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Day 163: Eggplant & Tomato Curry

It even LOOKS bland! Tonight's eggplant dish was promising on paper, disappointing on a plate. There was heat from the red pepper but still it was strangely flavorless despite a perfect eggplant and wonderful late-season local tomatoes. It might well be one of those dishes that improves overnight. But I also likely made a mistake, adding a bag of carrot strips that had been tasteless fresh and then, to boot, in the frig for too long. The good news about tonight's curry, however is the first use of a Foodie View -like spot at Ashbury's Aubergines , home to 3100 eggplant recipes. Check off the ingredients you have on hand in the search engine , voila, several recipes from which to choose. Now if only Epicurious were half as good at a search ... EGGPLANT & TOMATO CURRY Hands-on time: 25 minutes Time to table: 60 minutes Makes 7 cups 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 onions, chopped (about 3 cups) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 jalapeno, minced 1 tablespoon minced

Day 162: Mini Tomato Pesto Torte ♥

Here on A Veggie Venture, I try to insert vegetables into every course. So for an easy, make-ahead appetizer from on-hand ingredients, I worked toward something roughly half cheese, half vegetable. And it worked. The proportions were right. The cream/acid mix was right. The color contrast was pretty. And OH: yes, it tasted great! MINI TOMATO PESTO TORTE Hands-on time: 25 minutes Time to table: 2 hours Serves about 4 TOMATO PESTO 4 cloves roasted garlic 8 sun-dried tomato halves (the ones from my grocery are soft and seem to be dried without oil) 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (see ALANNA's TIPS) 2 teaspoons olive oil Some other liquid (tonight, I used juice from a jar of roasted peppers but fruit juice, even water would work) In a small food processor (tonight, I used my favorite food processor attachment to an immersion blender), mix all the ingredients except the 'other liquid'. Then add enough of the other liquid to create a firm but moist paste. TO

Day 161: Eggplant Parmigiana ♥

If there were ever the right time to encourage foodie families to publish their own cookbooks, this is it. The adventurous StephenCooks has been cooking up a family favorite, peroghies , with my Canadian grandmother's recipe. Nana made kazillions of these fruit dumplings over the years. We'd vie for them at weekend dinners at the aunts' and cousin gatherings at the cottage. Today there are only a couple of us who make peroghies but the recipe is recorded for future generations of cooks in our family cookbook. And this week's column over at Kitchen Parade features a kid-favorite cookie recipe from my cousin Laura. We e-mail and talk on the phone. But still, if it weren't for the cookbook? I would have NO idea how delicious Fat Rascals could be. And last night, I cooked a delicious cauliflower casserole from my cousin Sharon, another dish I'd have missed if it weren't for the cookbook. And much by accident, the inspiration for tonight's Eggplant Pa

Kitchen Parade Extra: Fat Rascals ◄

Any cookie monsters in your family? Check out the Fat Rascals featured in this Kitchen Parade column for a tasty after-school treat.

Day 160: Cauliflower Tomato Medley ♥

Today's recipe for late-summer or early fall, a gratin of steamed cauliflower and tomatoes, lightly seasoned and topped with melty cheese. Delicious! ~recipe & photo updated 2012~ ~ more recently updated recipes ~ 2006 Original Post: So what's a seasonal cook to do on a 93-degree first day of fall? Build a bridge between the seasons, that's what! This cauliflower dish struck just the right note tonight, fall's creamy cauliflower paired with summer's slightly acidic tomatoes. Thanks to my cousin Sharon for the recipe, who serves this with roasted meat or grilled fish and says that it's attractive for a buffet supper. I agree! Next time (and there will definitely be a next time) I'll make one or two changes to lighten it, with little change in enjoyment, I think. I'll either double the cauliflower or use half the bread crumbs and cheese. 2012 Update: How often I feel "called" to remake something at exactly the same time of year (or the &

Day 159: Broccoli with Orange & Curry ♥

"Trees" are tasting better and better, thanks to the aggressive trimming learned back on Day 55 . This was bright and refreshing though next time I'll use half the orange/curry. But it's a definite keeper. For other broccoli possibilities, see the broccoli section . BROCCOLI with ORANGE & CURRY Hands-on time: 15 minutes Time to table: 25 minutes Serves 4 1/2 cup orange juice (reduced from 1 cup) Juice from a lemon (about 2 tablespoons) 1 teaspoon butter 1/2 tablespoon curry powder (reduced from 1 tablespoon) 1 pound broccoli, trimmed aggressively Mix the orange juice, lemon juice, butter and curry in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and let simmer until the liquid begins to thicken just slightly. Meanwhile, bring about an inch of water to boil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Place a collapsible steamed inside, add the broccoli, cover and cook for exactly 5 minutes. Drain the water, return the broccoli to the hot pan. Stir in the sauce, cove

Day 158: Turkey Burgers "Vegg-ed Up"

Tonight's supper decision was made at the last minute, standing in front of the meat counter. Did it turn out okay? Of course. Could it have turned out better with planning? Of course. Some cooks are naturals at makin' it up. But I'm not one of 'em. If I'd only made a little bit of effort beforehand, I'd have had a basic recipe like this (nope, too much added fat) or this (hmm, better, lime juice is a good idea) or this (that's it!) to follow and THEN vegg-ed up -- likely with better results and just as importantly, results more likely to be repeated. A good lesson, another to add to A Veggie Venture's growing list . TURKEY BURGERS "VEGG-ED UP" Hands-on time: 10 minutes Time to table: 20 minutes Serves 4 1 pound 99% fat-free ground turkey 1/4 an onion, chopped fine 1/2 a red bell pepper, chopped fine 1/2 cup grated carrot (tonight, a handful of grated carrot from a bag was chopped in just seconds) 1 teaspoon curry Dash ca