata olives and feta cheese.

Stuffed Mushrooms

My niece has been staying with us and she was kind enough to share her mother's recipe for Stuffed Mushrooms. Her mother always made delicious recipes for the family gatherings and these Stuffed Mushrooms have always been a favorite. They are simple to throw together and are guaranteed to be a hit with any crowd.


Alex's Stuffed Mushrooms

25 fresh mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons Parmesan
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon parsley
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix all ingredients except for mushrooms in a large bowl. Remove stems from mushrooms. Wash mushrooms and stuff with the mixture. Place in a prepared baking dish and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Another delicious recipe from Kevin over at Closet Cooking: Jalpeno Popper Dip. I shouldn't be surprised. Every recipe I've tried from Closet Cooking has been amazing. There was the Shrimp Quesadilla and the No-Bake Cheesecake. And we can't forget the incredible Shrimp Saganaki. Yum!

This is yet another winner. Quick and delicious. Perfect for guests or for a weeknight at home in front of the TV. You can play with the amount of jalapeno to control the amount of heat. The creamy goodness of the cream cheese and the spicy bite of the jalapenos paired with the crunch of the panko breadcrumbs are even better that an actual jalapeno pooper, if you can imagine! Try it!

Jalapeno Popper Dip
Recipe courtesy of Closet Cooking

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cheddar cheese (grated)
1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano
1 (4 ounce) can sliced jalapenos
2 jalapeno peppers (chopped, optional)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmigiano reggiano

1. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano and jalapenos in a bowl and pour into a baking dish.
2. Mix the panko bread crumbs and parmigiano reggiano and sprinkle over the dip.
3. Bake in a 375F oven until bubbling on the sides and golden brown on top, about 10-20 minutes.

Layered Greek Dip

Here's a recipe that might come in handy this holiday season. It's easy to make and looks pretty when you serve it. This Layered Greek Dip from The Savory Notebook is perfect to take to those family carry-ins. The ingredients will keep on hand for awhile and it can be quickly thrown together at the last minute. Be sure to use a good hummus though. I tried a new brand the first time I made it and the horrible hummus overshadowed the whole dish. Next time I used our family favorite and the dip was delicious.


Layered Greek Dip
Recipe from The Savory Notebook

8 ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups prepared hummus
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped tomato
½ cup chopped pitted Kalamata olives
½ cup crumbled feta cheese (reduced fat is fine)
1/3 cup sliced green onions
pita chips and/or multigrain tortilla chips

1. In medium mixing bowl, cream together cream cheese, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, and garlic with rubber spatula until smooth and well-combined.
2. Spread cream cheese mixture into deep 9-inch pie plate or oval platter. Spread hummus on top of cream cheese layer. Sprinkle on cucumber, then tomato, olives, feta, and green onions.
3. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours. Serve with pita chips or tortilla chips.

Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Appetizers

I'm always looking for ways to add more vegetables to our diet. This is one of my favorites! Recently, despite years of claiming otherwise, I realized that I absolutely love eggplant. I even grew a few in my garden this summer. One of my favorite ways to use eggplant comes from Laylita's Recipes. Anna's Eggplant Appetizer consists of grilled eggplant slices topped with slices of juicy, red tomato and a dollop of garlic-Parmesan mayo. Simple and delicious!


You can find the recipe (as well as the story behind the recipe) at Laylita's Recipes. While you're there be sure to check out all of Layla's beautiful photos and yummy sounding recipes. I wasn't familiar with Ecuadorian food but after browsing this blog, I can see it's likely to become one of my favorite cuisines!

Catalan Coca with Sweet Onions, Piquillo Peppers, Olives & Aged Manchego Cheese

Now that summer is unofficially over around here, dh and I have decided to get back into an exercise routine. First, we'll be starting a yoga class together. Flexibility has always been a big issue for me. Way back in junior high, after the first year my gym teacher quit making me do stuff during the gymnastic segment and had me just walk around and spot other people. After my hamstring injury last year, stretching has become much more important as I'm not wanting to go through *that* again!

Next, we're going to combine our fitness goal with another goal of spending more time with the kids and less time staring at computer screens. We're going to spend 30 minutes per night doing something with the kids. Four nights a week we're going to make that something active: biking, hiking, kayaking, playing basketball. Anything that gets us out there and moving. The other nights might be spent watching a family movie or playing a board game. It's sad but when you have four kids, involved in four different activities, you can get to the end of the weke and feel like you haven't seen each other in days. Hopefully this will help us re-connect as well as set a good example to the kids of how to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle (not to mention developing good time management skills!).

