Pork Chops with Summer Peach Salsa

Perry and I just went through a prodigious pork phase (say that three times fast!) because we were testing out pork chop recipes. This version is lighter than the other two recipes because it requires the least amount of seasoning and adds a fruity salsa on top to carry the flavor punch.

This salsa is summery, using ripe peach, tomato, crisp red pepper, and green jalapeno. You could also add cilantro, mint, or red onion if you so desire. The salsa would also pair nicely with grilled chicken breasts or a spinach salad.

Pork Chops with Summer Peach Salsa

Serves 2

Chops:

2 bone in pork chops

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

Salsa:

1 peach
1 tsp sugar
1 tomato
1/2 red pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
6 leaves basil
1/4 lemon (juice and zest)

1. In a shallow dish, mix the soy sauce, garlic powder, and chili powder. Add the pork chops, coating both sides in the mix. Allow pork chops to rest in marinade for about 30 min.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet and rack.
3. Cook chops for 15 minutes, flip, and then another 15 minutes, adjusting for the fat content and thickness of the chops.
4. Check that chops are cooked through, with no trace of pink. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
5. Dice the peach, tomato, red pepper into 1 cm cubes. Mince the jalapeno (with or without seeds and ribs, your choice. I do without.) Chiffonade the basil leaves.
6. Combine vegetables with the sugar and lemon juice and zest. Allow to sit in the fridge until chops are cooked and rested.
7. Plate pork chops, top with several tablespoons of salsa, and enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflowe​r Soup

I am constantly craving soup as the temperatures drop and my grumpy-o-meter goes through the roof. Soup has this way of making you warm from the inside out. Any ingredient you have can be made into a tasty soup to warm your soup (and make me a bit less grumpy!)

 

Last night I had a few guests over and had to spontaneously menu plan. I spied some cauliflower on sale in the market - and cauliflower has been surprisingly expensive this year - so I snapped it up to make a creamy vegetable based soup. Roasting the cauliflower imparts a much warmer and round flavor while the roasted garlic adds a layer of pungent but gentle aroma. You can make the soup without the chicken broth or milk and it will still be hearty, smooth, and flavorful, and vegan friendly. Or you can be a bit decadent and add some heavy cream and bacon to the top for an added flavor boost and richness.

 

 

Pureed Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Serves 6-8

 



1 large head of cauliflower
Olive oil
Half head garlic
2 stalks celery
1 large onion
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 cups chicken stock
5 cups boiling water
1 cup whole milk (or half cup heavy cream)
Tablespoon salt
Teaspoon pepper
 

Optional: Bacon bits

 

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Wash cauliflower and break into florets, around 2-3 inches large. Precision isn't key because you are going to puree the soup later.
3. Line a tray with foil and add the cauliflower in a single layer. Drizzle with several tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Mix to coat the cauliflower in oil.
4. Take the half head of garlic and slice the top few millimeters from the top, exposing a cross section of the cloves. Drizzle olive oil into the cloves, wrap in foil and place seam side up in the cauliflower tray to roast.
5. Optional: take a small broiling rack and position on top of the cauliflower. Lay three or four strips of bacon to cook and let the fat render over the cauliflower. Bacon can be diced later for bacon bits!
6. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, then stir to distribute heat and surface. Bake another 20 minutes or until golden on the edges.
7. While roasting, dice the onion and celery.
8. In a large stockpot, add the stock, water, bay leaf, celery, and onion to simmer. (I used my new crockpot! Hooray!)
9. When cauliflower and garlic are fully roasted, add to stock pot and allow soup to simmer for a few hours.
10. Before serving, fish out the bay leaf. Puree the soup mixture until smooth. Then add the milk or heavy cream. Salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve in bowls and top with a spoonful of bacon bits. I imagine sliced scallions, parsley, or fried garlic slices would also make excellent toppers!
     

