Not the best presentation. But then I AM a hungry bastard

Ingredients

1 large European eggplant, cause I have no Chinese
1 medium onion, chopped into large pieces
3 jalapeños seeded, diced
3 healthy cloves of chopped garlic
a generous handful of fresh Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped
4tbsp canola oil

Sauce:
2-3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1-2 tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup warm water

2 tsp corn starch mixed with 4 tbsp cold water

Directions

Mix fish sauce, soy, water and brown sugar; set aside.

Heat wok on medium-high heat. Add 2tbsp oil, and eggplants. Fry for 2 minutes on either side, or until they begin to brown and turn soft. Remove from wok.

Add 1 tbsp oil to wok. Add onions, and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until soft and glossy. Remove from wok.

Heat remaining oil. Add garlic and chiles, and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onions; fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Return eggplant to the wok, and toss to combine.

Add sauce to the wok, stirring for 1 minute. Toss in basil.

Add corn starch, cooking until the sauce becomes thick and coats the vegetables. Serve immediately over hot rice.

While their site was difficult to actually figure out HOW to buy the tree, at least for me, the shipping and received product made it more than worth the effort. The tree came with a great little booklet to get you started, and it has already doubled in size since I got it. I know I will get my moneys worth just from the bounty it will provide me this summer, and I hope to give it refuge indoors over the winter, to begin the process anew next spring. Time will tell if I have what it takes to keep this little guy alive. *fingers crossed*

So this is a very simple recipe but still one of my favorites. So here goes:

Ingredients

• 1 tbs chopped ginger
• 4-5 medium sized garlic cloves chopped
• 1.5 lbs skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large onion
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1/2 can of Maesri red curry paste
• 1 can of JFC Coconut milk (seriously, don’t buy that Goya shit anymore)
• 2 cups of freshly rendered chicken stock from last nights carcass… (or whatever you have)
• 6 kaffir lime leaves (2-3 for mere mortals)

Directions

1. Pop the onions, garlic and ginger in some olive oil on med high and cook until the onion is translucent.
2. Add the curry paste and walk it around the pan a bit to get the garlic and kaffir lime rind all happy
3. Add your chicken and stir, cooking just enough to lock in the chickeny goodness
4. Add everything else, stir and put on med high until it starts to simmer
5. Once simmering drop down to low and let that bad boy stew for about 20 minutes.
6. Thats it. See…I told you it was easy

Can't you just smell it???

Ingredients

• 2 cups canned garbanzo beans, drained (of course dumbass)
• 1/3 cup tahini paste (W00t whole foods!)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, halved

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tbsp diced roasted red bell peppers
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1-2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, plucked fresh from your garden, then minced

Directions

1. Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic in a blender or food processor. Pulse until mostly broken up. Scrape with a rubber spatla, pulse a few times. I like my hummus with some texture left so the idea is to blend as will as possible without over doing it. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl. Despite the picture, shallow is good.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the garbanzo bean mixture. Add diced roasted bell peppers. Sprinkle with paprika, toasted pine nuts and parsley.

Ingredients

• 2 Pork Tenderloins (about 2.5 lbs total)
• 1 cup plain (greek) yogurt
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated onion

Directions

1. Prepare all the marinade ingredients in a non reactive container. Like a stainless bowl…or maybe a marble challis. Whatever you have.
2. Split your two tenderloins so that you have 4 strips and cube by slicing in 1/2 inch increments.
3. Drop the pork in the bowl and stir until all the bits are covered with marinadey goodness.
4. Wait with high anticipation for at least 4 hours while your mixture congeals. Overnight is best but who plans that far in advance. I mean really!
5. Pull your mixture from the fridge and gaze in wonder at what used to be boring old pork, which has now become a magical food with many healing properties, mostly it cures hunger.

These were excellent. Stole this from Emeril but made some adjustments I’ll need to update this post with later.

Man I just LOVE Polenta. Nom nom nom

The cake

• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ cup butter
• 4 eggs (separate eggs)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt

1. Beat egg whites stiff
2. Then cream butter and sugar and egg yolks and vanilla .. 5minutes, add dry ingredients and milk alternately, coconut, and then add egg whites last
3. Fold in ½ cup of shredded coconut
4. Heat in 2 9inch pans for  350 35-45 minutes

The icing

• 2 tsps butter
• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1. To Make Frosting: Melt the butter or margarine in a skillet. Add the 2 cups flaked coconut and stir constantly over low heat until golden brown. Spread coconut on absorbent paper to cool.
2. Cream the remaining 2 tablespoons butter or margarine with the cream cheese. Add the milk and confectioners’ sugar alternately, beating well. Add the vanilla and stir in 1 3/4 cups of the toasted coconut.
3. To Assemble Cake: Spread tops of cooled cake layers with some of the frosting. Stack them and then frost the sides of the cake. Sprinkle Cake with the remaining toasted coconut.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons cumin seed
• 1 Indian green chili pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground turmeric

• 1 pound chopped fresh collard greens
• 1 pound chopped fresh spinach

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat, and cook and stir cumin seed, chili pepper, garlic, and turmeric until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
2. Stir in the chopped collard greens and spinach a little at a time, adding the tougher parts first (the stems and thicker leaves). Continue to add greens, and cook and stir until all greens have been added and all are thoroughly wilted. Stir in the cumin, coriander, and salt. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until greens are tender, about 10 minutes, adding water as needed to keep the greens moist.

• 6  tsp minced Fresh Mint
• 3 tsp Mayo
• 3/4 c (6 oz)Dijon Mustard (country style/course ground/ya know…the good stuff)
• 2 cloves garlic pressed
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• a bit of light brown sugar (about 1 tsp or to taste)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound bulk spicy Italian sausage
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 slices bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• about 6 cups chicken broth
• 6 potatos, cubed
• 1/4 – 1/2 bunch fresh spinach(depending on desired Popeye factor), stems removed

Directions:

1. Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Cook the bacon in the same skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving a few tablespoons of drippings with the bacon in the bottom of the pan. Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet with the bacon and onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Mix the spinach into the soup just before serving.

Inspiration/Stolen from:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Super-Delicious-Zuppa-Toscana/Detail.aspx