After our inaugural family bike ride, I made homemade pizzas for the kids. Since I had a bit of leftover dough, I decided to re-create an interesting recipe I'd come across earlier in the week: Catalan Coca with Sweet Onions, Piquillo Peppers, Olives & Aged Manchego Cheese. After seeing the gorgeous photo over at Chefs Gone Wild, I had to read further. Apparently Catalon coca is a sort of flatbread pizza-like cocoction popular in the northeastern part of Spain. This incarnation combines peppers, olives and cheese with the salty bite of anchovies.

I had to change the recipe a bit to use what I had on hand. You can find the original recipe, as well as step-by-step instructions and photographs at Chefs Gone Wild.


Catalan Coca with Sweet Onions, Piquillo Peppers, Olives & Aged Manchego Cheese
Recipe adapted from Chefs Gone Wild

Olive Oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
Leftover pizza dough
1 tablespoon dried oregano
kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
anchovy fillets, chopped
mozzarella cheese

Caramelize onions in olive oil. Divide dough into four balls. Roll each ball into an oval shape and place on a prepared baking sheet. When onions are soft and brown, divide them between each of the dough ovals. Top each with oregano and chopped olives. Bake in 400 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges are browned. Top with red peppers, anchovies and cheese. Return to oven for two minutes or until cheese has melted and topping are heated through.

Greek Night: The Rachael Ray Way

We had a Greek-themed dinner last night. We started out with Eggplant Roll-Ups, a Rachael Ray recipe from her 30 Minute Meals TV show. They were pretty good: grilled eggplant slices rolled around creamy garlicky cheeses and sun-dried tomatoes. I made it using a Slow Roasted Tomato recipe I found over at Smitten Kitchen. Mmmmm! Rachael Ray seems to add grill seasoning to almost everything but this was one recipe where I didn't care for it. Maybe I used to much but it seemed to overpower the other flavors of the dish. Next time I'll just use salt and pepper.

I also made the other recipe from the show: Spanikopita Chicken Meatballs with SpicyCucumber and Yogurt Sauce. I really thought I'd like it. I love pretty much every single ingredient. But somehow, I just didn't care for it. The meatballs were just sort of bland and the dip was lackluster as well. Very disappointing. I like the idea of this though and I think I'll play around with the recipe a bit and see what I can do.


Lulu over at Mama's Taverna definitely provided the star of the show: Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce and Myzithra Cheese. Unfortunately out here in the middle of nowhere, Parmesan was as close as I could come to Myzithra, but the dish was a hit anyway. The kids were originally a bit frightened of the whole peppercorns they saw in the sauce and convinced it had to be a bug but after being reassured it was only pepper, they dived right in. Dh requested that I make it again (but next time maybe I could add some meat? ...) Check out Lulu's recipe here.

Eggplant Roll-Ups
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

1 large, firm eggplant
Salt and pepper
Grill seasoning blend (recommended: McCormick Montreal Seasoning)
1 cup semi-soft garlic and herb cheese (recommended: Alouette or Boursin)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano, a couple of handfuls
A few grinds black pepper
6 to 8 soft sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (tender sun-dried tomatoes are available in small pouches in produce department)
2 cups arugula leaves, chopped
1 cup basil leaves, chopped

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Thinly slice the eggplant, a minimum of 18 slices. Season with salt, pepper and grill seasoning blend. Grill the thin slices to tenderize the eggplant, 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Combine the cheeses, black pepper and sun-dried tomatoes. Top each slice of cooked eggplant with a dab of cheese and some arugula and basil then roll up. The eggplant roll ups should have a few greens sticking out of both ends.


Spanikopita Chicken Meatballs with Spicy Cucumber andYogurt Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for liberal drizzling
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped, divided
2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, defrosted.
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 pound ground chicken
1 tablespoons grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick Montreal Seasoning)
1 1/2 cups Greek style plain yogurt
1/3 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped
3 tablespoons fresh dill
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 teaspoons, 1/2 a palm full, cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons, 1/2 a palm full, coriander
Salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl combine onion and 3 cloves of garlic. Squeeze the water out of the spinach until completely dry. Separate the spinach as you add it to garlic and onion. Add feta, chicken and grill seasoning to the bowl and a liberal drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Mix the meat with veggies and feta and form 18 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs. Place the meatballs on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes until they are golden and juices run clear.

Place yogurt, garlic, cucumber, dill, lemon juice, cumin, coriander and a little salt in food processor and process until smooth. Adjust seasonings and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve meatballs alongside sauce with toothpicks.