Cabbage Kielbasa Soup

I never buy the same groceries. I always scour the window ads and browse the weekly circular to see what is on sale and menu plan based on my good finds. While I know this idea may not work for everyone, for most dishes I can plan ingredients and recipes on the go. Today's soup was born out of two purchases I never have on my radar: cabbage and kielbasa. (I channeled my secret Polish grandma that I never had.) The outcome was so tasty, I would definitely make it again.

Cabbage Kielbasa Soup

1 medium white onion
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
1 pound beef kielbasa
1 red pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 16 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 head green cabbage (about 3 pounds)

1. Prepare the onion, celery, carrot, kielbasa, and red pepper by dicing them into 1/2 inch cubes. Mince the garlic. Core and cut the cabbage into ribbons (1/4 inch by 1 1/2 inches).
2. In a 4 quart stock pot (or larger) heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sautè the kielbasa, onion, and garlic. When the onions have softened, add the celery, carrot, and red pepper. Sautè until soft.
3. On the side, boil a quart of water.
4. Add the can of tomatoes to the kielbasa and vegetable mix. Add the cabbage and boiling water to cover and reach the consistency you like.
5. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Season liberally with salt and pepper. A bay leaf, basil, oregano, or a little chili would be good too.

Serves an army.

Escarole, Sausage, and Split Pea Stew

It is 35 degrees in New York. My toes are cold, my humidifier is on high, and I have more layers on than an onion. Which means that it is time for SOUP! I pretty much exclusively live off of soup in the winter months and I have made more soups than is probably normal for someone my age. But I digress, I love soup and here is another recipe.

Escarole is a leafy green vegetable. I was first introduced to it in lentil soup, Progresso to be precise, which I ate with slices of whole wheat toast as a winter after school snack. I rediscovered it in my local supermarket and it tends to be on sale often. Its a bit temperamental as a vegetable - if you cook it even a tiny bit too long, it acquires a bitter aftertaste. So the key to this recipe really is simple: add the escarole at the very last minute.

The following recipe is a meld of two foods I enjoy - lentil soup and yellow daal (an Indian pea soup). It has a lot of meatiness in the sausage and chicken broth and requires very little seasoning.

Escarole, Sausage, and Split Pea Stew
Serves four, about an hour

1/2 pound (1 cup) of dried split yellow peas
1/2 pound of sausage (I used breakfast sausage, but italian is good too)
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, cut into coins
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 can low sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 head escarole, sliced into 1/4 inch ribbons, no longer than 2 inches
5 leaves lettuce (Optional: if you have a small head of escarole or want to mellow the flavor)

1. Boil three cups of water. Soak the dried split peas
2. Prep all vegetables and remove the sausage from the casing
3. Heat a stockpot on medium. When hot, add the sausage, crumbling into small pieces.
4. When the sausage is mostly cooked through, add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Saute until onion is cooked through.
5. Drain the split peas and rinse.
6. Add the chicken broth, water, bay leaf, curry, and the split peas. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until lentils are cooked through and are soft.
7. Add the escarole and lettuce and stir to incorporate. Cook for about 3 minutes and serve with crusty bread. 
8. Can be served as a hearty side, a chunky stew, or pureed with more water as a creamy soup.

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes (Gluten Free)

Autumn is good for only a few things: crisp apples, no air conditioning, pretty landscapes, and the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Otherwise, it really just portends the winter apocalypse, but you know, let's be positive about my toes being perpetually cold between now and April.

To cheer myself of the cold morning blues, I was craving something that tasted like fall, but preferably with slightly less sugar. Pancakes came to mind as a great carrier of pumpkin spice, and a quick scan for similar recipes landed me on Cookie + Kate's banana oat pancakes. Now, Kate is a pro - her photos are amazing, the measurements exacting. and the recipes make you drool. I adapted her recipe, adopting the oat flour so the pancakes would be more whole grain, but substituting pumpkin for the banana.

