Dinner: Eggplant Parm

I don't normally like to brag.

Fine, if you know me, you know I brag.

And this dish is worth bragging about: Eggplant Parm from the America's Test Kitchen Cooking for 2 2009 magazine.

It was perfect for me and FD. A perfect serving for two.

And it rivaled any restaurant Eggplant Parm.

Who knew I was so awesome? ;)

I firmly believe the tricks to this recipe are:

a.) Follow the instructions on how to make your own sauce. It's perfect for the dish!

b.) Make your own bread crumbs as the recipe instructs.

c.) Layer the eggplant as the recipe directs you to do.

d.) Invest in some good non-stick oven ready cookware. Our Le Creuset is the best cookware investment I have made--ever. And the thought that it will last long enough for my one-day grandchildren to inherit makes me tear up.

For a side we had fresh organic broccoli from our local farmer. I followed her advice to steam the leave of the head of broccoli. (Yes, our broccoli looks like "real" broccoli; I didn't believe it at first either.) The greens were a bit bitter, which I enjoyed but FD did not.

I love how pretty it all looked on the china, though.

Yes, I'm going to brag.

Damn, this meal I made was the bomb. I will make it again when I need an ego boost.

Meals, etc.

Sunday dinner: BLT with maple brushed hormone-free bacon, Homestead Gardens lettuce, Haslinger's Tomato, and garlic roasted Mayo on Zingerman's Brewhouse Bread. On the side: Moosewood Oven Fries.

Confession: The bacon was so good, FD and I put away one pound of it within 6 hours.

Though it sounds gross, it was absolutely divine.

Monday dinner: Biaggi's with our beloved friends Frank and Christine who moved to Delaware today. Breaking bread with them and guzzling two bottles of 14 Hands was the perfect way to send them off. The dessert sampler took the cake though. (Pun intended.) We can't wait to visit them and experience the Delaware food scene. Much love, you two; BG won't be the same without you. You're missed sorely, especially your hotchney, little plaid-clad man.



Tuesday: afternoon snack. Donna and Kelly in GSW got me this "Thank You" Hello Kitty cake for my work as Assistant Director this past Spring and Summer semesters. A very cute tasty chocolate cake treat. Thanks, ladies. I'm excited to step into my new role as Instructional Assistant.




Tuesday night: Happy Badger Food Club Tofu curry with Homestead Gardens fingerling potatoes, onions, and blue spice, chili-ready diced tomatoes, and tons of curry powder from Calico, Sage, and Thyme. Drank Calder's skimmed milk with one to cut the heat.












Tonight: FD-caught Maumee River Walleye with butter, garlic, and white wine reduction; sauteed Homestead Gardens spinach; and Homestead Gardens fingerling potatoes with orange mint, parsley, chives and oregano.

Just want to thank Ben for bringing my veggies to the office today. I can't express how happy it makes me to get local, fresh veggies in the middle of work chaos.

And I have to point out that FD noticed that instead of Hunan at the Falls in my "Out To Eat" links, I have Human at the Falls. (As I've said, I'm the Queen of Typos.) I guess if this blog was McCarthy's The Road, that typo might make some more sense.

More food adventures coming soon! Stay tuned!

Dinner: Vension Steaks with Herbed Potatoes & Beans

Venison steaks from a family friend with a red wine reduction and herbed heirloom potatoes--both herbs and potatoes from Homestead Gardens--and green beans from BG Farmers Market.

Teamwork: it's how FD and I cook. He was on the venison & I was on the veggies.

As awesome as this meal was I want to quickly note a few revisions I would make:

Cook reduction a bit longer and the venison a bit shorter. Separate the veggies--to cook, simply stem, add butter and parsley, mint, chives, and basil--from the meat. Roast the potatoes after steaming. Add more rosemary to the venison meat.

What to keep the same: WINE, ingredients, china (Kate Spade Gramercy Park), company (FD, my fav foodie companion for life), and music (Hank Williams: cooking & dinner; The Amps: dish washing.)

(Dan just rushed in my office, saying, "Everything we cooked tonight was Ohio based, except for the flour, wine, and vegetable oil." We don't count our Spanish Blood Orange EVOO because we buy it from the Olive Tap in Medina, Ohio with thanks to my sis-in-law Tra. If we broke down the cost, we don't have a meat cost and with the veggies we got about 4 servings, which would be about $.75 per person. Not bad, especially when the majority of the profit goes to local farmers! Oh, and FD simmered the reduction for 5 more minutes and it was perfect. Still learning; as G.I. Joe would say, "Knowing is half the battle!")

* To keep it "everyday" photos are taken with my iPhone. No fancy photography, just quick snapshots, then on to the eating.