Mediterranean Eggplant & Chicken

Do you ever get sick of the same flavors over and over again in your meal rotation? I do. We eat a lot of italian, mexican, and american inspired foods. Out of the ordinary is asian or greek. But even those get old!

I bought an eggplant recently with no real plan for it. When it came to find a recipe for it that wasn't the boring ol' standards, I came across an interesting recipe at AllRecipes.com. It was mediterranean and had lots of great ingredients- so I gave it a whirl with some modifications.

Oh my, yes! This was the change I was looking for! The sauteed eggplant flavor was subtle and really really good. Then with the feta, olives, and chicken- very tasty! I highly recommend this one if you're looking for something to break the cycle.


Mediterranean Eggplant & Chicken
Inspired by AllRecipes.com

• 1 Eggplant, sliced lengthwise
  
• 1 Tomato & 2 Tbsp. Water, or 2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
  
• 1 Small Onion, chipped
  
• 1 Clove of Garlic, minced
  
• 2 Chicken Breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
  
• 1/4 C. Feta Cheese
  
• 1 Small Can of Whole Black Olives (or Kalmata olives would be great!)
  
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
  
• 1/2 C. Water
  
• 1 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar

1. Lightly salt both sides of the eggplant slices and place them in a colander in the sink. Let them stand for 25-30 minutes so the eggplant will "sweat" out the bitterness.
   
2. In the meantime, chop the tomato and saute in a large pan over medium heat with the 2 Tbsp. water until it is reduced. When reduced down, remove from the pan and set aside.
   
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
   
4. Rinse the eggplant slices when they are done sweating. Drizzle some oil in the saute pan and heat on medium. Cook the eggplant slices in a single layer until browned- flipping once to cook the other side. Cook in batches if necessary.
   
5. As eggplant finishes cooking, place the slices in a large casserole dish, layering on the bottom.
   
6. In the saute pan, cook the onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Add in the chicken pieces and continue to cook until the chicken is about half cooked.
   
7. Stir in the 1/2 cup of water, oregano, balsamic vinegar, and reduced tomato. If using tomato paste, add it in now. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes until chicken is cooked and sauce is thickened. Stir in drained black olives.
   
8. Sprinkly a generous amount of feta on top of the eggplant layer. Then pour on the chicken and sauce on the top.
   
9. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve hot straight from the casserole dish. I served it with green beans and spiced cous cous, seasoned with middle eastern spices and OJ.

Homegrown Gourmet 5- Maple Blueberry Quick Bread

Yippee for Homegrown Gourmet!

Canela Y Cameno, a great blog from Peru, is hosting round 5 with the theme Quick Breads, and I'm getting in just under the wire. In fact, I've only got one hour to spare as I start typing this! (Note to self- type faster!!!)

As soon as Gretchen Noelle announced Quick Breads as the recipe of choice, I knew exactly what to make- Maple Blueberry Bread. But I was lacking the time to actually do the baking. What can I say, I work well under pressure, and waited til the last day to bake.

I used my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook as the base for this bread, using the Zucchini Bread to get the measurements right. From there, I made this into a Maine recipe. So here in Maine, we have lots of wild blueberries. Did you know blueberries are one of only 4 fruit crops native to North America? And boy are they delicious! Good for you too with tons of antioxidants. My husband and I went blueberry picking this past summer and ended up with a ton of them. I froze a few cups and it was such a delight pulling them out to bake with today after we got 5" of fresh snow!

So I had blueberries. That would have been enough, but I wanted to make this something special. Why not add in another very northen New England food- maple syrup! I love maple- maple syrup, maple butter, maple fudge, maple candy... good stuff. With some local Maine maple syrup laying around not being used, I thought it would be a fantastic touch for my quick bread.

The local ingredients were picked, the recipe chosen, and I was off to the races. This recipe came out really moist and delicious in the loaf I made. Perfect crisp crust, tender moist insides with a nice hint of maple and berries bursting through. The batch was enough for 2 loafs, but I could only find one loaf pan. I used the rest of the batter to make mini muffins. Although these are also tasty, they kind of ended up as mostly crust. I miss the sweet soft interior. But gosh are they fun to pop in your mouth. And it's fun to say- Mini Muffin!

