Crispy Eggplant with Sweet Corn #CooktheBooks

Our Cook the Books Club August/September Selection was the memoir "Coming to My Senses: The Making of a Counterculture Cook" by Alice Waters.

Parmigiana di Melanzane #FallFlavors

Enjoy this Sicilian-style Eggplant Parmigiana prepared without the breading on the eggplant, to bring out the natural goodness of this delicious vegetable.

A perfect, comforting dish celebrating Fall Flavors..............

Preserved Lemon Baba Ghanoush #FallFlavors

Earthy and delicious, this Eggplant Dip, flavored with Preserved Lemons, is perfect served with warmed pita, crackers, chips, and/or fresh vegetables.

Join us as we share recipes featuring the Flavors of Fall this week........

Roasted Eggplant Salad #EattheWorld

Roasted Eggplant mixed with diced tomatoes and red onion is a perfect addition to your grazing board.  Schmear it onto crostini, fresh sliced baguette, or crackers and enjoy.

We are traveling to Moldova as we Eat the World......

Find Me Falling for Melitzanosalata #SundayFunday #MoviesandMunchies

Melitzanosalata is a Greek Eggplant Dip similar to baba ghanoush but flavored with kalamata olives and lemon instead of tahini for a brighter taste perfect for a summertime pool gathering.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are making recipes featuring Eggplant today.....

Pasta with Sausage and Eggplant in a Zinfandel Wine Sauce #WinePW

Julia Child is credited with saying that she loved to cook with wine and that sometimes she even added it to the food.  I have a plaque hanging in my kitchen with that quote.  It always makes me smile.  

The recipe I'm sharing with you today does contain wine, Zinfandel wine to be exact.......

Sweet and Sour Eggplant Salad #WorldVeganMonth

This delicious salad is not only a great side but you can serve it over toasted pita pieces and turn it into a meal.  It is one of those salads that gets better with time so you can make it the night before and pack it into your lunchbox to enjoy.

The Foodie Extravaganza Gang are celebrating World Vegan Month......

Pollo Agrodolce and the Weekly Menu #PotluckParty

This delicious dinner of Sweet and Sour Chicken with Eggplant served over pasta is a warm and comforting main dish that comes together in a snap.

Welcome to our first Potluck Party.........

Tomato and Eggplant Tian paired with Two Amphora Wines from Portugal #ImprovCookingChallenge #WinePW

This delicious seasonal casserole contains layers of tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini and onion that are topped with shredded parmesan and broiled to a golden brown.  

I made this delicious dish as part of the Improv Cooking Challenge and paired it with some Amphora Wines for our Wine Pairing Weekend.  I can't wait to share the results with you......

Eggplant Shakshuka #SundayFunday

Shakshuka is a wonderful dish containing a sauce that includes tomatoes in which the eggs are nestled and cooked.  It is rich and savory.  Perfect for breakfast, brunch or brinner.  This recipe includes eggplant in the sauce for a creamy, tasty and savory addition.  Serve with some heated pita bread to sip in those yolks and to gather up all that wonderful sauce.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are cooking up Breakfast for Supper this week........

Julia Child's Eggplant Pizzas #OurFamilyTable

Slices of fresh eggplant, roasted until tender, topped with a sauce of fresh vegetables and two different cheeses.  Julia Child was way ahead of her time.

The From Our Dinner Table Group are sharing recipes inspired by Julia Child today............

Ratatouille #FarmersMarketWeek

This delicious, colorful and flavorful vegetable stew makes a perfect side dish or main course meatless meal.  It is vegetarian and vegan friendly.

This is a great dish to take advantage of all the summer bounty available right now at your local Farmer's Market.

Lamb Stuffed Eggplant and a Perfect Wine from Galilee #WinePW

Disclosure: I received samples from Gregory+Vine for this event.  All writings, opinions and ideas expressed are purely my own.  I received no monetary compensation for this post.


Tender baby eggplant stuffed with a fragrant lamb and pine nut mixture was the perfect dish to pair with this amazing Cabernet Sauvignon from Israel.

