My Menu Blog

8 slices bread
1 red pepper cut in quarters, seeds removed
1 eggplant, cut into slices
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp. olive oil
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp. fresh tarragon, finely chopped
4 0z. goat cheese, softened
1 cup of tapenade

1. Preheat grill. In a small bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
2. Place the red pepper quarters, and wggplnat slices on a baking sheet.
3. Brush the balsamic vinaigrette on all sides of the vegetables.
4. Season with salt & pepper.
5. Place on grill 4-5 min. per side, until browned.
6. Remove from heat. In a small bowl, blend together the fresh tarragon and goat cheese.
7. Spread the goat cheese mixture evenly over 4 slices of bread.
8. Spread tapenade on top.
9. Top with grilled red pepper and eggplant.
10. Top with remaining slices of bread.
11. Slice and serve.

3 Italian eggplants
1 large zucchini quartered
6 fresh baby artichokes prepared*
½ yellow pepper sliced thin
3 fresh cherry peppers cut in half
4 cloves garlic cut in half
¼ cup marsala
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tbs. chopped thyme
4 or 5 green and black olives

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine marsala, olive oil, salt, pepper flakes and thyme in a large bowl. Add veggies and marinate for 15 min.
3. Remove veggies from marinade  and spread evenly on roasting pan. Roast 15-20 min. until veggies are tender.
4. Remove veggies and place on serving platter. Scatter olives around plate. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired.

• 1 red pepper, quartered and de-seeded
• 1 eggplant cut into thick slices
• 2 tbspbalsamic vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• t tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• 4 oz goat cheese, softened
• 1 cup tapenade

1. whisk together balsamic vinegar and oil
2. brush mixture onto all sides of red pepper and eggplant, salt and pepper veggies
3. grill vegetables 4-5 minutes per side or until browned
4. blend goat cheese and chopped tarragon
5. spread cheese  and tapenade on bread, top with vegetables

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
• 2 large cloves cracked garlic, 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 2 medium eggplant, firm
• Coarse salt and black pepper
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 (28-ounce) can chopped fire roasted tomatoes (recommended: Muir Glen)
• 1 small (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 4 sub rolls, split
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 pound smoked mozzarella, thinly sliced

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat a small pan with extra-virgin olive oil and cracked garlic in it over medium low flame. Trim ends of eggplants and remove a sliver of the skin off of 1 side, so the eggplant sits flat for you to slice it. Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices. Arrange the eggplant on cookie sheets. When garlic sizzles in oil, using a pastry brush, brush both sides of sliced eggplant. Season eggplant with salt and pepper and roast in hot oven 15 minutes or until tender. Turn eggplant once.

Take a couple of tablespoons of remaining extra-virgin olive oil and place in a second pan, a medium skillet, over medium high heat. To hot garlic oil, add remaining chopped garlic and red onions. Saute the red onions and garlic 2 to 3 minutes then add chopped fire roasted tomatoes and tomato sauce then season with salt and pepper. Lower heat and allow sauce to thicken.

Remove eggplant from the oven. Get split sub rolls ready to fill, arranging the split rolls on a broiler pan. Preheat broiler to melt cheese on subs. Pile layers of cooked eggplant, roasted tomato sauce and torn basil into sub rolls, equally dividing ingredients. Top subs with grated cheese and smoked mozzarella cheese. Melt cheeses under the broiler. Serve subs hot.

can also be served over pasta or plain (no bread)

1 tbs. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
½ fennel stalk, cut in ¼” slices
2 small Italian eggplants, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup canned whole tomatoes, chopped
2 cans (15 oz. each) cannellini, navy or great northern beans
2 tsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup chopped escarole
Ground black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste
Garlic toast and fennel tops for garnish
One roasted pepper cut into strips

1. In large pot over med. heat, combine oil, onion, fennel, carrots, eggplants and garlic and sauté for 5 min.
2. Add broth, tomatoes and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 min.
3. Add the parsley and escarole.
4. Simmer for 5 more min. and pepper to taste
5. Garnish with garlic toast, fennel top, shaved Parmesan cheese and a twist of red pepper.

24 chicken thighs
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs. canola oil
2 tbs. butter
2 tsp. each ground cumin, tumeric, and sweet paprika
Pinch of saffron threads
4 tsp. curry powder
1 cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
3 onions finely chopped
2 tbs. minced garlic
2 tbs. minced ginger
1 tsp. minced jalapeño
1 cup peeled and finely diced eggplant
2 tsp. tomato paste
4 cups chicken broth
2 tbs. lemon juice
½ cup sweetened coconut milk
2 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2. Heat oil and butter in large pan over medium-low heat. Add all of the spices, the onions, garlic, ginger and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, for 3 to 5 min.

3. Add the chicken, eggplant and tomato paste; cook stirring until the chicken colors and the eggplanthas softened, about 5 min. Add the broth and lemon juice; simmer over medium heat about 45 min. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and let cool. Discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves.

4. Adjust the seasonings and cook the sauce until it has thickened, about 20 min. Shred the chicken fromt he bones in large pieces and set it aside.

5. Stir the coconut milk into the sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook about 10 min. more. Stir in the chicken pieces, cook 5 min. to warm through. Stir in cilantro before serving.

1 pound eggplant
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
tomato sauce
shredded mozzarella
freshlt grated parmesan

1. preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. peel and slince eggplant into rounds
3. oil and salt each side, bake 10 minutes per side
4. sautee garlic and onion
5. in cassarole dish, spoon small amount of tomato sauce in bottom, sprinkle sauce with oregano
6. layer eggplant slices in dish
7. pour remaining tomato sauceover eggplant
8. sprinlke with onion/garlic mixture, mozzarella and parmesan
9. reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and bake cassarole 25-30 minutes

2 cups cubed peeled eggplant (½ in. cubes)
1 cup cubed sweet red pepper
1 cup cubed green pepper
1 cup cubed zucchini
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. olive oil
1 large tomato, cut into ½ in. cubes
2 tbs. cider vinegar
1 tbs. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. sugar
½ tsp. salt
¼ to ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
Toasted bread rounds.

1. In large skillet, saute eggplant, peppers, zucchini and garlic in oil for 8 min.

2. Add tomato, vinegar, basil, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper. Cook 4-5 min. longer or until veggies are tender.

3. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.