Roasted & Stuffed Baby Eggplants

The cutest baby eggplants have been making regular appearances in my weekly haul from the farmer's market and I found an easy and delicious way to cook them, thanks to Real Simple.

You all know I'm an eggplant devotee, as I noted in this post about Eggplant with Chimichurri Sauce.

This latest take combines creamy eggplant with just the right savory flavors. It holds up well as leftovers, too. We served it as a side dish.

I mostly stuck to the original recipe, cutting back on the oil and sprinkling the cheese on top instead of serving it on the side. Hope you like it as much as we did.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Roasted & Stuffed Baby Eggplants
Inspired by this recipe from Real Simple.

6 baby eggplants
3 lemons
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
12 sprigs of fresh oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled


Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Slice each eggplant lengthwise, leaving the tops of the eggplants intact. Arrange eggplants in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

Thinly slice one lemon. Squeeze the juice from the other 2 lemons and set aside.

Place lemon slices into the cut eggplants. Then insert 2 oregano sprigs and a few garlic slices into each eggplant.

Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the lemon juice and olive oil.

Cover with foil and roast for about 45 minutes or until eggplants are soft. Baste with pan juices about every 15 minutes.

Remove foil and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to individual plates and top with pan juices (if desired) and crumbled feta.

Note: Remove oregano sprigs before eating. The lemons become very soft and can be eaten in their entirety or discarded.

Parmesan Herb Risotto & Leftover Risotto Cakes

If you've never made risotto I am here to tell you how easy it is.

The myth of constant stirring required to obtain the creamy rice texture scared me off for years. But then I took the plunge. I followed the directions on whatever brand of arborio rice I purchased and got to mixing.

Here's why risotto is one of my go-to meals in colder months: it can be fancy enough for company and it's a warm and filling side dish or main meal for everyday, too.

The trick with risotto is to make sure you don't stray too far from the stove. While you do need to stir the rice often, it's OK to take small breaks to chop herbs or rest your arm.

Best thing about risotto? It is so versatile! So many combinations of vegetables, cheese and even shrimp or chicken work well in this saucy rice dish.

And if you are lucky enough to have leftovers, you can let the kids make risotto cakes the next day.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Parmesan Herb Risotto

1/2 cup chopped white or yellow onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup arborio rice
2 cups chicken broth, divided
1 cup white wine (Use your favorite. Chardonnay or Savignon Blanc work well in this recipe.)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs (this time I used oregano and parsley)

Note: If you plan to double this recipe use a 4 1/2 quart or a 5 quart pot.

In a 2 quart or 3 quart pot, heat oil and butter until butter is melted. Add onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Add raw rice and stir for another 2 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Add one cup of chicken broth. Continue cooking and stirring until liquid is absorbed. Add second cup of chicken broth and keep stirring until broth is absorbed. Add 1 cup wine and stir until no liquid remains.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining butter, parmesan cheese and herbs. Mix until butter and cheese is melted. Eat while still warm.

Leftover Risotto Cakes

Leftover risotto
1 or 3 Mozzarella cheese sticks
Plain or Italian seasoned bread crumbs or panko (1/2 cup is plenty for 4 risotto cakes)
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

Warm risotto in microwave for a minute or two so it is easier to handle. Scoop up a heaping tablespoon of leftover  risotto and form a large ball. Repeat until all of your risotto is used.

Unwrap a mozzarella cheese stick and cut it into pieces about a 1/2 inch long. One cheese stick will fill 4 risotto cakes. Poke a hole in each risotto ball. Insert one piece of cheese into ball and reshape so that the hole is covered and closed.

Pour breadcrumbs into a shallow bowl. Gently roll risotto balls one at a time in bread crumbs to coat.

Heat oil in a skillet. Place risotto balls in skillet and slowly flatten with a spatula. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes and then turn risotto cakes over. Cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, or until a nice crispy brown crust forms.

Remove from skillet and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve warm with a green salad or use as a side dish for steak, pork chops or chicken.

Herbed Egg Bake

We like to eat breakfast for dinner (brinner!) every now and then and I'm a big fan of egg bakes.

For the past few years I've been on a quest to achieve a quiche-like consistency without using heavy cream and a crust. After a recent visit from my parents — during which we ate many bagels topped with cream cheese and the smoked salmon they brought back from their Alaska excursion — my fridge was overflowing with tubs of cream cheese in several flavors (garden, onion and chive, etc.)

So I began experimenting with baked eggs again. I've tried whisking cream cheese into eggs before scrambling them or baking them, but could never quite get that fluffy custardy texture.

Until now. Thanks to Epicurious.com I know the trick: Mix the eggs and cream cheese together with milk in a blender.

This egg casserole is simple to prepare and also makes for a great brunch dish. The leftovers taste delicious cold or warmed in the microwave.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Herbed Egg Bake

2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar, Gruyere or Swiss work well)
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as chives, basil, parsley, oregano (Use one kind or a mixture)
10 large eggs
6 to 8 ounces cream cheese, plain or the flavor of your choice
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or use cooking spray to coat a 13x9x2 inch pan or a 2 quart baking dish.

Spread cheese and herbs evenly over bottom of baking dish.

Crack eggs into blender. Add milk, cream cheese, pepper, salt and nutmeg. Pulse or blend until smooth.

Pour egg mixture over cheese and herbs in baking dish. Place in middle rack of oven.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until egg bake is lightly browned, puffed and set in the middle. Let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Turkey Feta Spinach Burgers with Pepperoncini Sauce

These are my all-time favorite burgers because of the way the briny feta cheese, earthy spinach and mellow onions combine with the zing from the sauce. It's a pleasure party for the palate.

If you're looking for a different take on July 4 fare, give these a try.