Pumpkin Oat Pancakes
1 dry cup oats
12 oz pumpkin puree
1 inch grated ginger
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt, and nutmeg
1/2 cup warm water

1. Make oat flour out of old-fashioned oats: Pour one cup of oats into a food processor and process until it is ground well. (I also added a handful of almonds to the food processor to make the pancakes nuttier.)
2. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl.
3. Add the pumpkin puree, butter, ginger, and sugar to the eggs and mix.
4. In a larger mixing bowl, mix the oat flour, baking soda, salt, and spices
5. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir a few times to incorporate.
6. The batter should be the consistency of melted ice cream. If it is too thick, add water or milk to thin it. Let the batter sit for 5-10 minutes for the oats to soak up the liquid.
7. Heat up a skillet or non stick pan. Spray with cooking spray if you're not using a nonstick.
8. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan (to make a regular sized pancake). I made mini's so these were about 2 tablespoons of batter.
9. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the pancake is cooked at the edges and the pancake comes off the pan easily. The pan side should be golden brown.
10. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes
11. Serve with maple syrup and apples.

Beef Taco Hamburger Helper Hack

Okay okay, you should know by now that we don't do processed food here at the Chic-Peas. The most processed we get is canned pumpkin and pre-made tomato sauce for lazy days. Kelly is probably going to facepalm that I'm even writing this recipe. Buuuuuuut I'll admit I grew up on things like Hamburger Helper, and Old El Paso taco mixes, and frozen pizza. That's because as a high school student, it was MY job to get dinner on the table most nights, and poor mom had to settle for what I was capable of making unassisted. Since then, thankfully, my eating habits and cooking skills have improved dramatically.

I had a pound of ground beef in the freezer and I was craving something savory, but would pack well for lunches. I had already made stir fry and fried rice this week, so rice was out. And ground beef should be cooked with a sauce that helps you pick up the little bits. And so I thought of Hamburger Helper. I haven't had Hamburger Helper in about 15 years.  Buuuuuuuuuuut I wanted it with veggies. I wanted it to be just a tiny bit cheesy. And I sure as heck was not going to buy a box to help me out. So we're going to do this the right way!

Beef Taco Stove Top Pasta (Hamburger Helper Hack)
1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 small potatoes
1 small onion
1 small bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
1 cup pasta sauce or tomato puree
1 cup milk
3 dry cups pasta shells (get the quick cook variety if available)
4 oz mild cheddar cheese
Salt, paprika, cumin
Cilantro to top

1. Prep your veggies and cheese by cutting them into 1 cm dice.
2. Heat two tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet or saute pan. Using non-stick is ideal for this as this recipe can get rather messy!
3. Brown the ground beef and the potatoes until 90% cooked and crumbled.
4. Add the onion and peppers. Saute for a few minutes.
5. Add the tomato puree and the milk. Bring to a simmer.
6. Add the dry pasta and lower the heat to medium low. Stir the pot to make sure the pasta is wet. If the mixture doesn't have enough free liquid, add half a cup of water. Cover and stir every 2-3 minutes for about 10 minutes.
7. Add the cheese, which should be roughly chopped or shredded. Mix into the liquid so it melts.
8. When the pasta is cooked through, serve in bowls topped with chopped cilantro.

Parsley Pesto

Maoz is a falafel chain down the street from my office. The falafel aren't my favorite, but they have a vegetable topping bar that is vegetarian heaven! One of my favorite toppings is roasted broccoli and cauliflower with a spicy parsley sauce on top, maybe mixed with some hummus. It's fresh, tasty, and packed with flavor. Since cauliflower and broccoli were on sale this week, I figured I should try my hand at making it myself.

The roasted veggies were easy. Line a tray with aluminum foil, toss with olive oil and maybe some spices and salt, roast for an hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Done.

The parsley sauce would be more complicated. Its a watery sauce, bright green, with flecks of dried chile pepper. Moaz has a picture here.I knew it was obviously parsley, something spicy, but I wasn't sure about the rest. What I ended up with was not really Maoz, but more of a parsley sauce pesto medley that softened the heat (I added way too much jalapeno) but ended up being a great hearty sauce at the end. It ended up not being very spicy at all!