Welcome to a special edition of Wine Pairing Weekend...............

Tepsi Baytinjan #EattheWorld

This traditional Iraqi casserole is cooked up in a skillet before transferring to a casserole. Layer fried eggplant, potatoes, and onions.  Top with tomatoes and sauce then nestle meatballs on top and in between before moving it to the oven for a final bake. Serve it with steamed rice.

Join us as we travel to Iraq and Eat the World........

Israeli Veggie Skewers #FarmersMarketWeek

Baby potatoes, eggplant, tomato, onion and beets grilled until tender and charred and then drizzled with a lemon, garlic and rosemary dressing.

This is the final day of Farmer's Market Week.......

Warm Eggplant Caprese Salad #KitchenMatrixCookingProject

Tender, roasted eggplant topped with garden fresh tomatoes and mozzarella cheese, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with fresh basil.

This warm salad can be served as a first course, a side dish or a wonderful Meatless Monday meal......

Grilled Ratatouille #FoodieExtravaganza

This month our Foodie Extravaganza group is celebrating National Fruits and Veggies month.  This party is being hosted by Ellen of Family Around the Table.

I decided to make one of my favorite vegetable dishes, Ratatouille. Ratatouille is normally stewed but for today's event I decided to grill it.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna #SundaySupper

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday this week.  It is different this year because it also falls on Valentine's Day.  The folks over at Sunday Supper has asked us to share some meatless casseroles for those of us that abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent.

This recipe that I'm sharing with you today is decadent and rich enough to share with your Valentines while still allowing you to abstain from meat.  It is adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten, so you know that it is going to leave you very satisfied even if you are the most hard core carnivore around.

Like all lasagnas, this one is not difficult but it is time consuming.  The good thing is that you can make it the night before and then bake it the next day.  That works out well for those that need to work but still want to give their families a special Valentine treat.

You can also do as I, and celebrate Valentine's Day early.  We celebrated with this wonderful lasagna at our last Sunday Supper in a joint Birthday/Valentine's party for our daughter Nicole.  We are currently on vacation in California.  We left on Nicole's actual birthday last Wednesday and will be travelling back home to Michigan on Ash Wednesday/Valentines Day.

Regardless, of when you decide to serve this up....Sunday Supper, Meatless Monday, During Lent, or Just Because.....it is sure to be a hit.  Enjoy.

Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

adapted from Ina Garten

2 eggplant, cut into chunks

3 small zucchini, cut into chunks

2/3 c. olive oil

1 T. dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pkg. oven ready lasagna noodles

1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese

1 (5 oz) container boursin cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1/3 c. basil paste or chopped fresh basil

1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

4 1/2 c. Marinara Sauce, homemade or purchased

2 c. shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/4 c. shredded Parmesan Cheese

Toss the eggplant and zucchini with the olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.  Place onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Roast in a preheated 375* oven for about 25 minutes.  

After 25 minutes, stir the garlic into the vegetables and roast for another 5-10 minutes, until fragrant and the veggies are fork tender.  Remove and let cool slightly.

Combine the ricotta, boursin, eggs, basil and grated parmesan cheese in a bowl, whisking until well combined.

Place 1 c. of the marinara onto the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.  Layer 3 of the noodles on the sauce.  (They will expand when cooking to cover the bottom completely)  Layer 1/3 of the roasted veggies over the noodles. Dollop 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over the veggies.  Sprinkle with 1/2 c. of the Mozzarella.  Repeat this twice more.  Add the last 3 noodles on top, cover with the remaining marinara sauce.  Sprinkle with the last 1/2 c. of the Mozzarella and the shredded parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake in a preheated 350* oven for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese is browned in spots and the sauce is hot and bubbling.  Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.  Print Recipe

