Dinner @ 226 - Spicy Eggplant and Tomato "Sauce"

I cook every night. No, people, I'm not bragging. I am telling you that I am an absolute wealth of failed and ridiculously awesome recipes. There are hundreds, most of which I have photographed with intent to post. Yes, maybe months have passed since we gave our thumbs up but that is in no way a reflection of how good the recipe is. Believe me, if Jason, the boy, the girl and I liked it enough to break out the old Nikon, realize that it is out of batteries, locate the charger which has been found anywhere from the Cat Bed to the compost bucket, charge the battery while we eat our first few bites, return to the charger only to discover it was plugged in to an outlet that doesn't work, change the outlet, force everyone to stop eating by having a mid-dinner dance party, return to the charger yet again, insert battery, and finally, take pictures while my poor family begs me for "just one more bite"...we liked it. And you deserve to know about it.




I love eggplant, it's true. I love it in Indian food, on pizzas, marinated and grilled, in pasta, as a spread or sauce. Unfortunately, eggplant season ended almost six months ago and we are still three months away from seeing any in our gardens or at the market. I try to buy seasonal produce, but sometimes I see something that I have to have and all rules are thrown out the 1992 Volvo window, as the item rides home with me. This time, it was eggplant. They were shiny and dark purple, and flawless. Wrinkle-less eggplant in February? Yes please. The stems were even green. How these perfect aubergines (as the British call them) make it all the way from California to Ohio with green stems, I do not know. But, I'm glad they made the trip.

I bought them because I had seen a tomato and eggplant pasta sauce on Lidia's Italy, a fantastic PBS cooking show. As I searched the interwebs for the recipe, I stumbled upon this one and took a new direction. Oh, and this direction was good. Like, way good.


No, i'm not an eggplant. But, i have/had cute hair.

The sauce recipe I was after was a pureed sauce, which still sounds delightful. But, the texture of this sauce was so appealing. It was almost meaty with big chunks of firm eggplant and nuggets of savory olive. I suppose the only thing about catching up on all these dishes that remain in my photo folder, is that I want to make it again. Tonight.


Spicy Eggplant Tomato Sauce via LunaCafe.com

I served it with a huge green salad, with a lemon garlic vinaigrette and some soft polenta. This is my standby recipe to create decadent, creamy polenta; which everyone in this family loves.

Though, I didn't try it, I'm certain that this sauce would freeze well.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (as always, adjust to taste)
…

20 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
20 green olives, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked to soften, chopped*
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped


1 big eggplant, or 2 smalled ones, stemmed and diced (I did 1/2 inch chunks)
2 bell peppers, cored, seeded, and diced (I prefer red, yellow or orange)


1 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes, crushed through your fingers as you add them to the pot**(same process as this recipe)
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped or torn
1 tablespoon fresh basil, torn

fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


1.In a large skillet, heat the oil.
2.Add, and then slowly sauté the onions with the dried basil, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper until softened but not brown, about 20 minutes.
3.Stir in the olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and garlic, and sauté for a few minutes more to meld the flavors.
4.Add bell peppers and eggplant, and stir to coat with oil. Sauté briefly, about 2 minutes.
5.Add tomatoes, red wine, vegetable broth, and tomato paste. Simmer very slowly for about 40-60 minutes, adding a little more stock if the sauce becomes too thick.
6.Add fresh oregano and basil, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
7.Serve hot over creamy polenta and topped with Parmesan cheese.
Makes 2 quarts sauce.

*I left out the sundried tomatoes, simply because we didn't have any and though delicious, they were not missed.
**In the summer, this recipe would be fantastic with (about 2 pounds, peeled, seeded and chopped) fresh tomatoes. Until then, canned, eh.

Professional Family Videos

Would you guys like to do something like this with your family? I sort of love the idea, but maybe it's just because the family (and house) are so stinking cute. It really is edited beautifully...and wouldn't it be neat to watch and hear their laughs and see their silliness when they're 33. It's sort of like having a professional direct your home videos. Sort of weird, sort of cool.

The Nichols Family! from SarahQ on Vimeo.

I'm on the fence, what do you think?

Twos and Threes

This is what TWO looks like:





This is what THREE looks like:







Do you think I'm a terrible mom, taking photographs of my children in the midst of a clearly emotional time in their lives? I will calm your nerves. Beckett broke down because I took away a container of pretzels, of which he had already consumed thirty seven. Reed was dramatically expressing her dismay about her non-attentive mother picking out socks that... DID NOT MATCH. Oh, the injustice. Here's to four and five...

Dinner @ 226 - Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash

We had quite a soiree for the Super Bowl this year. Actually, it was four adults and three children, one of whom isn't eating solids yet. But, two of the four adults love entertaining, menu-planning, and most of all preparing delicious meals. It becomes a problem when we get together. For this year's Super Bowl evening, our culinary ideas overfloweth and neither of us wanted to compromise. This is what resulted.

