foodie: roasted eggplant with avocado salsa

the other night, with craig's request for a "light" dinner, my mind went to a salad.  salads can run the gamut from boring to brilliant, and this one fell more toward the latter...if i do say so myself.  to make our "light" dinner a little heartier, i roasted eggplant and made a chunky avocado salsa to add richness and texture to the dish.  served atop fresh baby greens, this meal was a winner!

what you'll need...

1 medium-large eggplant
1 avocado
2 plum tomatoes
2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tbsp grated or shredded parmesan
olive oil
salt & pepper

preheat your oven to 375-400 degrees

1. slice eggplant into 1/4-1/2 in slices.  try your best to keep them uniform, so they cook evenly.

2. lightly coat a baking tray with olive oil and lay out eggplant slices side by side.  mix 1 tbsp garlic with a bit of olive oil, and brush slices.  season with salt and pepper.

3. cook eggplant for 10-15 minutes, and then flip the slices - the underside should be nicely golden brown.  cook for another 10 min or so.  keep an eye on them so they don't burn!

4. in the meantime, roughly chop the tomatoes and avocado and mix together.  season with the remainder of the garlic and a bit of salt and pepper.

5. once the eggplant is done cooking, sprinkle the slices with parmesan - the hot slices will begin to melt the cheese - yum!

serve over baby greens, and feel free to add in other toppings like chopped nuts, minced red onion, or whatever else sounds good to you : )

bon appetit!

.

foodie: birthday egg strata

craig's birthday was last friday, so for saturday morning breakfast, i thought it would be nice to have a yummy, home cooked meal.  craig adores anything will eggs for his morning meal, so i decided to make a strata (i.e. an egg casserole with veggies and cheese).  the great thing about a strata is that you can make it a day or two in advance and then just reheat it the morning of!

here's what you'll need...

1 loaf of bread (i used rosemary focaccia)
8-10 eggs
1 cup shredded cheese (i used an italian blend, but something sharp like swiss, gruyere or cheddar would work well too)
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 zucchini
1 packet knorr bearnaise sauce, prepared with heavy cream
2 tbsp rosemary and thyme, chopped
salt & pepper
olive oil

preheat oven to 375.

1. chop and saute veggies in olive oil until tender and lightly caramelized.  season with salt and pepper.

2. roughly tear bread into 1 inch cubes and put 1/2 into a buttered casserole dish.

3. top with veggies and 1/2 of cheese, and then add in the remainder of the bread.

4. mix eggs with bearnaise and chopped herbs and pour over bread mixture.  press bread with the back of a wooden spoon to make sure it soaks up the egg mixture well.

5. top strata with remainder of cheese, a few more herbs and salt & pepper.

6. bake for 30-40 minutes until top is golden and bubbly.

if you're making the strata in advance, allow to cool completely and then cover and put in the fridge.  to reheat, put in oven on 275-300 degrees for approximately 1 hour.

as you can see, this recipe lends itself to improvisation - so have fun with it and make it your own.

bon appetit!

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foodie: cauliflower steaks

the past few weeks, every time i go to the grocery store, i come home with a head of cauliflower.  this vegetable that i used to despise as a child has now become one of my new favorites to play cook with.  it's mild, tender flesh is buttery and is a great "vehicle" for a number of flavors.  a few days ago, craig and i had my sister, hannah, over for dinner, and i was inspired by a recipe that i saw on martha stewart's show earlier that day - cauliflower steaks.  using martha's recipe for inspiration, i added my own twist to it to create a yummy meal that was both delicious and satisfying!

what you'll need...

1 head cauliflower
olive oil
curry
salt

1. from the cauliflower head, cut four 3/4-inch-thick "steaks". (save the end pieces for another meal.)

2. in a large skillet, heat approximately 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. once oil is hot, add 2 cauliflower steaks, sprinkle with salt and curry, cover, and cook until the underside of the steaks is golden brown, about 5 minutes.  next, flip the steaks, season with salt and curry, cover, and cook until they are fork tender, about 10 minutes.

3. transfer the steaks onto a baking sheet, loosely tent with foil, and keep warm in the oven until you're ready to enjoy them.

4. repeat the process with another tablespoon oil and the remaining 2 cauliflower steaks.

reviewing martha's recipe

i served our "steaks" over couscous and topped them with a roasted red pepper and caramelized onion chutney.  they were delicious!!!

credit {here}

bon appetit : )

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foodie: herb-butter pasta

with spring officially here, i love to enjoy simple dishes that highlight the flavors of the season. herb-butter pasta is a meal i remember having often during my childhood - it’s delicious, easy to make, and very satisfying as a side or main course.

credit {here}

you'll need...

• 1 lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta, cooked
• 1/2 cup chopped herbs (thyme, basil, parsley, rosemary, etc.)
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 vegetable bouillon

1. cook pasta according to directions on box.

2. while pasta is cooking, melt butter in a small pot over medium heat and mix in vegetable bouillon until well combined.

3. drain pasta and return to pot. pour butter mixture over top and toss. add chopped herbs and toss again.

4. plate to serving dish and garnish with a sprig of herbs.

though this dish is perfect just as it is, feel free to add other "tastes" of spring - roasted asparagus, new potatoes, or caramelized spring onions.  or to brighten the flavors, add some fresh squeezed lemon and grated parmesan. 

bon appetit!

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