Recipe: Quick & Easy Baba Ghanoush

Baba Ganouj is an amazingly tasty and healthy dip. It is so creamy, yet it contains no dairy or dairy substitutes whatsoever.

Great with pita bread, veggies and more, this is usually a more involved dish which requires slow-roasting a whole eggplant, but in this quick, easy, version, you can be ready to eat in just a few minutes!

Quick & Easy Baba Ghanoush

Prep Time: 10 min.
Cook Time:  15 min.

Ingredients: 

1 eggplant
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 400 F. 
• Cut the eggplant into 2 inch chunks, wrap them in foil and bake in the oven for approximately 15 minutes, or until the flesh is soft. Remove from oven and let cool. 
• Remove the skin from the cooled eggplant and place flesh in a blender. 
• Add the garlic, parsley, tahini, lemon juice and olive oil. Blend until smooth. 
• Serve with carrots, celery, peppers, or other dipping veggies, or pita chips or pita wedges.
• The dip tastes great right away, but letting the flavors blend in the refrigerator for a couple hours will make it even better!

Recipe: Zucchini Mozzarella Quiche

Instead of a creamy, heavy casserole, why not bring this delicious and much healthier summer quiche to your next pot luck? Quiches are actually really easy, but they have the air of a fancy French restaurant, so your potluck guests are sure to be impressed!

Using crescent rolls makes a quick crust, but if you've got your own crust recipe that you like, of course feel free to make your own. This is also a great way to use up some of that extra zucchini from your summer garden!

Zucchini Mozzarella Quiche
(Serves 8-12 potluck guests.)

Ingredients:

Image courtesy of Apolonia at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter
4 cups diced zucchini (wash, do not peel)
1 cup diced onion
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 lb spicy sausage, chopped small
2 large eggs
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 package (8 count) crescent rolls

Directions:

• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the next 8 ingredients and cook until zucchini is just starting to get tender and sausage is fully cooked.
• In a separate bowl, add the eggs, beat with a fork, then add the Mozzarella cheese and the zucchini mixture from skillet; stir to combine; set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly butter or spray cooking oil into a 9x13 glass baking pan.
• Roll out the crescent rolls, pinching the perforations closed, then lay into the baking pan, pressing to cover the bottom and slightly up the sides.
• Pour the zucchini mixture evenly over the crescent rolls in the baking pan.
• Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbling hot and rolls are browned.
• Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Recipe: Grilled Babaganoush

If you've got a lot of eggplant from the garden this summer, you're probably wondering what to do with it all. There's only so much Eggplant Parmesan you can eat. But never fear - there's lots of other great ways to use eggplant!  The recipe below uses your grill to make a classic eggplant dish that's as easy as it is tasty. This makes a great appetizer or snack, and it's very simple to prepare. Give it a try, and let us know how you like it!

And if you haven't already, be sure to check out Wednesday's recipe for grilled eggplant lasagna for a unique, tasty, and easy idea as well!

Grilled Babaganoush

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplant
3 cloves garlic, peeled then crushed into a paste
3 tbsp tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Heat grill to medium.  When ready, set whole eggplants on the grate in the center, and cover grill.  Cook eggplants, turning occasionally, until eggplant is cooked through and very soft and skins are blackened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• When eggplant is cooled enough to handle, cut each eggplant in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh onto a cutting board - discard the blackened skin. 
• Chop the eggplant until it resembles a chunky puree, then scoop up into a bowl. 
• Now stir in the garlic, tahini, and lemon juice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
• Taste and add more tahini, lemon, and salt and pepper as needed.
• Serve immediately with pita or other flat breads.

Recipe: Grilled Italian Eggplant Lasagna Packets

Eggplant + tomatoes = summer!  Put them together on the grill, and try this simple recipe, instead of heating up the house for hours baking a huge pan of lasagna. It's got all the delicious goodness of lasagna, with less than half the work (and without all the carbs) - and you can do it all on your grill in foil packets - no fuss, no muss!

Grilled Italian Eggplant Lasagna Packets
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian sausage, cut into thin circles
2 small or 1 medium eggplant, cut into thin circles
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 ripe tomatoes, cut into circles
1 tsp dried oregano
1 lb. shredded mozzarella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Set your grill to medium-high heat and preheat.
• Lay out 4 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Divide the sausage evenly between the 4 pieces of foil
• Drizzle the olive oil over the eggplant pieces, tossing to coat well, then divide the pieces evenly on top of the sausage on the foil.
• Top the eggplant with the tomato, then sprinkle with oregano, then top with the cheese. Add salt & pepper if desired.
• Place on grill on indirect heat, close cover, and cook for 25 to 35 minutes, spinning packets at least once, or until the sausage is cooked through. (The time will vary depending on the heat of your grill.) 
• Remove from grill and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes, then carefully open and enjoy!

