Tag Archives: vegetables

Eggplant Wheels

Main Course, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , , ,

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Eggplant Wheels are kind of like individual eggplant parmesan servings. The elements are basically the same but arranged for individual servings. I like the idea of making a simple serving of eggplant as opposed to the longer process of layering and assembling an eggplant parmesan casserole.

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Why do I call them eggplant wheels? To be honest, it is because I could not think of what else to call them. It is not really a casserole so since the eggplant slices are shaped like a wheel I called the dish eggplant wheels. Corny? Maybe. But, for now the name eggplant wheels is fitting.

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The wonderful thing about this dish is that the servings are just right. One thick slice of eggplant is just enough of a side dish to go with whatever else you are serving. Of course if you are eating this as a main course you can eat as many Eggplant Wheels as your tummy can hold. If I am eating Eggplant Wheels as an entree, I may add pasta as a side dish or I may top the pasta with the eggplant. Yum!

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Eggplant Wheels

Ingredients:
1 24 oz jar spaghetti sauce
1 medium wide eggplant sliced into ½ inch rounds
2 large beefsteak tomatoes sliced
8 oz ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp basil
½ tsp seasoned salt
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl mix the ricotta cheese, basil, oregano. onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes seasoned salt and grated parmesan cheese. Set aside.

Spoon a little spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a long casserole dish. Place eggplant wheels on top of the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper. Top each eggplant wheel with a spoonful of the ricotta cheese mixture. Spoon spaghetti sauce over the ricotta cheese then sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the eggplant is cooked and the cheese is melted and slightly browned.

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Spiced Up Chick Peas and Couscous

Pasta and Grains, Side Dish, Vegetables, , , ,

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I have been racking my brain trying to come up with a new vegetarian side dish that was a little spicy and different from the “usual” side dishes we have at most meals. I say vegetarian side dish because I didn’t want to add bacon or any other meat product to enhance the flavors. I only wanted to blend together spices and the natural flavor of the veggies to create a wonderful tasting dish.

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I decided to use chick peas as my main veggie after searching my cabinets for an idea. I had not prepared anything with chick peas for a while so I figured it would be a nice change of pace to incorporate them into a side dish. I finally decided to make Spiced Up Chick Peas using spices similar to what I use in my Moroccan Chicken recipe. I guess you could say I made Moroccan Chick Peas but I’ll stick with calling them spiced up.

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To tell the truth, this dish could be a main entree as well as a side dish. The chick peas are very filling and coupled with couscous it really can be a full meal. Whether you use a fork or a spoon, I think you will want to catch every drop of this very flavorful dish.

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Spiced Up Chick Peas

Ingredients:
2 15 oz cans chick peas drained and rinsed
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 14 oz can pureed tomatoes
1 small onion diced
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 cups couscous
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
½ tsp cilantro
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cumin
½ lemon zest
½ tsp mint chopped (optional)
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger

Prepare couscous according to package. Saute onion in olive oil until onion is softened and slightly browned. Add garlic and stir constantly so that garlic does not burn. Place chick peas and all other ingredients in a large pot and simmer over medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Serve over couscous.

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Eggplant Stew

Soups/ Salads / Stews, Uncategorized, Vegetables, , , , ,

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Sometimes when I am at the store buying groceries I pick up different meats and vegetables thinking I can come up with a fabulous recipe for this or that. Most of the time I have an actual recipe in mind but other times I am winging it. That is what happened when I came up with the idea of making an eggplant stew.

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I wasn’t sure what to make when I bought a couple of eggplants but I love eggplant so I threw them in the cart with the other veggies. By the end of the week I still had not come up with an idea for the eggplant but since I did not want them to start turning brown I decided to make an Eggplant Stew.

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Stews are usually hearty and include meat somewhere in the mix. In this case, I wanted to substitute the eggplant for meat and create a vegetarian meal. All it took to make a nice hearty stew were a few chunky vegetables to compliment the eggplant and a few subtle seasonings to allow the flavor of each veggie to shine through. If you are a fan of eggplant, I think you will like this recipe.

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Remember, there is more to eggplant than making a casserole or frying.