Parsley Pesto, inspired by Maoz
Yields 3/4 cup sauce (which will last me a week and a half)

Special equipment: Food processor or blender

1 bunch parsley, chopped roughly
a few spoons of water
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
1 jalapeno, chopped, no seeds
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
12 almonds

1. Place all the parsley in the blender and add a teaspoon of water. Blend until pureed. You may have to add more water, but only add a tiny bit at a time. We don't want watery sauce.
2. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and parmesan. Blend.
3. Add the almonds a few at a time until you reach a consistency where the sauce isn't separating out the water any longer, or until at desired spiciness.
4. Enjoy on roasted veggies, steaks, fish, pita chips, and anything else that needs a bright green kick!

Japchae! Well, sort of. Korean inspired stir fried glass noodles

One of my favorite sides at Korean restaurants is Japchae. Its a cold or warm stir fry dish of sweet potato noodles and various veggies and sometimes beef. Its tasty, savory, filling, but not heavy, and full of healthy things.

However, I knew that making japchae (like making bimbimbap) requires many steps. All the vegetables are prepared one by one so that they retain the cleanest flavors. So with fair warning, this recipe does take some time. I think the results are totally worth it, but only if you're making 4+ servings.

The type of noodles used in japchae are also not easy to find unless you're around a specialty store. I cheated and used bean strings (mai fun) which is a thin rice noodle. The rice noodle also requires no boiling, just a soak and a quick fry in the pan. The results are similar enough where I would happily substitute mai fun in the future!

Recipe courtesy of Transparent Korean Language Blog.

Spicy Eggplant Tofu

After my two week vacation, I wanted to detox a little and get my eating habits back in order. I'm typically vegetarian 4 days out of 7 and I've definitely trying to pack lunches more often too.  I made a run to Chinatown and picked up some eggplant and tofu, among other things. I wanted something savory tasting, but not too heavy feeling, and this is what I got!

Spicy Eggplant with Silken Tofu 

1 block silken tofu

2 medium Chinese eggplant, in 1/3rd inch thick half moons

1 tablespoon sugar

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 coin ginger, minced

1 large tomato, chopped

1 large pinch red chili flakes

1 star anise

1 teaspoon gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

4 leaves basil

Optional: Cornstarch

1. Drain water from silken tofu container. Turn tofu out of container and onto a plate. Cut the tofu into 1.5 inch cubes and spread out into a single layer, gently. Sprinkle with salt (you'll use about two teaspoons). Allow water to drain from tofu for about 30 minutes.
2. Wash and cut the eggplant. In a bowl, toss with the sugar. 
3. Prep the onion, garlic, ginger, and tomato. 
4. Heat a large saute pan with two tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil.
5. Pan fry the eggplant for 2-4 minutes on medium high heat.
6. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Saute another 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
7. Add the tomato, star anise, chili flakes, gochujang, and  vinegar. Saute 2 minutes.
8. Drain the tofu again. Add the tofu to the pan and fold in lightly, trying to maintain the shape of the tofu. 
9. Reduce heat to medium. More water will drain from the tomato. Allow to simmer off until you have a thicker gravy. You can also cheat and make a cornstarch and water slurry to thicken it. 
10. Serve over rice. 

Simmered Kabocha Pumpkin Squash

Kabocha was surprisingly on sale at the supermarket this week. Kabocha is a Japanese pumpkin or squash that has a firm, dense texture and sweet flavor. It is a common side dish to bento boxes and appetizers. I've even seen it used in desserts.

I tried to replicate the Japanese side dish a few times with butternut or calabeza squash, but they're both too watery and fine for the dish to work. Kabocha is so dense that it holds its texture super well.

I modified today's recipe from Lunch in a Box, who makes lots of really adorable bentos! I didn't have mirin or dashi on hand, but felt I could do without with a little genius. My kabocha came out super tasty.