Recipe: Grilled Kielbasa & Cabbage

Tons of summer veggies are great on the grill, and with the abundance of summer produce available right now, instead of your weekly article, we thought we'd share an extra recipe instead!

This one is a great way to use some of the fresh cabbage that's coming on right about now. You probably don't think of cooking cabbage on the grill, but if you throw this mixture in a grill pan, you'll get that wonderful grilled flavor along with the sweetness of the cabbage and peppers and the spiciness of the sausage. It's a simple, easy, and delicious meal.

Grilled Kielbasa & Cabbage
(Serves 4.)

Ingredients:

1 pound Kielbasa
3 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw cabbage mix
1/2 cup spicy Italian dressing
1 diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion

Directions:

• Heat grill to medium-high heat.
• Cut Kielbasa on slight diagonal into serving size pieces, about 1 inch thick.
• Place Kielbasa on heated grill, cooking just long enough to get grill marks, turn and continue grilling until grill marks are all around.  Remove and set aside.
• In a bowl, toss together the coleslaw, dressing, pepper, and onion; then turn into a 
• Pick a grill-safe 8 inch square pan and put sausages in, then top with the coleslaw mix.  
• Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
• Place pan on the grill on indirect heat, close grill cover.
• Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, spinning pan at least once during the cooking time.
• Remove from grill when all veggies are cooked and softened slightly and everything is hot.

Recipe: Cheesy Eggplant Lasagna

This simple and tasty low-carb recipe uses eggplant as the "noodles" in this fun take on lasagna. Use medium-sized long or oval eggplants if you can, so you can get the slices to approximate lasagna noodles in size. This is another great way to use up all those fresh tomatoes, basil, and eggplants your garden may be full of this time of year! Packed with healthy goodness, this one is also a good recipe for those on a low-carb or gluten-free diet.

Cheesy Eggplant Lasagna

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants, sliced in thin lengthwise strips
1 cup tomato sauce
1 pound tomatoes, sliced thin
1 cup ricotta cheese, softened
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tsp dry basil or 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
2 tsp Italian seasoning  
salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
cooking oil spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Season eggplant slices with salt and pepper. Arrange slices evenly in a nonstick baking pan and bake for fifteen minutes.
3. Spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray and arrange eggplant slices evenly on the bottom. Pour half of the tomato sauce over the eggplant, then top with a few tomato slices. 
4. Sprinkle salt, pepper, basil, and Italian seasoning over this mixture, then spread a little of the ricotta cheese over the tomatoes. Sprinkle some mozzarella on top. 
5. Repeat in layers, topping with mozzarella as a final step.
6. Bake for twenty minutes, then place under a broiler just until cheese turns golden brown.
7. Slice lasagna evenly and garnish with Italian seasoning.

Recipe: Eggplant Italian Garden Pasta

Although it was far from a favorite of mine as a child, in recent years I've come around, and eggplant has now become a common ingredient in many of my summer dishes. The creamy texture and rich, mild taste of cooked eggplant is wonderful with another summer favorite - tomatoes. It goes great in many Italian dishes, such as this one, below, and is an excellent way to use up some of those excess summer veggies you have piling up in the fridge! This vegetarian recipe is a great idea for a "Meatless Monday" dinner, or add some fresh Italian sausage to the saute if you want to spice it up. Because eggplant cooks down so well, it is often hard to tell it is in the sauce, so it's a good way to "sneak" some into a meal even if your family doesn't care that much for eggplant.

Eggplant Italian Garden Pasta
(Serves 6.)