Meatless Casseroles for Lent

• Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Herb Bread Pudding by Wholistic Woman
• Baked Eggplant Parmesan Casserole by Jersey Girl Cooks
• Baked Mushroom Fettuccine by Delaware Girl Eats
• Cheesy Mushroom Marsala Pasta Casserole by Hot Eats and Cool Reads
• Greens and Pea Manicotti by Food Lust People Love
• Leek and Swiss Chard Gratin by Caroline’s Cooking
• Mushroom Breakfast Casserole by Brunch-n-Bites
• Raisin Bread Cheddar Strata by Pies and Plots
• Ricotta Pasta Frittata by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Roasted Vegetable Lasagna by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Tex Mex Vegetarian Bake Freestyle Recipe by Positively Stacey
• Spaghetti Squash Parmesan Casserole by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Spinach Ravioli Bake by Our Good Life
• Spinach Ricotta Pasta Bake by The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Tuna Noodle Casserole from Scratch by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Vegetarian Baked Pasta with Spinach and Gruyère by Cooking Chat
• Vegetarian Enchiladas Recipe with Chickpea Curry by Sunday Supper Movement
• Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie by Simple and Savory
• Veggie & Quinoa Baked Stuffed Peppers by Hardly A Goddess

The Sunday Supper Movement is committed to bringing our readers delicious recipes that encourage them to gather and eat together around the family table. Search for your favorite ingredients on our Sunday Supper website. Also check out the Sunday Supper Pinterest boards for plenty more ideas and inspiration.

The Handmaid and The Carpenter: A Book Review and the Recipe it Inspired

I love immersing myself in everything Christmas this time of year.  I watch Christmas movies.  I listen to Christmas music.  I wear my Christmas socks and earrings.  I read Christmas books.

I recently shared my review of The Christmas Cookie Club.  It was a fun way to start off the season.  And it gave me some great cookie recipes too!

Then, I came across this novel by Elizabeth Berg, The Handmaid and the Carpenter.  It is fictional account of the birth of Christ and how Ms. Berg imagines that these events must have appeared and felt to those who were experiencing them.  It is told as seen through the eyes of Mary and Joseph. 

It was a quick, easy, enjoyable read at a mere 100 pages.  I read it in between batches of cookies that were in the oven.  

I was surprised at the vast amount of food mentioned in this novel.  From the very beginning, when Mary first meets Joseph at a wedding feast, the food descriptions had me salivating.  Of course, the fact that I LOVE Middle-Eastern food might have played a part.  There was skewered meats, olives, cheese, flatbread, grapes, figs, oranges, almonds, roasted meats, stews.

One of these stews caught my attention.  "Mary was at the stove, stirring the chickpea and eggplant stew she had made." (pg 61)

I did a google search of Eggplant and Chickpea stew and found a whole slew of recipes.  Who knew?  This version, adapted from Woman's Day, became our dinner for a Meatless Monday.  It is fragrant and flavorful and will be making another appearance soon, perhaps with some homemade flatbread to soak up the sauce....YUM.

This meal is perfect for a busy weeknight.  It takes 45 minutes from the time you start until you are sitting down to a hot, healthy meal.  I will make some changes for next time.  I will add garlic and increase the amount of onion.  

I will be sharing this recipe and book review over at Foodies Read.  Foodies Read is a wonderful link up hosted by Heather of Based on a True Story.  You will also find all the info that you need to join us as we link up our favorite food related fiction, nonfiction, biographies and cookbooks.

Eggplant and Chickpea Stew
adapted from Woman's Day

1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed

Combine tomato sauce, cumin, curry, salt and pepper in a large sauce pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil.  Add tomatoes, onion and eggplant.  Reduce to simmer, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, until eggplant is tender.  Stir in chickpeas.  Heat through and serve over couscous or rice. Print Recipe.

Celebrating the Harvest with Eggplant Lasagna and J Lohr #MerlotMe #WinePW

Each October we celebrate #Merlotme with our Wine Pairing Weekend group.  This event was started by California wineries after the movie, Sideways, disparaged Merlot wines causing  a decline in sales of this wonderful varietal that deserves much more respect than it gets.

The past two years, when celebrating this event, I have served three wine and food pairings in one post.  You can find my Triple Wine and Food pairing from 2015 here and my #Merlotme Trifecta from last year here.