Simmered Kabocha Pumpkin 
Makes 6 side dish servings

1 kabocha squash (about 2 lbs)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 cardamom pods
1 large pinch red chile flakes
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 squares konbu (seaweed) totaling 6 square inches
3 coins ginger
2 cups water

1. Wash the kabocha, scrubbing lightly. The skin is edible, so it needs to be nice and dirt free.
2. Take a sharp vegetable peeler and cut stripes of the skin off of the kabocha. By making sure each piece has a little flesh exposed on the bottom, we boost the flavor!
3. Using a large, heavy knife, like a cleaver or chef's knife, carefully cut the kabocha in half. This is a little more difficult than cutting a watermelon open - it will have a good amount of resistance, so be patient and CAREFUL.
4. Scoop out the seeds and the stringy bits. Discard.
5. Cut the kabocha into 1-2 inch cubes. Try to be uniform!
6. In a large bowl, pour in a cup and a half of water, the soy sauce, and all the spices and seaweed. Mix gently. 
7. We need to cook the kabocha in a single layer. In a deep frying pan or pot, arrange the kabocha, skin side down in a single layer. I ran out of space and put some on top, but it meant I really had to make two batches.
8. Pour the sugar/soy/water mix over the kabocha. Place over high heat. Cover with a pot lid that is smaller than the diameter of the frying pan, so that the lid pushes down on the squash and allows steam to escape from the sides (AKA a drop lid)
9. When the liquid is at a roiling simmer, turn the heat down to a slow simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until a fork goes easily through the squash. 
10. You may have to remove some squash and rotate around the not as well cooked pieces.
11. Drain the remaining liquid and reserve (would be tasty if you turn the leftovers into mashed sweet kabocha!). Allow kabocha to cool.
12. Om nom nom.

Tofu Casserole with Lettuce

I've always called this dish tofu casserole, although it doesn't require an oven. Its not a soup, as you start with solid ingredients and add no liquid. However, due to the nature of the ingredients, the resulting dish is like a thick but fine stew, more like a chunky gravy or minced meat. My mother tends to make it with ground pork, red peppers, garlic chives, and fresh mushrooms. I adapted it for what was on hand and in my American supermarket, using lettuce, ground beef, dried mushrooms, and cucumber.

Lunch bento! <3

Tofu Casserole
Serves 6-8 (for some reason, I am incapable of making this dish in small quantities)

1 pound ground pork or beef
1 white onion, diced
4 coins ginger, julienned
5 cloves garlic minced (or tablespoon roasted garlic paste)
1 block silken tofu, drained and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cucumber, diced
3 plum tomatoes, diced
1 handful dried mushrooms (soaked in hot water), diced
6 leaves romaine lettuce (iceberg is fine too), diced
1 teaspoon gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
Salt or soy sauce to taste
1 teaspoon cornstarch

1. Prep all ingredients. 
2. Heat a tablespoon oil in a large pot. Cook the ground beef or pork until crumbled.
3. Add the onion, ginger, and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent.
4. Add the cucumber, tomato, and mushrooms. Allow the water to cook out (and you can prep the lettuce here if you forgot, like me).
5. Add the tofu - this is where the majority of water will exude. Allow to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Also add the gochujang and salt or soy sauce. 
6. When most of the water had cooked off, add the lettuce and turn the heat to low. 
7. Mix the cornstarch in a small bowl with a teaspoon and a half of water. Mix into a slurry. 
8. Pour 1/3rd of the cornstarch slurry into the tofu casserole and mix. Find another pocket of liquid, add 1/3rd of the cornstarch and mix. Continue to add cornstarch to thicken the stew.
9. Allow to cool and serve over rice. 

Masala Roasted Carrots

Roasting carrots brings out their natural sweetness and a gorgeous color. Enhancing them with garam masala is essentially sprinkling them with cinnamon spice!



Masala Roasted Carrots
4-5 large carrots, cut diagonally into oval coins
1.5 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp honey
Pinch of salt

1. Heat oven to. 350 degrees, middle rack
2. On a sheet pan or shallow baking dish, mix carrots with spices and honey until coated.
3. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, then stir (make sure you flip over the carrots!). And bake for another 10-15 minutes.
4. Cool for 5 minutes and enjoy.