Steamed Mussels with White Wine and Fennel
Buffalo Chicken Wings & Naked Chicken Wings
Rubbed Smoked Ribs with Tangy Barbecue Sauce
Cabbage Slaw with lots of goodness
Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash
Brown Butter Cocoa Brownies with Walnuts

FOUR adults, people. It was obscene, but everything was outstanding. It was one of those great evenings where everyone contributes something. No one gets stressed. No one cares when dinner gets to the table. There was little planning and absolutely no structure. There are casual conversations happening all over the house, and even outside, by the smoker. We sat as an alert audience to impromptu dance parties. We had happy (and hungry) babies, plenty of cold beers, and oh yeah, a football game.

The best part? The food was marvelous. Beckett ate his weight in mussels, which shocked everyone. The little man, though a big eater, has an unpredictable palate. He eats buckets of brussel sprouts, but turns his piggy nose up at toast that has burnt edges. Unpredictable, I tell you. But he owned the mussels on this particular evening. Picking the shell fish out of the savory broth, slurping out the meat and tossing the shells into the trash bowl. It was an odd scene to see a two year old be that fanatical. But, I loved every moment.



The adults got their hands on a few mussels, very few. The meat eaters gnawed on spicy smoked chicken wings while the dinner lazily came out to the table. The ribs had been relaxing in the smoker for eight hours and had a spicy dry rub, topped with a vinegar-based barbecue sauce. They were everything a restaurant could deliver and more. The slaw was crispy, cool, crunchy, and the perfect counterpart to the heat of the ribs. I made a fantastic black bean chili, you know, in case there were still empty bellies in the house.



This soup was silly though. After eating three pounds of various meats, lots of cabbage, and some seafood, and knowing there were brownies that involved brown butter waiting in the kitchen, the soup was sort of overlooked. I mean, everyone tried it, and even finished their bowls. But not with the same enthusiasm had I served it as an entree, with an avocado salad. The other silly thing about this soup is that it was three times more delicious the next day. I knew it was special when I tried it but it became totally irresistible while it cooled and lingered in the fridge overnight. The thick, spiced broth drenched these tender pieces of sweet butternut squash. The quinoa added a texture that I loved, and had never had in my regular black bean soup recipe. All I know is that I cleaned seven soup bowls on Monday night. And for a family of four, that's alot of soup.



Bon Appetit calls this Black Bean Chili, I'd rather think of it as a really special Black Bean Soup. Chili, it is not. But, feel free to call it whatever you want...it'll disappear either way. Also, I apologize for the lackluster photos. But when the food and the company is that lovely, it hardly crosses your mind to stop and take photos. So, the photos are of the leftovers...which weren't leftover for very long. If it is at all possible, make this soup the day before you plan on serving it. It gains so much flavor and balance on the second and third days, which incidentally makes it perfect party food.

Black Bean Soup with Butternut Squash - Bon Appetit Feb. 2011
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes
1 pound dried black beans, rinsed
2 chipotle chiles from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
Coarse kosher salt
1 2 1/4-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup quick-cooking bulgur*
Sour cream
Coarsely grated hot pepper
Monterey jack cheese
Diced red onion chopped
Fresh cilantro
Pickled jalapeño rings


Ingredient info: Chipotle chiles in adobo can be found at some super markets and at Latin markets. Look for bulgur at super markets and natural foods stores.


Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until soft and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Sprinkle chili powder and coriander over; stir 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes with juice, beans, chipotles, and oregano. Add 10 cups water. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours (time will vary depending on freshness of beans). Season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. DO AHEAD: Chili can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm chili before continuing.

Stir squash and bulgur into chili. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until squash and bulgur are tender, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide chili among bowls. Serve with sour cream, cheese, red onion, cilantro, and pickled jalapeño rings.

*I substituted about 1/2 a cup of quinoa for the bulgar, merely because that's what I had in the pantry. It worked beautifully.

two.

When did you learn to put your legs in separate holes in your pants?

When did you stop screaming at the sound of a telephone as if a UFO had landed on our dining room table?

When did you stop going up the stairs on your knees?

When did you start talking? First one word, now two, cleverly strung together.


Where did your blond hair come from?

Why do I never tire of seeing the dimple in right cheek?

When did you become the World's Most Irresistible Snuggler?

Why is the chocolate chip in your left eye the most charming thing I think I've ever seen?

Where did you learn to dance?


When did you start looking at the stereo, demanding, "GaGa!!!"

When did you learn to catch almost anything?

How are you drinking out of a glass and gently putting it in the sink when you're finished?

How do you always manage to get into the fridge when I'm not looking?

Why do you predominatly growl instead of talk?

When did you grow out of your onesies, and soon your diapers?

