Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

This recipe is similar to a vegetarian lasagna - without the noodles!  It was delicious on it's own, but would also be great served over pasta.  And it is made with my favorite fresh herb, basil.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan Casserole

Preparing the Eggplant and ingredients:

•             1 eggplant, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch slices

•             Salt

•             2 eggs

•             2 tbsp. milk

•             1 tsp. Nature’s Seasons

•             ½ cup Italian panko bread crumbs

•             8 oz. ricotta cheese

•             6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

•             ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

•             ¼ chopped fresh basil

•             Olive oil

•             2-3 garlic cloves

•             1 jar prepared pasta sauce or 1 ½ cups homemade pasta sauce (tomato basil is delicious)

Place eggplant slices in a single layer in colander or on paper towel and sprinkle with salt.  Let sit for one hour.  This allows all the moisture to drain from the eggplant and will give a better texture in the end. While eggplant is resting, beat 1 egg in a bowl with 2 tbsp. milk and Nature’s Seasons, then set aside.  Put Italian panko bread crumbs in another bowl, and set aside.  In third bowl mix ricotta cheese, mozzarella, ¼ cup of the shredded Parmesan, 1 egg, and fresh basil, then set aside. 

Put it all together:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. In large skillet, add 2 tbsp. olive oil and 1 fresh garlic clove, crushed.  Let garlic cook for about 20 seconds.  Put several eggplant slices into the bowl with the beaten egg.  Dip each slice into the panko bread crumb mixture then place in skillet with the olive oil and garlic.  Cook on one side until lightly browned, then turn to cook the other side.  Remove onto separate plate.  You will need to repeat this procedure 2-3 times until all eggplant slices have been browned.

3. In 9 x 13 baking dish, spread half of the pasta sauce.  Layer half of the cooked eggplant slices, then  half of the cheese mixture, the remaining eggplant, the remaining cheese mixture, then the rest of the pasta sauce.  Top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes.

Homemade pasta sauce recipe (optional, to be made beforehand if you don't use bottled sauce)

•             1 clove garlic, minced

•             28 oz. canned petite diced tomatoes (undrained)

•             1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

•             1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flake (optional)

•             1/4 teaspoon salt

•             Handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped roughly

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Saute garlic for a few minutes.

2. Add tomato, red pepper flakes, oregano, and salt.  Let sauce simmer, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat. Add chopped basil leaves.

Basil is the Crowning Touch for Summer Grilled Chicken

My garden is filled with basil plants - my favorite fresh herb.  I discovered that basil is easy to root to keep your garden in continuous supply.  Snip off a stem of basil, cutting it at a leaf nodule.  Remove leaves at the bottom so that about 2 inches of the stem are free of leaves.  Insert into a container of water and let the basil sit near a sunny window.  I have found that empty wine bottles make beautiful containers for basil stems!   Add water as necessary, and over the next 2-4 weeks you should find that the stem has developed good, long roots(with wine bottles, you will have to add water everyday so that the end of the stem is always in water).   If the stem dries out and the leaves wilt because the water level has dipped too low to cover the bottom of the stem, you will have to start over with a fresh stem of basil.

Transplant the rooted basil into a container that has been filled with potting soil that has been thoroughly soaked first.  Make a deep indentation into the wet soil, and set the plant in it.  Firmly tamp down soil around the plant, then place container outside where it will get at least 6 hours of sun per day, in a sunny window, or under a grow light.  Make sure to water whenever it starts to dry out.  After another two weeks, the roots should have satisfactorily developed in the pot that you can transplant, if you wish, into the garden.

Basil will grow indefinitely under the right weather and watering conditions, as long as you regularly cut off the leaves and stem from the top to prevent flowering.

Here is a great marinade using fresh basil that was wonderful for grilled chicken.  You can also use it to marinade shrimp, which you would skewer after marinating in order to grill.  As I have mentioned before, I am a fan of the seasoning compound, Nature's Seasons, but you may substitute seasoning that includes salt, pepper, garlic powder and herbs/spices.