And so I submit my entry for this round. Thanks for hosting Gretchen!



Maple Blueberry Bread
Inspired by Betty Crocker

• 1 C. White Sugar
  
• 2/3 C. Brown Sugar
  
• 4 Eggs
  
• 1/2 C. Vegetable Oil
  
• 1/2 C. Dark Maple Syrup (I let the 1/2 cup overflow quite a bit!)
  
• 3 C. Flour
  
• 2 tsp. Baking Soda
  
• 3/4 tsp. Salt
  
• 1 C. Fresh Blueberries
  
• Syrup to glaze, about 1-2 Tbsp.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom only of 2 loaf pans, or as I did, 1 loaf pan and 1 24 count mini muffin pan.
   
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugars, eggs, oil, and maple syrup and blend until smooth.
   
3. Stir in the dry ingredients just until it is evenly moist. You do not want to over beat the batter.
   
4. Gently stir in the berries.
   
5. Pour the batter into your baking pans.
   
6. Bake until the tops are browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. My mini muffins only took about 15 minutes, and I probably could have taken them out at 12. The loaf took just about an hour, maybe a few minutes more. I put foil on the top with 10 minutes to go as it was looking very brown, but the inside was very soggy. 10 minutes later it had set up beautifully and was ready to come out.
   
7. About halfway to 3/4 of the way through cooking, remove the breads from the oven and gently brush the tops with the remaining maple syrup. You can also do this at the end while they are hot, but it does not set up as well, and you get sticky surfaces. Return to oven to finish baking.
   
8. Remove pans from oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
   
9. Gently loosen the bread from the sides of the pan and remove to the wire rack. Allow to cool before trying to slice; too hot and it will crumble apart.

Think Spring - Lemon Bars

The girls on the Maine Nest board got together at my house a few weeks ago to have an indoor picnic in the dead of January. (*Side note- Is it bad I refer to us as girls when we are in fact a group of strong, educated, accomplished women? Maybe, but now you know the truth, so I can move on.)

My oh my, what a spread we had! Muffaletta, ice cream sandwich cake, watermelon, very fancy cut pineapple, brownies, soup, wonderfully bad for you munchies, crusted chicken tenders, mini pinwheel sandwiches, iced tea- the works! We camped out on the floor with some blooms surrounding us and had a fun afternoon.

Amongst a couple of other things, my big contribution (besides hosting) was lemon squares. They were just about perfect in my book. They were tangy, but not too sour or sweet. The lemon goo stuff set up perfectly- not too runny or hard. The crust was tender and flavorful. The only complaint was that there was not a distinction between the lemon topping and the crust- they kind of blended together. Maybe my crust needed to cool more.

By the end of the weekend though, with my parents up for a visit, they were pretty much wiped out. So I guess they tasted just fine!


Lemon Bars
From AllRecipes.com
Crust

• 1 C. Salted Butter, softened
  
• 1/2 C. White Sugar
  
• 2 C. Flour

Custard

• 1 1/2 C. White Sugar
  
• 4 Tbsp. Flour
  
• 3 Eggs
  
• 1/2 C. Fresh Lemon Juice
  
• Zest of 1 Lemon
  
• Confectioner Sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
   
2. In a medium bowl or stand mixer, blend together all the crust ingredients.
   
3. Press crust dough into a 9" x 13" oven safe pan. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden and firm.
   
4. Remove crust from oven and let it cool completely.
   
5. While the crust bakes, mix together the sugar and flour for the custard, again in a medium bowl or stand mixer.
   
6. Beat in the eggs, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth.
   
7. Pour the lemon custard mixture on top of the cooled crust. Bake in the (still hot) oven for 20 minutes.
   
8. Let the bars cool before cutting. When cooled off, cut the bars into small squares or rectangles. Using a sifter or a fine mesh strainer, tap a thin layer of confectioner sugar on the top of each bar for a nice presentation and extra sweetness.