Why are you so stingy with your kisses, but always make it worth the wait?

When did you become so observant? Light. Dark. Cold. Warm. Bright. Shiny. Boy. Girl.

Why do you like to eat crayons and glue sticks?


How is your wispy hair the only lingering reminder of a baby that once was?



Who taught you how to throw the worst fits in the northern hemisphere?


Who gave you the ability to charm any woman between the ages of 35 and 65? It certainly was not your Dad.


My boy, where did your second year go? I sort of want it back.


*He turned two in November, but I never posted about this momentous occassion.*

Dinner @ 226 - Hacked Puttanesca aka "Prince Ali"

I have been stalling and waiting and procrastinating getting this post up. Why? Well, as I've mentioned before I got a new camera and I have taken some fairly decent photographs on said camera. Actually, I surprised myself with the decent-ness of the pictures. However, at the risk of sounding like my technologically challenged mother, I can't figure out how to get them on my computer. I'll spare you the details of my gajillion failed attempts. It's been comical and just a wee bit frustrating.

Lucky for you, I did finally wake up and realize, that this dish is far too awesome to keep from you even a moment longer. This is a meal where there need be no convincing the little people to finish their dinners. Instead, there are requests for seconds before my first plate is even cool enough to eat. It's the kind of meal where no matter what you're planning on preparing, someone is always hoping for this. It makes the whole family feel filled, but not in a glutenous-gratin & mashed potatoes sort of way. It is light, but wholesome. It cures depression. It stops the rain and beckons the sun. This dish, it's a miracle.



Everyone who has cooked probably has some version of this dish. Mine is totally bastardized and some Italians may banish me if they saw Puttanesca in the description. So, we'll leave that out. Reed calls it "Prince Ali" because I think it's the only thing she loves more than the Alladin Prince.



I'm going to give this recipe to you as a list of instructions because it's merely a guideline and a combination of ingredients that you can alter for your own big and little taste buds. We salivate over spices and slurp up anything salty and briny. If you're of the same style of eating, follow the guidelines closely. If you're taste buds are more subdued, lessen the red pepper flakes a bit and tone down the volume of olives and capers. Also, as a note, though I've made a bevy of changes to the recipe (and thus feel comfortable in calling it my own)the original idea came from Rachel Ray, of all places. That lady may be mind-numbing with her exclamations of EVOO and such, but she is a good starting point for those of you who are beginning on your culinary explorations. Simple ingredients. Simple Steps. Tasty food.

Prince Ali

2 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 t red pepper flakes
4 T capers, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
2 cans good tuna packed in olive oil
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes with juice, chopped (I prefer just squeezing them
through my fingers as I pour them into the pan, making smaller chunks of tomato)
a splash of decent white wine
1 box/bag of Penne Rigate pasta
Parmigiano Reggiano for topping the pasta

Bring a very large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta, stir and cook almost al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta water. Drain.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil over medium heat in the largest pan you have. You're going to be adding your cooked pasta at the end, to mix it all together. So, you need plenty of room. I use this one. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Saute over medium heat until everything is nice and soft. This is an important step because your building the base for this dish. You want to be patient and let the flavors really develop, but don't brown anything!

Now, add the capers, olives and tuna, with the olive oil from the cans. Break apart the tuna with your wooden spoon and let this all warm up together for about five minutes.

Add the can of tomatoes and juice, breaking the tomatoes apart as you add them. Stir, and simmer for five minutes. Add wine. Turn down heat and stir, and simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquids have reduced. Add more pasta water if it gets dry and sticks to the pan. In this simmer phase, you want a very subtle bubbling, but not an out and out boil.

Add the drained pasta to your sauce and turn and mix until the pasta is evenly coated in sauce. Let simmer on low for five minutes, letting the pasta really absorb the flavors and finish cooking.

Serve topped with grated Parmigiano, and along side a great big greed salad with lemon vinaigrette.

I hope you have as many empty plates as we do, but don't count on many leftovers.

Dinner @ 226 - Lentil Rice

Lately, it seems, I have been the go-to girl for family nutrition. People approach me all day long to ask why their children don't eat the foods they are supposed to. Working at a grocery store, especially one that is aimed toward a healthier crowd, I hear every dislike every child has ever muttered. Ethan doesn't eat his vegetables. Emma won't touch food that is green. Max gags on meat. Jonah spits out any and all fruit. Jaden is not a fan of anything crunchy. Ava despises anything creamy. William makes his icky face when he sees beans. And Grace won't even be in the same room as a tomato. And, they all loathe lollipops. Just kidding, that last one has never happened, in history.




Food is so important to me and my family. Jason often mocks me because I spend so much time researching, listing, turning down pages, Googling, marking, highlighting and talking about our own kids' diets. Yes, I think about it alot. Maybe too much. Maybe an unhealthy amount, which would be fairly ironic. The point? Well, there are several.

