Baba Ghanoush: Cold Eggplant Dip

A lot like Hummus, I mean exactly like it but instead of mashed chic peas there is roasted eggplant.  The literal translation means "spoiled father." 

About the same amount of effort as hummus too, but instead of making a pot (or opening a can) of beans, you will need to cook some eggplant.  I have never had success in oven roasting, and it's a lot of time to wait an hour for one or two eggplants to cook.  I always end up not cooking it long enough, and even then I can never get the peel off.  But what harm is there in blitzing the peel, if it's organic.  Often the most colorful part of the veggie is where all the nutrients are.  I imagine an easier way, and less time consuming-if not a bit more labor intensive, would be to peel the eggplant, cube and saute until soft. 

Otherwise:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Using a fork, poke holes all around the eggplant(s).  Roast for 45 minutes or until soft, timing depends on the size of eggplant.  Once they have cooled, scrape the inside into a bowl and discard the peel.  Even better if you can roast them over a charcoal grill or fire to achieve a smoky flavor.

For every 2 cups cooked eggplant add to it:

•  2 Tablespoons Tahini
• 1 large clove of garlic
• Juice of 1 Lemon, roughly 1/4 cup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blitz, or else mash by hand, in which case mince or press the garlic.  Feel free to dress it with chopped fresh parsley and good extra virgin olive oil.

Fritata: Spinach, Red Onion, Feta

1-2 Tablespoons Butter

1 Red Onion, quartered and sliced
10 oz. package Frozen Spinach, thawed
8 Eggs
4 Tablespoons water
8 oz. Feta, crumbled
3 Tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 350.  In a oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat and gently cook the onions till they start to brown.  Turn off the heat, add in the spinach and stir.  In a bowl beat the eggs and water, crumble in the feta and mix.  Pour over the onions and spinach, gently lift the vegetables so the egg mixture pours under and around.  Layer the sliced tomatoes on top.  Pop the skillet into the oven until the top is set, about 35 minutes.  Let cool for 15, slice and enjoy.

This recipe was a little spinach heavy which sort of overwhelmed the feta.

Green Onion Schmear

I absolutely can't believe I left this recipe off my blog for so long.  I make this a lot.  I take it to parties.  I serve it at parties.  You won't believe how much you can eat in one sitting until you see it gone.

1 package of cream cheese, 8 oz.
2-3 green onions, washed and chopped, greens and whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few dashes of cayenne pepper
1/2 cup whole milk plain yogurt

Soften the cream cheese in the microwave, in a microwave safe dish (not plastic).  With an electric mixer, or in a food processer, mix in all ingredients till smooth.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but overnight preferably.  Serve with crudites, bagels or hash brown patties and lox, pretzels, or anything you think would be good.

Fall Harvest Soup with Sage and White Pepper

1 Butternut Squash, peeled and diced
1 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup of Carrots, peeled and sliced

I finally admitted that I don't actually like Butternut squash, it's the carrots and sweet potatoes I'm after.  This is one of those soups where you could use all carrots if that's what you wanted.

4 Tablespoons of Butter or Chicken Fat
1 large Leek, washed thoroughly and chopped
1/2 large white or yellow onion, diced
1 Granny Smith apple, diced (skin on if organic)
4 cups (1 quart) Chicken Broth, Gluten and MSG Free (watch out for "yeast" and "hydrolyzed protein" ingredients)
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons of salt, depending on how salty your broth is
1/2 cup of all-natural Sour Cream, or if you can find it-Creme Fraiche.

Melt butter or Chicken fat in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Saute leeks, onions, and apple, adding ingredients separately every few minutes in the order listed. Saute until just turning brown.  Add the broth.  Peel, seed, and chunk Butternut, peel and chunk Sweet Potato, and peel and slice carrots into the broth.  Add seasonings and bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, lid on, till squash and potatoes and carrots are tender (about 20 Minutes). Be careful, ingredients are boiling hot. Transfer back to the stock pot.

Using an Immersion blender, and the lid as a shield, puree the soup. 

Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.  Serves 8 as a starter, 4 as a meal. 

Very good with brown rice, sausage crumbles, and cooked kale.

Gingerbread with Lemon Sauce

From The Betty Crocker Cookbook, copyright 1969.  I have never made a bad cake from this cookbook.  It is a cake and quick bread lovers' delight.

This was a go-to dessert of my Moms when I was a child.  So it not only is comfortingly spicy for fall, but reminiscent of my childhood.

I know as far as culinary expertise goes this is not a complex or complicated cake, but that's what makes it so wonderful.  Feel free to add in chopped crystallized ginger, fresh ginger root, and whatever makes you happy.  Unless you add more liquid, I don't think you can screw up this cake.

Gingerbread:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, or *Gluten free baking mix*
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup dark molasses
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 325 F.  Grease and flour a round cake pan or 9x9 square pan, or glass baking dish.  Cream the sugar, butter, molasses, hot water.  Beat in the eggs.  Add the flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon, and salt, gently stir together before beating till just smooth.  Scrape down sides as needed.  Pour into pan, bake for 50 minutes.  Serve warm with Lemon Sauce

Lemon Sauce:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup water
1 egg well beaten
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3 Tablespoons lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Over medium heat, bring to bubbling, stirring constantly.  Serve warm on the ginger cake.