Smoked Salmon Fettuccine

Mmmmm, smoked salmon is such a delicious treat to eat now and again! It's something that we can't have in the house too often because it lasts about 2 minutes once opened. And it's not like it's bargain priced either!

But oh how tasty to enjoy! And when I'm going to splurge on smoked salmon, it has to star in the show. I searched around- yeah, my normal neighborhood of Allrecipes.com- and found something that had so many wonderful ingredients.

It was in fact wonderful! And the salmon did shine...


Creamy Smoked Salmon Fettuccine
Based from AllRecipes.com

• Box of Fettuccine Pasta
  
• 2 Tbsp. Butter
  
• 2 Tbsp. Flour
  
• 2/3 C. Milk
  
• 1/3 C. Cream
  
• 1/2 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese
  
• 1/2+ C. Smoked Salmon, roughly chopped
  
• 1/2 C. Fresh Spinach, chopped into strips
  
• 1 Tbsp. Capers
  
• 3+ Tbsp. Sun-dried Tomatoes, chopped
  
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano
  
• Heavy hand of pepper

1. Cook and drain the pasta according to package.
   
2. In a separate sauce pot, melt the butter.
   
3. Blend in the flour until a smooth paste forms. Whisk in milk to make a thick sauce.
   
4. Stir in cream and parmesan cheese until cheese is melted.
   
5. Add in the salmon, spinach, capers, tomatoes, and oregano.
   
6. Pour in delicious sauce onto the warm, drained pasta and mix until fettuccine is coated.
   
7. Serve in a nice big bowl with a solid grating of fresh black pepper on top- yum!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich

My father in law was in town a few weeks ago to help us install our dishwasher- yay! (We had no dishwasher prior to this and my parents gave us a very generous Christmas gift to help with that situation- thanks Mom & Dad!) He came up on a Saturday afternoon and I needed to make something delicious for me and the boys to watch one of the last Patriots games of the season.

Dad is a BBQ fan and I thought this was a great opportunity to try out the new slow cooker for some pulled pork. Wow, so simple and the boys adored it! Did I mention it was sinfully easy with the slow cooker?


BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

• Pork Butt/ Shoulder
  
• 1/2 Onion, chopped
  
• 2/3 C. Beef Broth
  
• 1-2 C. BBQ Sauce
  
• Pinch Brown Sugar
  
• Salt & Pepper
  
• Buns for serving

1. Season the pork cut with salt and pepper and place it in the slow cooker.
   
2. Pour in beef broth and about 1/4 C. BBQ sauce. Sprinkle onions and brown sugar over the top of the meat.
   
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. About 2-3 hours before it is cooked, quickly open the lid and pour in another 1/4 C. of BBQ sauce.
   
4. When the meat is ridiculously tender, it is ready for shredding.
   
5. Remove the meat and place in a large bowl. Using 2 forks facing, shred the pork. Grasp the forks in either hand and shred by dragging the utensils in opposite directions of each other.
   
6. Stir in as much additional BBQ sauce as suits your fancy- you can keep it dry or make it really messy! Serve warm on nice big buns with napkins!

Ultimate Comfort Food

Who doesn't like Macaroni and Cheese? I mean really, it's like a slice of heaven! Warm, gooey, and filling with a crunchy crust. Aaaah...

Sorry, I just don't have anything more to say about Mac N Cheese- it's that good that it needs no commentary!

I will say that I served this comforting dish with a lovely salad of fresh spinach, sliced dried apricots, almond slices, and a dash of olive oil.


Homemade Mac N Cheese
With help from Boss Leslie

• 1 Box Elbow Macaroni, I think 8 oz, but maybe more
  
• 1/2 Stick Butter
  
• 2+/- Tbsp. Flour
  
• 1 1/2 C. Milk
  
• 1/4 C. Cream
  
• 1-2 tsp. Dry Mustard
  
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
  
• 2 C. Shredded White Cheddar
  
• 1/2 C. Grated Parmesan Cheese
  
• 1/4 C. Grated Romano Cheese
  
• Panko breadcrumbs, enough to coat top

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees.
   