When Things Don't Work Out Quite the Way You Planned:

I was listening to my iPod while I was working out the other night and didn't even realize I'd run three miles, which was farther than I'd intended to go. I was preoccupied listening to the Great Cooks Radio Podcast, hosted by none other than Jill from Simple Daily Recipes. She was interviewing one of my favorite bloggers, Ben from What's Cooking? They started talking about their failures. You know, recipes that don't turn out well. Photos that are hopeless, even with Photoshop. It got me thinking. There are a lot of things I'd intended to blog about but didn't for one reason or another.

There was the Adobo Chicken Salad from Picky Palate. It was delicious. So delicious in fact that we ate it ... twice... without ever once thinking we should take a picture of it. Duh! At the other extreme there was the Chicken and Rice with Black Beans from We [Heart] Food. It was delicious as well. A bit spicy for the kids , of course but dh and I really enjoyed it. I took pictures. Dh took pictures. We took lots of pictures. Really. Really. Bad. Pictures.

This Pork Scallopini by Mario Batali was terrific. Sure wish I could find the recipe again. It tasted great and was easy to make. Apparently I got it from a library book that has long since been returned and I didn't have any luck Googling for it. Not to self: Be sure to write down good recipes!




Oven Baked Bacon from Simple Daily Recipes is probably my single favorite recipe and the one I make over and over and over. Quick, easy, no mess. Crisp, perfect bacon in 20 minutes. Put it in the oven and walk away. And yet I've never blogged about it. I've mentioned it several times but this one definitely deserves it's own post. If you haven't tried it, you should. You can make a whole package of bacon in 20 minutes. Woohoo!


I went shopping at a Penzy's Spice store on my last trip to Indianapolis. It was an awesome store. I intended to blog about all the incredible spices they carry. All the unusual spice mixes. The exotic spices you can't get at your local Kroger. The amazing smell that hits you when you walk in the door. I was gonna. But now it's been so long, I can't remember what I was going to write! Heck, by now I can't even remember what I bought. I went to to Trader Joe's and found something really cool on that trip. Now I can't remember what that was either.


These Mini Taco Appetizers were great. I made them twice in the same week. I even made them when my Mother-in-law came for dinner. I remember where I got the recipe but I waited so long to post it, I can't even remember what they were like! I mean, we must have liked them. I made them for my MIL after all. But I just can't remember anything about them. ::sigh:: I really need to not procrastinate (and to make them again so I can take a decent picture!)

This one was yesterday. I found the recipe for Eggplant and Tomato Appetizer over at Laylita's Recipes. Incredibly simple. grilled eggplant slices, topped with a juicy slice of tomato and a dollop of creamy, garlicky mayo. Definitely an OMG moment. So good that I took a few pictures and then ate them all. Every. Single. One. Before I looked at the pics and saw how really bad they were. ::sigh::

Sher's Zucchini and Goat Cheese Appetizers

I am so addicted to these things. This is the fourth time I've made them in the past couple of weeks. I've made them with zucchini. I've made them with eggplant. With marinara and without. They are a wonderfully delicious excuse to devour some goat cheese. Any one know where I can find a 12 Step Program?

Find the recipe here on Sher's site or over here where I originally blogged about them.

Hummus Pizza

I've found my new favorite quick lunch! I dvr'ed an episode of 30 Minute Meals where Rachael Ray whipped up a couple of Greek-themed dishes in the alotted thirty minutes. All three dishes seemed to have a little potential but the Hummus Pit-zas were the quickest to throw together. As I was at a loss for what to fix for lunch, I thought I'd take a chance on this one. I mean, I like hummus. I like Pita bread. And I'm currently infatuated with Feta. What's not to like? (And how is it that I only just discovered Feta? How have I lived without it this long!)

This is definitely one of those recipes where simple ingredients combine to form something greater than the sum of it's parts. And it's definitely one of those recipes I will be fixing over and over again now that the kids have gone back to school. Yum-o!


Hummus Pit-zas
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

6 (6-inch) pitas
1/2 pint container store bought plain hummus
1/2 cup prepared olive tapenade
3 cups shredded provolone or mozzarella or a combination of the 2
6 anchovies, chopped, optional
3 whole roasted red peppers, drained, chopped
1 can artichoke hearts in water, 6 hearts, drained well and chopped
1/2 cup sliced pepperoncini, chopped, optional
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the pitas on baking sheets or sheets. In a bowl combine the hummus and the olive tapanade. Spread the hummus on pitas and top with cheese, like pizza. Combine the chopped anchovies, peppers, artichokes, and pepperoncini. Cover the pizzas with the chopped mixture. Bake 10 to 12 minutes to melt cheese and crisp the pitas. Cut pizzas into wedges and garnish with parsley.