Summer Grilled Chicken
1/4 cup white wine vinegar                                                             
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 clove fresh garlic, minced or pressed
1 Tbsp. Nature's Seasons
4 fresh basil leaves, minced in strips
4-6 chicken breasts

Combine first five ingredients in a medium bowl to make the marinade. Add the chicken breasts, pressing into the marinade, and allow to marinate for an hour, turning breasts occasionally to ensure full coverage. Over med-high heat on gas grill, or hot coals that are no longer flaming on charcoal grill, sear breasts on both sides, then allow to continue cooking on medium heat, turning occasionally until breasts are cooked through, approximately 20 minutes, more or less depending on the size of the breasts. The "touch test" is when you press a finger into the breast and it feels firm. Check by cutting into the thickest part of the breast to see that the flesh is white with no traces of pink remaining. Remove from grill and serve.  

Serving idea: this chicken is great on its own, but also delicious cut into strips and stirred into fettucine alfredo. Even kids love it!

Stir the Pot

One thing that always brings people together is cooking.  People like to help, and when they ask, sometimes one of the easiest things to do is hand them a spoon.  Contrary to cautionary tales, "stirring the pot" is very rewarding! 

Yesterday I made chili - and I wanted to experiment with using ground turkey instead of ground beef, pork instead of steak, and some farmers-market-purchased Italian sausage.  One thing I do fairly well is chili, and experimenting is always so much fun.  There are certain essentials to good chili flavor, and other than that, my only rule is "no beans".  I use fresh herbs instead of dried whenever possible, and since I've picked up a few herb plants from the Royal Oak Farmers Market recently, I had fresh thyme, oregano and rosemary on hand.  That is a wonderful thing, in the dead of winter!

So what are the essentials?  At the top of my list are cumin and chili powder.  Beyond that, I always include onions, fresh garlic, sea salt, pepper, Morton's Natures Seasons (I'm a huge fan of this seasoned salt) and crushed or diced tomatoes.  I like spicy chili, so I generally add chopped jalapenos or pepperoncini (and if jarred, some of the liquid from the jar), and I love chunky chili, so I have chopped celery and  green pepper in addition to the chunks of steak.  Here's where the fun comes in - going through the refrigerator and my spice cabinets to add everything else!  In no particular order, I add some of these to get an explosion of tastes: basil, parsley, thyme, oregano, marjoram, sea salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, barbecue sauce, ketchup, mustard, V-8 juice or Bloody Mary mix, beef bouillon, onion soup mix or onion powder (even though I already have chopped onions in the recipe), garlic powder, apple cider or red wine vinegar, chocolate syrup (or if I use baking chocolate, then I also add some brown sugar), Frank's hot sauce or Tabasco (especially if I'm short on hot peppers) and tomato paste.  Chances are there are even more ingredients I've added in the past that just aren't coming to mind now.

The formula is always the same - saute the onions and garlic in olive oil in a large stockpot, then add the ground meat and chunks of meat to brown.  Drain the fat, and start adding the tomatoes and other liquid ingredients, then add any other vegetables, then the seasonings and spices.  Allow to simmer for at least an hour before adjusting any seasonings, stirring occasionally to keep meat from sticking to the bottom.  After two hours I usually add 1/2 can of beer (and then let someone drink the other half), and let the chili simmer at least another 1/2 hour.

This is a work in progress - I will add two chili recipes shortly!

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Lettuce wraps are flavorful, filling alternatives to sandwiches, lavash wraps and tacos.  This filling is slightly sweet, slightly spicy and easy to make.  The fresh basil intensifies the flavor, and the crunchy lettuce makes it very satisfying to eat.  You can make these wraps as appetizers or as a meal.  Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1 lb. chicken breast meat, boneless, skinless
Nature's Seasons or other seasoning salt
2 tbsp. veg. oil
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 lg. red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
4-5 button mushrooms (optional), sliced
1 oz. canned sliced water chestnuts, sliced again into thin strips
1 cup shredded cabbage and 1 carrot, cleaned and shredded (or use packaged cole slaw mix of cabbage and carrots)
3-4 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup plum suace
1 tbsp. white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1 tbsp. oyster sauce (Optional)
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (Optional)
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cut into half again

Optional toppings:
Thai-style peanut sauce, chopped seedless cucumber, chopped peanuts

Directions:
Prepare all ingredients before cooking as this will cook quickly.