2. Cook macaroni according to package and drain. Pour into a large casserole dish and set aside.
   
3. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
   
4. Stir in the flour, adding slowly until mixture is smooth and a little thick.
   
5. Slowly whisk in the milk, bringing to a gentle boil, thickening the sauce. When it is smooth and creamy, mix in the cream.
   
6. Stir in the mustard and salt and pepper to your tastes.
   
7. Stir in the cheeses until melted.
   
8. Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked macaroni in the casserole pan. Sprinkle panko on the top of the mac n cheese until a you get a nice coating.
   
9. Bake in oven until hot and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

Mustard Glazed Salmon

We love fish here in our household. There is pretty much no fish we won't eat, but you know, like all foods, it can get boring eating it all the time. I mean, shrimp is great with lime or garlic, lemon and butter. Salmon is lovely sauteed with oil and rosemary or glazed with soy sauce. But I need something more now and again!

We had a lovely fillet of salmon and I was on the hunt for something new and exciting to do with it. Off to Allrecipes.com I went! I found a great little recipe that is really something new and different. Oh, and tasty too! Who would have thought mustard and fish would be such a delightful combo!


Mustard Glazed Salmon
Based off Allrecipes.com

• 1 Large Boneless Salmon Fillet
  
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  
• 1 Tbsp. White Wine
  
• 1 Tbsp. Honey
  
• 1/4 C. Balsamic Vinegar
  
• 3-4 tsp. Dijon Mustard
  
• 1 tsp. Dried Oregano

1. Put your oven's broiler on low.
   
2. Place salmon fillet in a foil lined, over safe dish. If it has skin, place it skin side down.
   
3. Blend together the remaining ingredients and allow to sit for a few minutes so the flavor can meld.
   
4. Pour marinade over the salmon. Place in oven a few inches from the boiler. Allow to cook until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through in the center. I'm not sure how long that took, but I imagine only around 10-15 minutes. Mine got a little burnt- maybe it was too close.
   
5. Serve warm. If the fillet had skin, removed flesh from skin when serving.

Breaking in the Crockpot - Lemon Chicken

I exchanged a second fondue set I got for Christmas for a big ol' slow cooker this year. I was adament about not ever having a slow cooker- it just didn't seem like the thing for me. I'm a stove top cooker, I don't make roasts and chilis and stuff like that. Why do I need one of these things that everyone raves about? And where am I going to store it?!?

Ok, so I store it in the basement since it doesn't get used that often. But I'm impressed with what it's produced. I'll admit, my first attempt at chili- using my regular recipe with no changes- didn't go so well. But this, what I'm calling the real maiden voyage, was in fact quite delicious!

I love roast chicken, but it takes so long to cook and I don't have the energy at the end of my work days. But lo and behold, the crockpot takes all the work out of it. And it is even moister and tastier than from the oven.

I'm a convert!


Slow Cooker Whole Lemon Chicken

• Whole Chicken, around 4 lbs.
  
• Heavy Splash of White Wine/ Chicken Broth
  
• 2 Lemons
• 1-3 Garlic Cloves, partially smashed
  
• 1-2 Green Onion Stalks, chopped
  
• 1-2 Tbsp Butter, chopped
  
• Dried Thyme
  
• Salt & Pepper

1. Place chicken in slow cooker. I believe I placed mine breast down, but I can't even figure out which way is up, let alone remember what I did a month ago!
   
2. Pour wine/ broth in the bottom of the slow cooker.
   
3. Slice up one of the lemons and place the slices in the cavity. Add the crushed garlic to the cavity as well.
   
4. Carefully lift up the skin of the roaster chicken and place pieces of butter under the skin. Try to push it down and all around. Any excess that you don't want to put under the skin should be placed on top.
   
5. Zest some of the remaining lemon onto the chicken. Cut in half and squeeze the juice over the chicken and into the bottom of the pot.
   
6. Sprinkle chicken with green onion, thyme, salt and pepper.
   
7. Cook on low for 8-10 hours until good and moist. The chicken may dry out on top and split, but the meat will be tender and moist!