The Whole Wheat

This tart is one of my go to standby recipes.  Both Brad and I love it everytime we make it.  Though I prefer to make my own crust, I confess that a premade crust can come in handy when you don’t have the time or energy (such as this pregnant lady) to make your own.  Brad also asked me to specifically note that maple bacon is a bad idea in this tart – a smoky or savory bacon is the way to go.

Ingredients:

• 1 pie crust
• 3-4 pcs bacon, cut into 1/2? pcs.
• 3 eggs
• 1c. milk (I use 2% typically)
• 1T Dijon mustard (optional)
• 3 small leeks chopped finely
• ~3/4c crumbled goat cheese

1. Pre-bake the pie crust approximately 10 minutes or until lightly colored.  Follow directions on package or recipe used.  Typically this is about 10 minutes at 375.  I like to use  pie weights to keep the crust in nice shape.
2. If necessary, change oven to 375. Cook bacon on stove top. While that is cooking, beat the eggs, milk, and Dijon together in a bowl.
3. Remove bacon to paper towels then cook leeks in some of the left over grease (or olive oil if you prefer).  Cook until softened and nicely colored. Remove from heat.
4. Spread veggies evenly in a pie plate, add bacon & goat cheese covering evenly. Pour on egg mixture. Bake 45min-1hr until egg mixture is firmly set.
5. Serve with a green salad or cooked green side for a perfect dinner.

Brad is convinced that he does not like eggplants. And I am not clear on why because they are quite yummy little guys in my opinion! This Eggplant Parmesan recipe comes from Deborah Madison’s amazing book: Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. It is easy, healthy, and best of all, delicious. By just broiling the eggplant slice, rather than breading them, the dish is light and easy, yet still flavorful and fun.

Following is my version which was dinner for 2 with a few leftovers, enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/3″ rounds (skin on)
• Basil
• Tomato sauce (3-4 cups, to taste – use freshly made or a healthy jarred variety to make this quick and easy)
• Mozzarella cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• If you are Brad – some diced turkey breast and proscuitto

1. Lay eggplant out on a towel and salt lightly. Let rest 30 minutes -1 hour then blot off liquid. (The eggplant will release liquid as the salt pulls it out. This is typically bitter and will definitely give you better results if you take the time to do this).
2. Warm the tomato sauce with several slices of basil in it.
3. After blotting off the liquid, brush the eggplant slices lightly with olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler about 5-6″ from the heat source. Broil the slices until they are nicely browned, flip them and repeat on the other side. (They may seem dry at this point – that is completely fine.)
4. In your baking dish, spread a layer of tomato sauce then arrange eggplant rounds on top – overlapping them some. (This is the time to add in prosciutto if you so desire.) Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese, top with a few slices of basil, then cover with more tomato sauce. Finally – top the dish with parmesan cheese.
5. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and heated thru.

Last night was broiled salmon over cabbage and shitake mushrooms. This made a fantastic and easy dinner! The method I will share for broiling salmon is no secret and can be used with any types of spices. I’m just posting what I used yesterday – it is very tasty and easy. Enjoy! Read more »

Are you wondering what on earth “melted cappicola” could mean?  Let me explain – it is is when you lay lovely thinly sliced pieces of cappicola on a very thin pizza crust – then top that with fresh mozzarella and veggies.  After baking in a very hot oven – the cappicola spreads its flavor into the crust and veggies almost like butter.  Melted butter. 

This pizza is wonderfully easy and wouldbe a perfect starter to a big dinner or is always great as a complete meal with a fresh salad.  Enjoy! Read more »

My mother-in-law taught me how to make this traditional Slovakian/Hungarian dish. It is not a family dish, she learned from a friend. None of us can vouch for its authenticity but it is a very hearty simple meal that is perfect for winter! I learned how to make the dish over the Christmas holidays and recently found myself with quite a lot of cabbage from my CSA boxes. I had some potatoes that needed to be eaten also. So what to make – haluski! I did a bit of online research and modified the recipe to match what sounded good to me as well. I added bacon, cut down on the butter, etc. Its a game of proportions and I personally will use fewer potatoes next time. Here is the recipe as I made it: Read more »

I have to admit that I love baby back ribs! They are so tender and flavorful – really hard to beat. When I saw them on Saturday I realized that
a. I hadn’t made ribs in ages, and
b. ribs are a perfect Super Bowl food!

So ribs were purchased and brought home. This is my favorite rib recipe and I have never been disapointed. Alton Brown is a personal favorite of mine so I’m glad this recipe is his. Directly from the Food Network (note, this recipe is slightly different than the one he includes in I’m Just Here for the Food: Version 2.0 – I prefer this recipe though the one in the book is very similar)… Read more »