Thinly slice chicken (or make ground chicken in food processor). Saute chicken in hot oil in skillet, seasoned with Nature's Seasons or other seasoning salt to liking, approximately 1/2 - 1 tsp. Cook chicken, stirring often, until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, mushrooms, water chestnuts, cabbage, carrot, and scallions and stir fry for 2 minutes. Stir in plum sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar and crushed red pepper flakes. Simmer on med-low heat about 2 minutes. Add basil and cook long enough to wilt the leaves. Place spoonfuls of chicken into a piece of lettuce and add any of the optional toppings as desired. Fold lettuce around filling to form a wrap to eat.

Herbed Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes can be made so interesting with the addition of fresh herbs and some kind of cheese.  One of my favorites is Redskin Mashed Potatoes with Basil and Asiago cheese.  Experiment!  Make mashed potatoes by boiling potatoes in salted water until a fork goes through easily.  Drain the water, add milk and butter, and your choice of herbs and cheese.

Redskin Mashed Potatoes
8-10 (approximately) redskin potatoes, scrubbed, any bad spots removed from outside, and cut in half ( you don't have to peel them, and use a few more potatoes if they're really small)
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (sliced thinly in ribbons)
1/4 - 1/2 cup freshly grated or shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese (add more to taste)
White pepper (to taste), additional salt if needed
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk

Boil potatoes in salted water, approximately 15-20 minutes until fork goes through easily. Drain water, add  butter and milk, then mash potatoes (including the peel).  Mix in basil, grated or shredded cheese, salt & pepper to taste.  Adjust milk to right consistency, seasonings to taste.  Serves 4

Chick Pea Salad

It's been a busy summer, but now that it's winding down I will share some of the recipes that incorporated some of the fresh herbs grown in my garden.  This one is a great change from lettuce salads, and full of veggies.  I did use canned chick peas (garbanzo beans), but you certainly can substitute fresh beans that you have cooked in its place.  The blending of flavors from the three vinegars and fresh lemon juice, combined with the fresh basil, is outstanding!

Chick Pea Salad

1 14 oz. can chick peas
1-2 stalks celery, chopped small
2-3 fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Juice from 1/2 - 1 whole lemon
3 lg. fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips (chiffonade)
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Combine all the ingredients except feta and mix well.  Stir in feta and allow flavors to blend, stirring occasionally.  Serve within a couple of hours at room temperature, or refrigerate to serve later.  Serves 6-8 as a side dish.

Herb Bread

I admit it - I have not yet advanced to making bread the old-fashioned way - letting it rise, punching it down.  No, I still use a bread machine.  For the time being, I'm allowing myself this concession because let's face it - it saves time.  I took a recipe that came with my bread machine, then added a few ingredients, changed a couple of others, and voila!  A loaf of herb bread that was so delicious it was gone in one meal.  Here it is, and you can probably make a few changes of your own to suit your tastes.

Herb & Asiago Bread (for a bread machine)

1 3/4 cup bread flour
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. dry milk
1 1/4 cup water (lukewarm)
1 Tbsp. fresh basil, leaves cut into tiny pieces
1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary, stripped from stem and chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stem
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
1 packet active dry yeast

Put all of the ingredients except yeast into the bowl of your bread machine.  Close the lid and add the yeast to the top dispenser.  Use the regular Bake mode - 4 hour setting.  Makes one average sized loaf.

More Basil...

Pesto is one of the common recipes which calls for fresh basil.  Once the pesto is made, you can spread in on baguettes, mix it in with pasta, over baked potatoes, on an Italian-style sub sandwich and more.  Let me know how you use pesto!