Soon Dou Bu (Korean Tofu Stew)

I shouldn't have to prove to you my undying love for tofu or soup at this point. This dish is my go to Korean order and is typically served with seafood. What makes it delectable is the extra soft tofu, the poached egg,
and the spicy broth that makes your taste buds sing. My version is plainer and you can add your own protein or perhaps some radish or greens to make it your own. I've used seaweed to bolster my veggie stock but chicken broth is just as fantastic.


Soon Dou Bu (Korean Tofu Stew)
Serves 6

1 1/2 cups rehydrated seaweed sliced into ribbons
3 ribs celery, sliced thinly
6 cloves garlic
4 coins ginger
1/4 napa cabbage, sliced into ribbons
1 carrot, in coins
1.5 tbsp spicy red pepper paste
2 tubes extra soft tofu
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg per person (get the freshest eggs for poached)

Topping:
2 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp sesame oil

1. Boil a pot of water. Use a cup of the boiled water to hydrate the seaweed (reserve the excess water for the stock, but strain first through a paper towel.)
2. Meanwhile prep all veggies as specified.
3. In a large pot, heat a teaspoon of olive or vegetable oil. Turn the heat to medium low and add ginger. Add the garlic and the red pepper paste and heat until fragrant.
4. Add the vegetables and sweat for 5 minutes until softened.
5. Add the boiling water to cover, then add the tofu. Simmer for 15- 30 min.
6. For the topping, mix all ingredients into a small bowl.
7. To serve, scoop the stew into a bowl. Crack the egg into the center, top with scallions and sesame, and wait a minute before enjoying. Serve a bowl of white rice on the side.

Mushroom Stuffed Eggplant

While shopping this weekend, I came upon these mini Italian eggplants for sale. I instantly thought how perfect they would be for a single serving. Even better, what if stuffed it full of delicious things? How adorable and delicious would that be? So that was that!

Now picking the right eggplant is tough. Many people don't like eggplant because once it develops seeds, it becomes bitter. Size doesn't correlate to age, however, so picking smaller eggplants may not necessarily give you younger eggplants. When you pick the Italian kind of eggplant, you want a nice and shiny skin, as blemish free as possible. It should be firm and just a bit soft, but not soft enough to leave imprints or bruises. For Chinese eggplant, (the long and thin variety), a glossy skin, few blemishes, and thin shape work best. The larger it is, the more likely you'll have seeds. Hopefully that helps you!

On to the recipe!

Mushroom Stuffed Eggplant
Serves 6

3 eggplants about the size of your hand, or a bit smaller
1 pound ground pork
1 medium onion, small diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 plum tomatoes, small diced
1 pack baby bella mushrooms, diced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 teaspoon salt
shredded mozzarella cheese to top (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Wash and prep the eggplant. Cut off the stem portion, trying to leave as much flesh as possible. Then slice the eggplant lengthwise in half. Using a paring knife and a spoon, scoop out the flesh of the eggplant, leaving 1/3rd of an inch around the edges to help the eggplant keep its shape.
3. Coat the bottom of a large glass baking dish with olive oil. Place the hollowed eggplant in the dish, cut side up. Brush the insides of the eggplant with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool after 30 minutes so they're safe to handle, but keep the oven running.
4. In the meantime, diced the scooped out eggplant, onions, tomatoes, and mushrooms, and mince the garlic.
5. In a large pot, heat a teaspoon of olive oil and coat the posts bottom and sides. 
6. Cook and crumble the ground pork. If you render a lot of fat, pour it out.
7. When the pork is cooked, turn the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant and the water from the onions deglazes the bottom of the pan. 
8. Return the heat to medium high and add the diced eggplant, tomatoes and mushroom. Also add all the spices. Cook uncovered so that all the water has a chance to evaporate. The majority of the vegetables will shrink in size, so don't flip out if you have too much.
9. When the stuffing is mushy, but mostly dry, stuff the eggplants. You will probably need about four tablespoons of stuffing per eggplant. (Excess stuffing can be served over rice or used to stuff other yummy things.)
10. Top with cheese. (Crushed nuts would also be a yummy topping!) Bake at 400 for about 15-20 minutes to set the dish.
11. Allow to cool before serving. Enjoy!