Long slender eggplants. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

2 yellow bell peppers
1 small eggplant, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup water
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tbsp minced fresh oregano
2 tbsp capers
2 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
12 ounces bucatini or linguine
3/4 cup grated Romano cheese

Directions:

• Turn your broiler on to preheat, setting the rack at about 6 to 8 inches. Choose a broiler pan or baking sheet and cover it with foil.
• Cut bell peppers in half lengthwise, remove inside membrane and seeds. Place halves skin side up on prepared pan. Put under broiler for about 8 to 10 minutes or until blackened. (You can also do this on a preheated grill if you wish.)
• Turn oven to bake at 425 degrees.
• Remove pan from oven and carefully place peppers (while still hot) in a Ziploc bag, seal, then let stand for 15 minutes. Peel off the skin and charred bits, then cut into strips and set aside. 
• Arrange eggplant cubes in a 2-quart baking dish in one layer. Pour 1 cup water over the eggplant and bake in 425 oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until tender, adding water as needed. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add capers, oregano, and garlic and sauté for one minute. Stir in salt, black pepper, cooked eggplant, roasted bell peppers, and tomatoes. Cover skillet and reduce heat, simmering 15 minutes and stirring occasionally.
• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta over a bowl, reserving 1/2 cup of this cooking liquid.
• Toss pasta with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, then add to bowl with eggplant mixture; add reserved cooking liquid to coat the pasta; toss. 
• Sprinkle with grated Romano cheese and serve immediately. 

Recipe: Tomato Basil Garden Tart

Impress your dinner guests with this amazing and easy recipe using fresh tomato and basil from the garden or farmer's market. If you're feeling really ambitious, make your own fresh ricotta - it's actually quite easy, and tastes WAY better than any you can buy! This one gives you gourmet taste, without too much work, and incorporates the best of your summer garden into your meal.

Tomato Basil Garden Tart
(Serves 6-8 as an appetizer.)

Tomato slices (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1 frozen pie crust, thawed
1/2 cup finely grated Asiago cheese, divided
1/2 cup cottage cheese (or ricotta)
10 to 15 fresh basil leaves, divided
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
4 large ripe tomatoes, halved, seeds removed, and sliced thinly

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Roll pie crust out to be about 2 inches larger in diameter than your tart pan. Place in tart pan, pulling extra crust up the sides of the tart pan; trim off any extra. 
• In a small bowl, put half the grated Asiago and all the cottage cheese, the black pepper and salt, and stir to blend.
• Finely chop the basil leaves and add to the cheese mixture, stir to combine. 
• Spread 1/2 of the cheese-basil mixture over the bottom of the pie crust in tart pan, top with half the tomato slices, arranging evenly.
• Spread remaining cheese-basil mixture on top of tomatoes, and top with remaining tomatoes, again arranged evenly.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Remove the tart from the oven and sprinkle the remaining Asiago cheese evenly over the top, then return to oven and bake an another 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown all over and crust is baked thoroughly.
• Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Recipe: Easy Eggplant And Tomato Harvest Skillet

This is one of my favorite ways to use up some of that extra eggplant from my CSA! Or check out your local farmer's market and load up on fresh summer veggies for this delicious light dish packed full of flavor, vitamins and nutrients. For a heartier meal, serve over cooked pasta or brown rice.

Easy Eggplant And Tomato Harvest Skillet
(Serves 2-4.)

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped small
1 medium onion, peeled and diced small
4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped 
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, grated
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese   

Directions:

1. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat, add eggplant and oil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until eggplant starts to soften.
2. Add all remaining ingredients except the Parmesan cheese, stir gently, and continue cooking until all vegetables are tender.
3. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top evenly and cook just until cheese melts.  
4. Remove from heat and serve immediately - by itself or with cooked rice or pasta.

Recipe: Fresh Garden Corn Souffle

If you've got a lot of corn from your garden this summer, here's a new and tasty way to use some of it up. The sweetness of fresh corn gets a flavorful kick with peppers and onions, and the smooth richness of milk and eggs gives it a luxurious edge perfect for a summer dinner party. Check this one out, and it may become one of your new summer favorites!

Garden Corn Souffle
(Serves 4-6 as a side dish.)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

2 cups corn, fresh cut from cob
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter, melted
2 cups milk, scalded
1 small red, yellow or green bell pepper, finely diced
2 Tbsp grated sweet onion
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Set a larger baking dish out (that the casserole will fit in).  You will be baking the casserole in a water bath in the larger dish.
• With a sharp knife, cut corn kernels from cob (stand corn cob on its tip, holding by large stem end, and run knife blade from top to bottom, removing kernels. If you want to cut the tip off so that it stands flat, this may make the task easier.)
• In a cold mixing bowl, beat eggs until frothy, then whisk in milk and melted butter until blended.
• Put corn, bell pepper, onion, salt, and black pepper in bowl with egg mixture and stir to combine.
• Pour the mixture into the casserole and set it in the larger baking dish and set in oven, then fill a pitcher with hot water from faucet and pour carefully into larger baking dish so casserole is sitting in a water bath inside the oven.  Slide all the way into the preheated oven and bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes.
• Test to see if done by inserting a thin knife blade into center; it should come out clean if the eggs are set.
• Remove and let stand at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe - Bubbly Hot Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes

This is a great summer stuffed tomato recipe that is also popular with the low-carb crowd due to the lack of added bread crumbs, rice, or packaged stuffing mix. 

