Middle Eastern Eggplant Salad

Middle Eastern Eggplant Salad was my first time cooking with eggplant, and I really enjoyed it. What a colorful, spongy vegetable! I was pleased with the salad, but my husband and I both felt the flavor got a little strong by the end. I think it would have been better as a side dish or a dip.

Chipotle Bean Burritos

I loved this recipe for Chipotle Bean Burritos, and it was very easy. I'll definitely make this one again.

Chili

This chili recipe did not come from a cookbook, but instead from the Jane Green novel, Promises To Keep. I omitted the meat and felt the chili was hearty enough without it.

Chili (from Promises To Keep)
1 green pepper
1/2 large white onion
2 cups baby carrots
3 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 pound minced chicken or turkey (optional)
2 small cans kidney beans
1 small can black beans
1 large can chopped tomatoes
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro

1. Chop the pepper, onion, carrots, and garlic in a blender, then gently saute in the oil until soft and flavorful (about 5 minutes). Add the chili, cumin, allspice, cinnamon, paprika, and turmeric and stir well.
2. For vegetarian chili, omit the meat step and carry on. If adding meat, add it now and keep stirring and turning until the meat changes color.
3. Add the kidney and black beans, making sure you rinse them well in a colander beforehand. Then add the tomatoes and the Worcestershire sauce.
4. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and cover, leaving to simmer for about 30 minutes. The longer you simmer it the better the flavor will be. Also, it's best to make it a couple of days in advance and leave in the fridge for all the flavors to fully absorb.
5. Serve with sour cream, cilantro, finely chopped onion guacamole, and shredded cheese to garnish, allowing guests to help themselves as desired.

Mashed Root Vegetables

My contribution to our Thanksgiving dinner this year was mashed root vegetables. I used carrots, turnips, parsnips, and rutabaga. I always like dishes that have color to them, so I thought this made a nice addition. The recipe came from Good Housekeeping A Very Merry Christmas Cookbook. I doubled the recipe below.

Mashed Root Vegetables
2 pounds assorted root vegetables (carrots, celery root, parsnips, white turnips, and/or
rutabaga), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)
1 pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (2 1/2 to 3 cups)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
pince nutmeg

1. In 5- or 6-quart saucepot, combine root vegetables, potatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and enough water to cover; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook 15 minutes, or until vegetables and potatoes are tender. Drain.
2. Return vegetables to saucepot; add butter, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and mash with potato masher until smooth. Spoon mixture into 1 1/2-quart casserole; cook slightly.
3. To serve, preheat oven to 350 deg. F. Cover casserole and bake 30 minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Jessie's Dinner Rolls

This recipe for home-made dinner rolls was given to me by a very special friend, Jessie, who will turn 97 this February. Jessie is no longer able to make them herself, so I thought I'd surprise her this Thanksgiving with a batch of her own famous recipe. While she was pleased with my effort, her (always honest) response was, "Honey, they're supposed to be bigger." I followed the recipe exactly as written, but perhaps they would have risen more if they weren't rolled as tightly? I'll have to try them again and find out.

Jessie's Dinner Rolls

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup shortening

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

Scald milk (heat until bubbles form around the edge). Do not boil. Add shortening, sugar and salt. Cool to lukewarm.

2 pkgs. dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

Sprinkle yeast over warm water and allow it to dissolve. You may stir gently if needed. Add lukewarm milk mixture and mix.

4 3/4 cups sifted flour

2 eggs

Add to above mixture and stir until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Knead until the dough is pliable and thoroughly mixed. Place dough in a sprayed bowl, put in a warm place and let rise for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

When dough has risen, turn out onto flat surface sprinkled with flour. Cut in half keeping one part in reserve. Roll dough into a circle about 12-15 in. in diameter. Cut into 12 pie-shaped pieces (triangles). Roll each triangle from large end to point and place on baking pan point end down. Repeat procedure with second half of dough. Place rolls in a warm place to rise as before. When double in size, bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cook on wire rack.

Creamy Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Creamy Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

Clearly I'm on a soup kick, but this one was soooo good. A very richly flavored soup.

Hummus Club Sandwiches

Making Hummus Club Sandwiches allowed me to use my new food processor for the first time to make the hummus. The hummus was pretty garlicky, which was good in the sandwich, but a little too strong to use as a dip or eat for a work lunch before returning to close-quarters patient care. A very hearty veggie sandwich though; I liked this one!