Excellent Eggplant

I have seen eggplant at the store the last few times I have gone shopping and I really wanted to try it. I made up a sauce recipe using the eggplant and some other veggies....holy yummy!

Eggplant and Squash Pasta Sauce

1 medium sized zuchini
1 medium sized summer squash
1 small eggplant
1/4 cup red onion
5 roma tomatoes, chopped into small pieces

fresh herbs (basil, thyme, oregano)

2 8oz cans tomato sauce
light olive oil


Using a large skillet, cover bottom of pan with olive oil. Chop eggplant, zuchini and summer squash into bite size pieces. Place into oil with 1/2 cup water and cook on medium heat, covered. Chop red onion into small pieces and add to skillet. Add garlic and stirring often, allow veggies to steam for 20 minutes, or until tender.

In a food processor, chop fresh herbs. Add tomato sauce and pulse until blended. In a separate skillet, pour herb/sauce mixture and add chopped tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, just long enough for tomatoes to become soft, but not mushy.


In a large bowl, mix the sauted vegetable mix and the tomato sauce.

Stir together and spoon over pasta.

I tried a new kind of pasta this time...it is whole wheat and almost half the calories of regular pasta...I was afraid it was going to taste nasty because most healthy foods do, but it was delicious!

Sprinkle the pasta with a shredded parmesan and ramano cheese blend and some salt and pepper, and viola! Tasty Egg-cellent Pasta!

Veggie Overload

I have been using my food processor every chance I get...I LOVE that thing. Two days ago, I used fresh raspberries from Mom's garden to make my own raspberry lime vinaigrette dressing....so good!

Raspberry Lime Vinaigrette

1 cup fresh raspberries
2 tbs lime juice
1 tbs chopped oregano
1 tbs chopped thyme
1 tbs minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil

Place berries in processor and chop until juiced. Add herbs and garlic. Chop until well mixed. Add lime juice and oil. Chop until completely blended.

This evening, I made my oen veggie pasta sauce....it was delicious!

Veggie Pasta Sauce

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 large roma tomatoes
2 tbs minced garlic
6 sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 sprigs Fresh Oregano
10 leaves Fresh Basil
3 tbs butter
6oz tomato paste

Use food processor to chop celery, carrots, and onion into small pieces. Place chopped veggies in a skillet with butter. Cover and cook at medium heat.

Place tomatoes in processor and chop until a juicy paste forms. Add to skillet. Blend canned tomato paste with minced garlic and fresh herbs.
Add to skillet.
Stir well and allow mixture to simmer on medium to low heat for 20 minutes. Serve over pasta.

I chose to place the sauce over tri-color bow ties. I also sauted fresh green beens with garlic as a side.


Dessert was equally delicious....vanilla bean ice cream with fresh raspberries from Mom's garden and chocolate drizzle....YUM!

Afternoon Nap

From the Other Side of the Tracks

Things I Won't Be Eating For Dinner....

Or any time soon, for that matter.



It may be microwavable, but it's a little pricey......and it sounds contagious.

Buds and Blooms

Teeming With Life

Beautiful Bridges

Things I Love...

I don't know how I have lived this long without a food processor.


Mom and I went shopping last night and I bought a little, 3 cup food processor from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I love hummus and pesto and wanted to be able to make my own; it's so expensive from the store! I cut some of my fresh basil and used the processor to make pesto tonight. Oh. My. God. It's amazing. I'm in love.


Here was dinner:

Pesto Tomato Pizza

Ingredients:
3 roma tomatoes
1/2 vidalia onion
1/2 cup pesto
pepperoni
shredded mozzarella cheese
shredded parmesan cheese
whole wheat crust

Spread pesto on crust. Cut tomatoes into small chunks and place in food processor. Chop until cut into small pieces. Spread on top of pesto. Repeat with onion. Cover onion and tomatoes with pepperoni slices. Cover pepperoni with a thin layer of shredded parmesan cheese and then a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. Place in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust edges are browned.

Pesto:
1 cup packed fresh basil
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 light olive oil
salt/pepper

Chop walnuts/ pine nuts in food processor. Add basil and chop until well mixed. Add garlic and chop again. Add all of oil and pulse chop until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

DELICIOUS!!

Everything Indy

Indy is growing by leaps and bounds. He is almost 11 weeks old now and full of energy. He tears around my apartment draging around anything he can get his paws on. He LOVES pens and pencils...and his green boa. It took me almost two hundred photos to get these five...he's just so quick!!
Indy also enjoys sitting in my window and watching what goes on outside...he will even climb the screen, as much as I wish he wouldn't. Today, however, the birds really caught his attention. I couldn't figure out where this cackling/chattering noise was coming from...and then I realized it was Indy. I have never seen a cat do this before, but I was able to catch it on video. You can't really hear him, but watch his jaw...