Tomatoes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plum tomatoes are the ideal choice for this recipe due to the fact they are less watery than other tomatoes which makes the pulp you scoop out firmer. The tomato itself has a more concentrated flavor than many varieties.  That's why sauces are often made from plum tomatoes. You can, if you choose however, make this recipe with regular slicing tomatoes as well.

In some areas tomatoes might not be ready yet, but I couldn't wait to share this one, after the homemade mozzarella recipe from Monday - it's just too tasty!  So if you don't have ripe tomatoes yet, you may want to bookmark this one for later....

Bubbly Hot Cheesy Stuffed Tomatoes
(Makes 4 servings.)

Ingredients:

4 plum tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn small
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the insides out onto a work surface, setting the tomato shells on a baking sheet, cut side up.
3. Chop up the insides that you scooped out and put in a bowl.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix together until well blended.
5. Spoon this mixture into the tomato shells on the baking sheet.  Top with more Parmesan cheese if desired.
6. Put in oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and starting to brown.
7. Remove and let cool slightly. Serve warm.

Recipe - Simply Elegant Cheesy Broccoli Quiche

Here's a tasty summer recipe - you can use fresh broccoli from your garden, and of course if you can find eggs from pastured hens these are the most nutritious and healthy.  If you checked out Monday's video on making your own mozzarella, it goes great in this simple and tasty dish. Quiches are great because they are pretty simple to make, but they are absolutely delicious, and you can pack them full of healthy veggies. Feel free to add or substitute vegetables in this one. Some other tasty additions could include spinach, asparagus, red bell peppers, mushrooms, and more. (Cook these in step 2 as directed below.)

Simply Elegant Cheesy Broccoli Quiche

Quiche. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1 unbaked pie crust, 9 inch
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli
1 small sweet onion, diced small
1 garlic clove, grated
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar or Gruyere cheese
4 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; put unbaked pie crust into 9 inch pie pan and set aside.
2. In large saucepan over medium low heat, melt butter, add broccoli and onion, stirring occasionally and cooking until just starting to get tender. 
3. Add garlic and, stirring, cook 1 minute longer.
4. Turn the broccoli mixture into the crust, then top with both cheeses.
5. In separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and melted butter; pour evenly into pie pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges and center of pie feels slightly firm. (A clean butter knife inserted into the center should come out mostly clean.)
7. Remove and cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm.

Meatless Monday Recipe - Summer Dish

I have had this dish at least once every summer since I was a kid. It really is a one-pot meal, incorporating the bounty of summer veggies all together in one delicious pot. It is hard to classify, as it's not exactly a stew, but neither is it a casserole. My mom's recipe card (which I copied for my own prolific recipe collection a few years ago) simply calls it "Summer Dish," which I suppose is as good a description as any.

A yummy bowl full.

This makes a huge pot, but luckily it is great reheated. Divide it into individual portion-sized containers for a grab & go lunch option. Even the kids may like this one, as you can disguise a lot of vegetables in here. You can cook the brown rice a day ahead to make it faster, but it really doesn't take long - the rice will probably take longer than the rest of it.

Summer Dish:

• Saute 1 chopped onion and one (or more) anaheim or other hot pepper in 1 TB olive oil + 1 TB butter.

• Add 1 medium-sized peeled and diced eggplant, and continue saute.

In a separate large pot or dutch oven, bring to a simmer:

• 6-8 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 6-8 patty pan squash, yellow summer squash, zucchini, or a combination, diced
• 3 cloves minced garlic

• Add saute to simmering tomatoes & squash when browned. Continue to simmer until vegetables are tender. 
• Add 1 TB chopped fresh parsley and 1 TB chopped fresh cilantro or basil. 
• Add 4-6 cups cooked brown rice. Mix well.
• Top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

As usual, feel free to improvise, substitute, and make it your own! Try different herbs, different cheeses, maybe noodles instead of rice?  It is also okay to use canned tomatoes instead of fresh if you don't have them. I use about 2 14-oz cans (or 1 28-oz) of diced tomatoes if using canned.