Ricotta Zucchini Squash Pasta

Ricotta is a perfect summer sauce. Its cool and light compared to cream sauces and a little goes a long way to make a dish sing.

I julienned fresh early summer squash and red pepper with some fettucini. The vegetables lend well to the pasta and the fettucine held the sauce better than I expected. The leftovers tended to be a little mushy, but still tasty.

Ricotta Zucchini Pasta
Serves 6

1 pack fettucini
5 small zucchini squash
1 red pepper
1 tablespoon roasted garlic
1 pinch chili flakes
2 cups ricotta cheese
Fresh basil or cilantro (optional)

1. Prepare pasta according to package. Cook al dente, as we'll be finishing it with the sauce. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
2. Wash and slice the vegetables into julienne. Basically 2 to 3 inch long match stick sized. (Match the shape of your veggies to the type/size off your pasta. Elbow pasta would be matched with diced veggies for example)
3. Heat a large pot with a tablespoon of olive oil. Turn the heat to low and add the garlic and chili flakes. Cook until fragrant.
4. Add the vegetables and cook until wilted. Add the ricotta and mix to incorporate. Add salt to taste.
5. Add the pasta and toss to coat.
6. Serve and garnish with herbs of choice! Leftovers are good at room temperature or hot.

Paprika Corn Soup

In search for a summer soup that would be filling, with lots of veggies, and good hot or just a bit warm, I came across multiple recipes using corn. I liked cream corn soup as a kid, but I'll admit that the price of fresh corn in the city was too expensive and that frozen corn just isn't the same. In a soup though, I would be able to use frozen without compromising too much, since I could beef up the flavor with other ingredients.

Paprika Corn Soup
Serves 6

1 large onion
1 large carrot
3 stalks celery
2 tomatoes
1 jalapeno (flesh, no ribs or seeds)
1 can of beer
5 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cumin
32 oz bag of frozen corn
2 teaspoons paprika
1 tablespoon salt

1. Heat a medium pot with 8 cups of water. Set to boil. 
2. Rough chop the onion, carrot, celery, tomatoes, jalapeno, and garlic. Heat a large stock pot with a tablespoon of olive oil and saute until tender.
3. Add the bay leaf and beer. Saute until alcohol evaporates (10 minutes).
4. Add the boiling water and simmer for about 30 minutes.
5. Add the cumin, paprika, and 30 oz of frozen corn (reserve some to finish the dish). Bring back to a simmer.
6. Pull out the bay leaf and discard. Fire up the immersion blender.
7. Add the reserved corn, add salt to taste, and serve. 
8. If you want the soup to be a little richer, add a teaspoon more of olive oil or a dollop of sour cream.

Gnocchi Alfredo with Peas and Shrimp

As frozen spinach and ricotta both went on sale last week, I knew I had to revive an older recipe: Spinach-Ricotta-Gnocchi. The tasty soft morsels of pasta are a labor of love, but incredibly delicious. In addition, they can be frozen uncooked for later meals. This time, I made the gnocchi with some pancetta, green peas, roasted garlic, and frozen shrimp for an amazing meal.

Gnocchi Alfredo with Peas and Shrimp
Serves 3-4, 20 minutes

2 cups frozen spinach gnocchi
1 bag frozen green peas (16 oz)
1 tablespoon diced pancetta (optional or substitute bacon)
1 tablespoon roasted garlic (or fresh)
 10 frozen shrimp
1/3 cup heavy cream

1. Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook the frozen gnocchi until they float, then use slotted spoon to remove from hot water. Run cold water over them and drain. 
2. Cook the frozen peas in the remaining boiled water, then drain.
3. Concurrently to boiling the water, heat a large saute pan on high. Add the pancetta and fray (note that you don't need to add oil here). After a minute or two, reduce heat to medium low, add the garlic and a pinch of chili flakes. Allow to saute and combine flavors until very fragrant. 
4. Add the peas and frozen shrimp and cook off any excess water. 
5. When the water is evaporated, add the gnocchi. Saute on medium heat to remove excess water, then add the heavy cream.
6. Allow the heavy cream to reduce on medium heat until thickened.
7. Spoon into bowls. Allow to cool for a few minutes prior to serving.