Classic Fresh Basil Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed 
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/4 - 1/3 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste, approx. 1 tsp. of each

In food processor, add the basil leaves and pine nuts or chopped walnuts, pulse a few times.  Add garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and pulse again until well blended.  Add the cheese last and pulse again for about 10 seconds.  Pesto may be stored in refrigerator in an airtight container (put a thin layer of olive oil on the top of the pesto before sealing the bowl, or freeze.  Yields 1 - 1 1/2 cups of pesto sauce.

Gardening tip when growing fresh basil
Basil thrives in sunshine, so plant it where you plant your tomatoes, or mix it in with your flowering plants that require sun.  It is a pretty plant, with rich green leaves and looks great in your flower bed!

Space plants about 1 foot apart.  They will grow to a height of 1 to 2 feet.  Pinch off tips and blooms as they appear to extend the growing season.  Cut sprigs for use in recipes as needed.

Basil, Sweet Basil

One of my favorite herbs is basil. It is flavorful and fragrant, easy to grow for home gardeners, and is a popular herb in Italian dishes and other Mediterranean foods.  It also has many health benefits.

Basil is a good source of beta carotene which converts itself into Vitamin A that fights free radicals that do damage to our cells.  Vitamin A also helps keep cholesterol from building up in the bloodstream.  Basil is also a source of Vitamin C, which has many health benefits, such as fighting colds, helping to heal wounds and defending the body against cancer.

Essential oil of basil prevents the growth of different types of bacteria, and eugenol, found in the essential oil of basil, is an anti-inflammatory.  It works by blocking an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, working in the same way as aspirin and ibuprofen.

Nutrients found in basil include magnesium for the heart and blood vessels, iron for carrying oxygen to our blood cells, calcium for strong bones, and potassium to help regulate blood pressure and heart function.

Well, those are some of the many reasons basil is good for you, but even more than that, basil is such a wonderful herb to use in cooking.  If you grow it in your garden or inside on a windowsill, there's nothing like cutting off a sprig, then using it immediately in a recipe.  Since it's one of my favorite herbs, I am going to publish a recipe that became a summer favorite - simple, easy, and wonderful because of the fresh ingredients. It is absolutely the best when using fresh-picked tomatoes and cucumbers!

Fresh Tomato & Cucumber Salad

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 - 1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. black pepper
3-4 cloves garlic

10 fresh basil leaves
5 fresh oregano leaves
3 sm. fresh cucumbers (pickling or slicing)
15 baby Roma tomatoes, or 20 cherry tomatoes or
    30 grape tomatoes

Mince or press garlic, then mix in with balsamic and red wine vinegars, allowing to stand for 10 minutes.  Slice basil and oregano leaves into thin strips, then put into a small bowl with your extra virgin olive oil, allowing to stand while you prepare the tomatoes and cucumbers.  Wash tomatoes and cucumbers.  If using cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half, if using baby Roma tomatoes, slice into 3-4 round slices each.  Peel cucumbers, leaving a slight amount of peel on.  Slice into 1/4 in. round slices.  Place tomatoes and cucumbers in salad bowl, seasoning with kosher or sea salt and pepper.  Combine olive oil and vinegars, stirring well, then pour over salad.  Allow salad to marinate for about 1/2 hour, then serve at room temperature.  Any excess dressing can be refrigerated to use later as a marinade.  Serves 6 as a side dish.

Variations:  add green pepper and/or green onion when mixing, or slices of fresh mozzarella or dollops of chevre cheese when serving.

For a crowd:
1 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
6 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
6 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2-3 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
6-8 cloves garlic
15 fresh basil leaves
8 fresh oregano leaves
18 sm. fresh cucumbers, pickling or thin slicing
Tomatoes - 80-90 baby Romas, or 100-120 cherry tomatoes, or
4-5 pts. grape tomatoes

Follow directions above except layer the tomatoes and cucumbers, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.