Mixing the feta and spinach with the turkey keeps the burgers super moist and flavorful. The creamy and spicy pepperoncini sauce delivers a refreshingly cool topper for this casual dinner.

I used to only cook these on the stovetop with my grill pan, but I've been toying with variations to keep the burgers from falling apart on my outdoor grill. Thanks to some collaboration with my nutritionist sister-in-law Karen S., this recipe ensures success with either cooking method!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Turkey Feta Spinach Burgers with Pepperoncini Sauce
Inspired by chef Sara Moulton

For the burgers
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped white or yellow onion
5 oz baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
3 ounces feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 egg
1/4 cup or more of old fashioned oats, optional

For the sauce:
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup low fat mayo
2 tablespoons seeded and chopped pepperoncini peppers (from a jar)
1 tablespoon pepperoncini liquid from the jar
1 or 2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until it begins to brown, about 5 or 6 minutes.  Add spinach and stir until wilted. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a colander and let spinach and onion drain off excess liquid.

As spinach cools, you can mix up the creamy pepperoncini burger topper. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Stir well and set aside.

Now you are ready to form your burgers. Mix together ground turkey, egg, spinach and onion, feta cheese, oregano, salt and pepper. If mixture seems too moist and loose, add oats to help add form. Shape into patties. You'll get four large or six to eight slider-sized burgers. Use whatever size makes sense for your family.

Spray burgers with cooking spray and grill over medium heat for about six minutes on each side.

If using buns, spread some pepperoncini sauce on the bottom buns and add the burgers. Spoon more  sauce over the burgers and top with bun. Or go bun-less and just use the sauce.

Greek Grilled Chicken

Now that warm weather has arrived, I am devoted to my grill. I love the flavor that cooking over the coals adds to meat and veggies. Plus, I get to spend a few minutes on our back patio sipping a cold drink while I cook dinner.

This marinated chicken is easy to prep and combines the tangy zip of yogurt with the bright freshness of lemon. You can use any cut of chicken, with the skin on or off. I like it best with skinless and boneless thighs. The slightly higher fat content of the dark meat means it stays moist.

Serve with your favorite house salad and a side of minty sugar snap peas. This also tastes great the next day, alone or on top of a salad.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Greek Grilled Chicken

1 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
2 to 4 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 to 4 pounds of chicken pieces, such as thighs, breasts, legs

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all ingredients except the chicken. Pour into large ziplock bag. Add chicken and seal bag. Massage chicken and marinade to coat all chicken pieces. Then place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat outdoor grill or a stovetop grill pan to medium. Remove chicken from marinade, and discard the marinade left in the bag.

Grill chicken, about 5 minutes or so on each side. Serve warm or cold.

Sunday Gravy (Tortora family tomato sauce)

Confession time. I rarely make my own tomato sauce – or 'gravy' as us East Coast Italians call it – because it takes time to develop the deep, rich flavor that is its signature.

When I was a kid, my grandmothers made gravy nearly every Sunday, to go with the 'macaroni' we were having at that week's family gathering. When Amy asked for the Tortora tomato sauce recipe, I finally put it down on paper. In the process, I discovered many family variations: My brother adds grated carrot for sweetness. My Dad pours in some red wine. My mom tosses in a pinch of thyme and maybe a dash of sugar. My Grammy Marie always spiced it up with lots of red pepper.

The one component no one ever changes is what makes this gravy special. The tomato sauce simmers for hours with browned Italian sausage links and homemade meatballs. For special occasions such as Christmas, browned beef short ribs and brachiole (thin slices of beef rolled with parmesan cheese, parsley and basil, and tied with kitchen twine) are added.

Prefer chicken? Do what my Grandma Lucy sometimes did: Brown some chicken breasts and thighs and add them to the sauce instead of meatballs and sausage.

Vegetarian? Simply skip the meat.

If you happen to overdue it on one of the spices, as I may or may not have done recently with the red pepper flakes, fear not! Just toss in another can of tomatoes (crushed, diced or sauce) to dilute the strong flavor. You will be rewarded with extra gravy to use for making lasagna or another meal.

Finally, a warning: This recipe makes A LOT of tomato sauce. I use a 22 quart pot. This ensures plenty of room for the meatballs and sausage. If you don't have a pot this large, cut the recipe in half.

My recommendation? Buy or borrow a giant pot, invite your friends and family to dinner and make room in your freezer.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Sunday Gravy

1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil to cover the bottom of a large pot
About 2 cups diced yellow or white onion
3 to 5 minced garlic gloves
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 to 2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 (6 ounce) cans of tomato paste
3 (28 ounce) cans of crushed tomatoes
2 (14.5 ounce) cans of diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 ounce) can of unseasoned tomato sauce
1 (8 ounce) can of unseasoned tomato sauce
1 cup dry red wine, optional
12 or more large cooked meatballs, optional
1 or 2 pounds of browned or baked Italian sausage links, optional

Warm oil in bottom of pot. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add in spices and salt and pepper and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir, cooking until mixture is caramelized. Taking the time to brown the aromatics gives the gravy a richer flavor.

Stir in all cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce. (Note: You can vary the types of tomatoes you use. For example, if you like a chunkier sauce, substitute diced tomatoes for the canned tomato sauce.) Add red wine, if using.

Bring gravy to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower heat and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring a few times. Add meatballs, sausage, etc., and continue to simmer on lowest setting for at least 1 hour but preferably more (you can simmer it all day,) stirring occasionally to prevent sauce from burning in the bottom of the pot.

I recommend tasting the gravy here and there. It's OK to add in more spices as the sauce simmers to achieve the flavor you prefer.

Serve hot with your favorite pasta.