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Eggplant Stew

Ingredients:
2 eggplant peeled and sliced
1 large onion cut in half then sliced
1 large green pepper cut in half then sliced
1 large tomato cut into wedges
2 medium red potatoes cubed
1 14 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp salt
½ tbsp black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Adobo
½ tsp basil
¼ cup olive oil
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray rimmed cookie sheet with cooking spray. Layer the eggplant and other veggies on the cookie sheet then sprinkle with seasonings. Drizzle olive oil over veggies. Roast veggies for 35 – 40 minutes until soft then remove from oven. Place veggies in a large pot along with chicken broth and fire roasted tomatoes. Add a little more salt if needed. Simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

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Green Bean Casserole

Vegetables, , ,

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Green bean casserole has been around for many, many years and I must admit I have never been a fan of this dish. However, when I was thinking about new side dishes for the holidays green bean casserole kept popping up in my head. Probably because it is such a traditional dish and the holidays are all about tradition and family.

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I did not want to necessarily make the “traditional” green bean casserole so I went in search of something a little different. I was inspired by a recipe I saw made by Alton Brown. Instead of using a can of mushroom soup he made a mushroom sauce to compliment the beans. He also used fresh onions as a topping rather than the traditional fried onions in a can. Nothing against canned ingredients but fresh is always better if possible to make.

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I added just a few little twists to Mr. Brown’s recipe to come up with my own version of green bean casserole. After tasting this dish I had to give myself a thumbs up. Who knew I could become a new fan of green been casserole? I sure didn’t!

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Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:
2 packages mixed mushrooms
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup ½ and ½
1 large onion sliced thin
1 shallot sliced thin
2 garlic cloves minced
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp and ¼ cup flour
2 tbsp panko bread crumbs
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Juice from 1 lemon
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix onions, shallots and panko bread crumbs in a bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt and olive oil. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Spread onion mixture on cookie sheet and place in oven. Cook for approximately 20 – 25 minutes until onions and panko bread crumbs are browned. Set aside.  Reduce heat to 350 degrees.

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Add mushrooms ½ tbsp salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes then add garlic and lemon juice. Cook for 1-2 minutes until mushrooms are soft. Stir in 2 tbsp of flour then add chicken broth. Mix well and cook for 1 – 2 minutes. Slowly stir in half and half milk. Reduce heat and simmer on low heat to let mixture thicken.

In a large pot bring 4 cups of water and 1 tbsp salt to a boil. Add string beans and blanch for 3 minutes. Move green beans to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain water from the beans then place in a large bowl. Season beans with a ½ tbsp salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp of butter and half of the onion mixture and toss. Place beans in a greased casserole dish. Pour mushroom mixture over beans and gently stir to mix. Top with remaining onion mixture and sprinkle parmesan cheese over onions. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.

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Crock Pot Roast

Meat/ Poultry, Vegetables, , ,

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I am dedicating this blog to Mr. E who is a family friend. Mr. E has been a faithful follower of dmariedining.com and has attempted to make a few recipes. Recently he asked me if I had any crock pot recipes that would make it easier for him to cook. He admitted he sometimes winds up with burnt food.

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First, I have to commend Mr. E for even trying to cook for his new wife. I wish more men would take up the ladle and attempt to cook for the family. Don’t get me wrong. I know there are a lot of great male chefs but usually they cook for a living. I do have a few men in my family who enjoy cooking for the sake of cooking but not many.

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After my conversation with Mr. E I started digging through old recipes and tried to come up with a few good crock pot meals. One of my friends nicknamed “Doll” helped me out by sharing a recipe she makes for special occasions. It is a pot roast simmered in mushroom and onion soup. I took the liberty of tweaking her recipe and added a few things of my own.

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I think this recipe is simple and will certainly put a smile on both Mr. E’s and his lovely wife’s face.

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One pot wonders are the way to go for aspiring chefs and anyone who doesn’t have time to fuss over a meal.

Crock Pot Roast

Ingredients:
1 medium sized pot roast
1 packet onion soup mix
1 10 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1 10 oz packet of frozen peas
2 large red potatoes peeled and cubed
6 carrots peeled and sliced
1 small jalapeno pepper seeded and sliced (keep seeds if you like heat)
1 pint baby portobello mushrooms sliced
1 tbsp parsley chopped
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
½ cup water
1 crock pot

Combine mushroom soup, onion soup mix and ½ cup of water in a small sauce pan. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

Season meat with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Place in crock pot. Pour soup mixture over meat and add mushrooms. Cook on high for 3 hours until meat is tender. Add potatoes, parsley, peas and carrots. Cook an additional 45 minutes or until veggies are tender. Serve with a piece of crusty bread to soak up all the wonderful juices.

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