Roasted Garlic and Sundried Tomato Risotto

Risotto may sound like a difficult dish, but it just takes a little patience. This particular version of my favorite creamy rice combines pungent roasted garlic, sun dried tomato, and sweet leeks with a dash of parmesan and olive oil. It would make a great side dish for a hearty red meat or a filling side dish.

Roasted Garlic and Sundried Tomato Risotto
Makes 4-5 servings

• 1 onion or 1/2 leek
• 1 tablespoon of cured pancetta (optional)
• 1/2 head of roasted garlic, mashed (take a head of garlic, slice off the top, sprinkle with salt and a tablespoon of olive oil, and roast for 45 minutes at 375 degrees)
• 4 sun dried tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup of dry arborio rice
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1. Prep items as described.
2. Heat about 5 cups of water to boil in a small pot.
3. In your saucepan, saute the onion and pancetta in a tablespoon of olive oil until onion is translucent
4. Add the roasted garlic paste and sun dried tomato. Saute until incorporated and fragrant.
5. Add the dry arborio rice. Saute in the oil to coat the rice. If you need more olive oil, add it a little at a time. 
6. Ladle in two to three scoops of hot water. Mix the ingredients together, scraping down the dry rice into the water. As the rice absorbs the water, ladle in more hot water and continue to mix the ingredients so that the rice evenly is exposed to the water and does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
7. As the rice begins to fluff, stir more often and carefully. Keep adding water until the risotto is fully cooked (tender soft rice) and the risotto sticks to itself.
8. Mix in the parmesan and serve.

Mushroom Scallion Fried Rice

For an impromptu dinner date, I had few ingredients on hand, and a ton of leftover rice. Creativity knows no bounds in my kitchen, and I modified my basic fried rice with some mushrooms, scallions, carrots, and sesame seeds into a fabulous dinner!

Mushroom and Scallion Fried Rice

Serves 3-4, all ingredients (minus rice) are optional and exchangeable. Took me about 45 min.

3 scallions, sliced into coins, whites separated from greens

1/2 pack button mushrooms (about 6 mushrooms), cubed

1 carrot sliced in coins

3 cloves garlic, minced

3.5 cups of already cooked, been-sitting-in-the-fridge-too-long, dry rice

1-2 tablespoons of soy sauce - you'll need more than you think

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. Heat a large wok (or in my case, a stainless steel pot) until hot. Add one tablespoon olive or vegetable oil and saute the garlic and scallion whites.
2. Add carrot and mushroom. Saute until softened. 
3. Add the rice. Break up the large chunks with a spatula, but don't crush the rice. You want the grains to stay whole. Fry with the existing veggies and such, but keep the rice moving - if you let it sit it will stick to the bottom!
4. Season with soy sauce until desired saltiness is reached.
5. When the rice is dry and fully incorporated with the veggie mix, serve in large bowls.
6. Top with a sprinkle of scallion greens and sesame seeds.

Rosemary Roasted Potato Wedges

Simple, low maintenance, and a general crowd pleaser, rosemary potato wedges are a classy way to dress up this staple starch.


Rosemary Roasted Potato Wedges
5 potatoes (red skinned are great, but it really works with any kind you like) cut into wedges. Try to be uniform.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried rosemary (crushed into smaller needles)
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt

1. Turn oven to 350 degrees F, middle rack.
2. On a sheet pan covered in aluminum foil, toss potatoes with olive oil and herbs until coated.
3. Place potato wedges standing up (on the round edge) so that the flat edges are exposed to the most heat.
4. Cook for 30 minutes. Stir and rotate wedges and roast for another 10-15 minutes until crispy.
5. Serve when cool enough to handle.