First, none of us parents are immune. Like you read in this post, my children go through phases also. They've spit out their fair share of brussel sprouts. But, here's the thing; I never said, "Oh, the kids don't like brussel sprouts so I'm not going to buy them anymore." Kids are complex creatures, far more so than we give them credit for. I believe that most of their preferences at younger ages are merely a way to garner just a teensy bit of control. It's a power play, really. Give a kid something safe like a hot dog, chicken nuggets, chips, french fries or a peanut butter sandwich and it's easy for them to eat. They stuff it into their tiny mouths without having to think about tastes and textures. They're in their comfort zone, everything tastes the same as it looks. No surprises.




Take a kid out of their comfort zone and they will exercises their right to choose in an attempt to show you that they wield some power. After all, you chose to give them Curried Eggplant. And, you are going to pay for it. If you fall for the trap and make them a hot dog after they refuse your expertly seasoned Curried Eggplant, they will continue to wield the power every mealtime after. Or, as long as you allow. There is a painful, but simple way to achieve success if you are caught in the middle of this scenario. Serve the Curried Eggplant. After they refuse it, you gently tell them, "This is the only option we have for dinner tonight. So, eat your yummy eggplant so you don't get hungry." If you've been in this tug-o-war with your child for some time, it may take months to get out. But, you will. If they continue to refuse the Eggplant, let them know if they aren't willing to eat dinner then they can leave the table. Don't give in and supply them with a small handful of saltines because you think they may wake up hungry in the middle of the night. Yes, toddlers get hungry. It happens. But, their appetites are so small, if they skip a meal it will not affect their growth or overall happiness. It's not ideal but you're working towards a greater goal. Several meal-less nights may result in an adventurous eater in the future. So worth it, if you ask me. So, stop worrying. If they were truly hungry, they would eat the eggplant. Remember that. If you were starving, you would eat your least favorite food, wouldn't you?




In addition to this attitude, you need a guided menu to help you branch out their "likes." I have many dishes that I serve at least once a month, if not more. Most of these meals include ingredients that I can keep in my pantry (alongside fresh produce) and don't take hours to prepare. That way, I can quickly prepare a meal that everyone will slurp up. No excuses.

Lentil Rice came in to our lives a year ago. It was a chilly night and I was flipping through the pages of this cookbook, which has come to be one of my favorites. I hadn't gone to the grocery in days and was struggling for some divine dinner inspiration. I was actually looking for a Lentil Soup recipe but didn't even have the carrots that were required for a good soup base. On the opposite page was this recipe. It's simple. It's savory and faintly spiced. It can be served alone, with a salad. Sometimes I put a fried egg on top to increase the protein. It can also be served alongside some grilled sausage or fish but it is so warm and filling, I hardly ever go that far. Sometimes, I cook some carrots (in cream) because Beckett adores them.

Lentil Rice recipe by Tessa Kiros

I will note that we all like our Lentil Rice topped with a dollop of whole milk yogurt and either a generous squeeze of lemon or a puddle of red wine vinegar. If your name is Jason, your puddle will look more like a pond.

5 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Large Red Onion
2 Cloves Garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Sweet Paprika
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 1/2 Cups Brown or Green Lentils, rinsed and picked over
4 Cups Water, plus one Cup
1 Cup Long Grain White Rice
2 Tablespoons Butter
5 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion over medium-low heat, stirring often, until it is golden and sticky looking. Add the garlic, cinnamon, paprika, and coriander, and stir until you can smell the garlic. Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, put the lentils in a large pan, cover with 4 cups of water; and bring to a boil. Skim the surface and then simmer for 30 minutes, adding some salt halfway through.

Scrape the onion mixture into the lentil pan and add the rice, butter, half the parsley, 1 cup of water, and a dash more salt. Stir well and bring back to a boil. Cover, turn the heat as low as possible, and cook for 15 minutes or so, until all the water has been absorbed, and the rice is cooked through.

Remove from the heat and fluff up. Cover the top of the pan with a clean dish towel, put the lid back on, and leave it for about 10 minutes. Add the remaining parsley and fluff it up again before serving.


Serves 4

Creamy Carrots also by Tessa Kiros

I find this preparation of carrots to be rather indulgent. I actually prefer them roasted with olive oil and salt and pepper in a very hot oven, most of the time. And we eat them like that, most of the time. But, on a very cold night when the body craves comfort and the little blond haired boy looks up and says, "Cay-uts peeese," these carrots sound just about right.

8 Medium Carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 to 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

Simmer the carrots in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes until they are quite soft and fraying on the outside, but still just a bit firm on the inside. Drain and put them in a large nonstick frying pan with the butter and parsley. Saute over medium heat until the butter starts to sizzle and turn a little golden, then pour in the cream. Let the dream bubble up and reduce a little, then serve hot.

Serves 4