This year I am changing things up a bit.  Today I am showcasing a bottle of J. Lohr Merlot.  I will be showcasing the other wines in upcoming posts so stay tuned.

I want to mention right here and right now that I was buying J. Lohr long before they ever sponsored any event in which I participated.  While I love having sponsors and getting free samples, I love my readers more.  I did not get any monetary compensation in this event by J. Lohr or any other sponsor.  My opinions, in this post, and in my entire blog are purely mine.

I am always, always, always excited to have J. Lohr sponsor our events.  Mainly because I love their wines and purchase them quite often.  I know that if I have J. Lohr available in my wine fridge, I can open it for guests or take it with me as a host gift, knowing that it is going to be wonderful.

Their vineyards and winery are located on Paso Robles, California, close to where my brother resides.  A visit to my family in California is not complete without a visit to at least one winery and Paso Robles, more often than not, is where we head.

J. Lohr sent a fact sheet along with their bottle of wine. This wine was harvested over a 2 week period beginning September 10, 2015.  It is fermented in stainless steel tanks and then matured over a 12 month period in barrels made of 22% new oak.  This wine is recommended to be opened upon release but has potential to improve over the next 5 years.

Frank and I enjoyed the wine on a Meatless Monday when I served up this cheesy, ooey, gooey eggplant lasagna.

I had been over Kim's and she gifted me several eggplants from her garden.  I knew, from past experience, that the eggplant/tomato combination has paired well with J. Lohr and I am smart enough not to tamper with success.

This pairing was no exception and did not disappoint.  I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that the eggplant, tomatoes and grapes are all harvested during the same time period.  

The wine was deep, dark and vibrant both in the glass and on the palate.  It complemented the earthy sweetness of the eggplant and tomatoes.  I think this wine would be great with pizza too.  

We enjoyed it well enough that we are hoping to pick up a case and open a bottle every 6 months to see if, in fact, it does improve with age. Stay tuned for that little experiment.

Eggplant Lasagna

2-3 small eggplants, ends cut off and thinly sliced

1 qt. Marinara, homemade or your favorite brand

6 oz. fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

1 c. ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 t. Italian herb seasoning

3 oz. parmesan cheese, shredded or grated

Whisk together the ricotta, egg and Italian herbs. Place a small amount of marinara in the bottom of an 8" square baking pan to cover.  Layer 1/3 of the eggplant slices onto the sauce, followed by 1/3 of the ricotta mixture, 1/3 of the Mozzarella and 1/3 of the Parmesan.  Repeat 3 times.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated 350* oven for 45-55 minutes, until eggplant is very tender.  Remove foil and place under the broiler for a few minutes until top is browned and bubbly.  Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing into quarters to serve.  Print Recipe

Let's join the rest of the #WinePW group as we celebrate #Merlotme

• Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm shares “Celebrating the Harvest with Eggplant Lasagna and J Lohr #MerlotMe” 
• David from Cooking Chat shares “Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Merlot Sauce” 
• Camilla from Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares “A Paddling of Duck(horn)s” 
• Gwen from Wine Predator shares “3 Merlot from Sonoma with Colorful Fall Pasta #WinePW” 
• Sarah from Curious Cuisiniere shares “Individual Beef Wellington Paired With Merlot Wine” 
• Jeff from FoodWineClick! shares “Grill Braised Brisket with Duckhorn Merlot” 
• Nicole from Somms Table shares “Many Merlots Make Marvelous Mediterranean Meal” 
• Jane from Always Ravenous shares “Roasted Pork Loin with Brandy Prune Sauce Paired with Merlot” 
• Nancy from Pull That Cork shares “A Fall Pairing for Merlot” 
• Jill from L’Occasion shares “Merlot, the Busy One” 
• Cindy from Grape Experiences shares “#MerlotMe and Savory Chicken and Mushrooms”
• Michelle from Rockin Red Blog shares "Celebrating Napa and Sonoma with #MerlotMe"