A Tribute to Sher: Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

I've been walking around in a shocked fog all day. After spending a relaxing weekend camping with the family, I came home to the awful news that Sher of What Did You Eat? had suddenly passed away. Sher's blog was one of the first food blogs I'd discovered, and even though I'd lost track of her there for awhile when I started my own blog, I'd recently rediscovered What Did You Eat? and had been enjoying catching up with Sher's life and bookmarking her recipes to make later on.

Reading Sher's blog, you had a sense that you knew her; that she was a long lost friend. And though I'd never had a chance to personally correspond with Sher, I still feel a real sense of loss. Loss for her family. Loss for her friends. And loss for all these people out in cyberspace, whose lives were touched by a few minutes of reading Sher's blog. Readers who came away with a new recipe and a smile on their face. Such a tragic loss.

In order to honor Sher and celebrate her life, her friends have decided to each choose and recreate a recipe from her blog and write about it. Glenna from A Fridge Full of Food has offered to collect the links to all of the posts and include them with her Tribute to Sher. It is truly amazing to see how many lives one woman has been able to touch. And so terribly sad that she was never able to know just how many of us were out here.

Looking through Sher's recipe, it's very hard to pick just one. I bookmarked four or five more just today while looking through them and I know several have been bookmarked for awhile. I decided to try her Eggplant "Whoopie Pies", otherwise known as Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce. While many other recipes called to me and are on the rotation for upcoming weeks, this recipe made me get up out of my chair and start cooking right away. Unfortunately, my eggplant has not started producing but I did have a fridge full of zucchini so mine are more "Mini Whoopie Pies." This recipe was delicious with zucchini and I know it will be equally as wonderful when I make it again with eggplant.


Eggplant and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Tomato Tarragon Sauce
Recipe from Sher at What Did You Eat?

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups fresh or canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon
1- 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 cup dry bread crumbs (I used plain Panko)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggplants, peeled and cut to make sixteen 1/2-inch-thick slices in all
4 eggs, beaten to mix
Cooking oil, for frying
1/2 pound mild goat cheese, such as Montrachet, cut into 8 rounds

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tarragon, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the sugar and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Dip each slice of eggplant in the eggs and then in the bread-crumb mixture, coating well. In a large frying pan, heat about half an inch of cooking oil over moderate heat until very hot. Fry the eggplant in the hot oil, in batches, turning once, until golden and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

Arrange half of the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Put a slice of goat cheese on top of each and then top with the remaining eggplant slices. Bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Put the sauce on plates and top with the eggplant.

Mediteranean Crescent Pinwheels

After procrastinating about what to fix, I threw these Mediterranean Crescent Pinwheels together at the last minute for a big family party last weekend. They were delicious! I had bookmarked the recipe after reading about them over at Sweetnick's and as I scrambled around looking for something that wasn't the same- old, same-old to take, I realized these would be perfect. (The family still raves about the Muffuletta Pinwheels I made last Thanksgiving.)

They went together quickly with ingredients I already had on hand. Between the prosciutto and feta, they were a little salty so if you are watching your sodium intake, these may not be the best choice. For some reason the bottoms seemed to get a little too done, too quickly so watch for it. I could smell it but the tops still looked doughy so I put them back in and they ended up a little (to a lot) overdone.

We'll definitely be making these again soon!

Mediterranean Crescent Pinwheels

Recipe courtesy of Pillsbury Bake-Off #39

1 (8 ounce) can Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls

1/2 pound prosciutto or cooked ham, thinly sliced

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Separate dough into 4 rectangles; place on lightly floured surface. Firmly press perforations to seal. Press or roll each to form 8×5-inch rectangle. Arrange 1/4 of prosciutto slices evenly over each rectangle. In small bowl, combine cheese, pepper and oil; mix well. Sprinkle mixture evenly over prosciutto on each rectangle. Sprinkle with basil. Starting at short side of each rectangle, roll up; seal long edges. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 5 slices. Place, cut side up, on sprayed cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets. Serve warm.

Yield: 20 servings

Philadelphia Tuscan Dip

The weather has been great -- if you count 95 degree+ heat index and thunderstorms great! ;-) Hopefully between all this "No Computer Access" time and no more school or extracurricular activities I'm doing a lot of running. I guess time will tell.

This quick and easy dip was quite the hit at a recent family potluck dinner. It was so simple that I hadn't planned to make it. I received my Kraft Food & Family magazine in the mail that day and it sounded so good I couldn't resist. I had all the ingredients on hand and threw it together right before we left. Delicious!

Philadelphia Tuscan Dip
Makes 1/2 cup or 12 servings of 2 tablespoons each
Recipe provided by kraftfoods.com


1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1/2 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1/4 cup finely chopped red onions

MIX cream cheese and sour cream in medium bowl until well blended.

ADD remaining ingredients; mix well.

SERVE with assorted NABISCO Crackers or cut-up fresh vegetables