So, the hubs made this in a pressure cooker. This Christmas I meant to buy him a slow cooker. WIth the arrival of our 2nd bundle of joy I thought a slow cooker would be an easy way to have a hot meal ready when we got home after work. But instead I bought a pressure cooker by accident. (I liked the way it looked and it took up less counter space but still held same volume as the other ones on display). BEST MISTAKE I EVER MADE because you can whip up dishes with dried beans in no time, like 20 minutes!!! No more gooey sodium laden canned beans for us!!!  (But this can be done on the stove top with prepared beans) Here are the ingredients.

1 cup dry black bean (1 can cooked black beans – rinsed drained if you are making in a regular pot)

1 diced banana

2 cups unsweetened silk coconut milk (NOT THE CANNED STUFF!)

1 diced onion

1 head of peeled and chopped garlic

2 teaspoons Penzey’s ground red chipotles

1 tablespoon za’atar spice blend

fresh cilantro – a couple of sprigs

4 small tomatoes – quartered

3 celery heart stalks – chopped

1 tablespoon salt (do not use if using canned beans!)

1 red and 1 yellow pepper diced

1 heaping tablespoon of Girardelli cocoa powder (or any other brand)

1/8 cup lemon juice (juice of one lemon)

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1. Sautee garlic and onion in za’atar, chipotle and lemon juice.

2. Add salt, beans, banana, coconut milk and cocoa powder, bring to a boil, and set pressure cooker for 22 minutes

3. Add peppers, celery, cilantro and tomatoes – pressure cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Serve over brown rice! So YUMMY!!!! My husband has never played by the rules. And is not bogged down by culinary tradition. His unique and spontaneous food combinations never cease to surprise and please me! I used to be a purist. I no longer am. Plus he is pretty cute and totally hilarious. I love you! (picture below at last year’s Emmy’s – we lost ALL SIX NOMINATIONS but had a blast nonetheless)

i heard that this recipe would send me into labor….and i’m at the point where i will try ANYTHING!!! i did, however, make some healthy changes to it.

i baked my eggplant until tender instead of frying it after i spritzed it with a little olive oil. i also used low fat ricotta cheese, but didn’t skimp on the parm, romano or mozzarella. bc it would taste as good!

and i used cans of san marzano tomatoes – cubed.

Eggplant Parmesan Recipe
Ingredients:

3 medium size eggplants
1 cup of flour
6 eggs, beaten
4 cups fine Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Olive oil
8 cups of marinara sauce (see recipe below)
1/2 cup of grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 lbs of mozzarella cheese shredded
2 cups of ricotta cheese

Directions:

Peel the eggplants (optional) and slice them into ¼ inch slices. Using paper towels, press on the eggplant slices to get rid of any extra moisture. Salt and set them aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Take your eggplant slices and lightly cover them with flour. Dip them in eggs and then in bread crumbs. Saute your eggplant slices in oil until both sides are golden brown.

In a baking pan place a layer of eggplant slices and cover with sauce then ricotta, Parmesan and Romano cheese. Continue layering the eggplant, sauce and cheese and end with a last layer of cheese. Cover with mozzarella cheese and bake in preheated oven for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Eggplant Parmesan Marinara Sauce
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
3 tablespoons of olive oil
8 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 cup onions chopped
1/2 cup of fresh chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1/8 cup of fresh chopped sweet basil
Pinch of thyme
Pinch of rosemary
One teaspoon salt
One teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add your tomatoes and cook on medium high until sauce begins to boil. Reduce heat to low. Then add the rest of your ingredients. Cover sauce and simmer for about an hour.

ok, i’m actually using spaghetti…but i am taking the sage advise of my buddy lisa and eating WHATEVER i want WHENEVER i want it during these final days of pregnancy. i would have made it for breakfast, but i actually went to spin class – thankyouverymuch.

this recipe is from the food network’s tyler florence- who btw is not really a “chef”. he used to be the cook at the defunct Cafeteria on 7th ave and not to sound catty, was average at best (i mean, who can’t make mashed potatoes?). use it as a guideline. i use way more garlic, more white wine, no butter and barilla plus spaghetti. after the baby, i’ll be using fiber gourmet.

Ingredients
1 pound dry linguine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
4 garlic cloves, slivered
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 pounds littleneck or Manila clams, scrubbed and rinsed well
3/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 handfuls fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons lightly toasted and fried bread crumbs (optional)
Directions
Prepare the sauce while the pasta is cooking to ensure that the linguine will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm (as they say in Italian “al dente.”) Drain the pasta well.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium flame in a deep saute pan with a lid. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes; saute for 2 minutes. Add the clams, wine, and lemon juice. Cover and cook, shaking the pan periodically, until all the clams are opened, about 7 minutes. Discard any that have not opened.

Crank the flame up to medium-high heat. Add the hot, drained linguine to the pan; add the butter and season with salt and pepper. Toss the pasta with the clams to it’s nicely coated. Shower with chopped parsley and toasted bread crumbs. Drizzle with a nice dose of olive oil before serving.

beofre summer is over, try this amazing recipe from Toloache…we featured this great Mexican restaurant on our show!

Guacamole de Frutas (medium)
Yield: 4

2 Mexican hass avocados
half of a sweet onion, like vidalia, diced
2 tbsp mango, diced
2 tbsp peach, diced
2 tbsp apple, diced
1 tsp of habanero, chopped
salt, to taste

Scoop the pulp out of the ripe avocados into a bowl, and set aside. Add the rest of the ingredients and a pinch of salt. Mash the ingredients together, and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve with warm corn tortillas or chips.

Ingredients
Ice cubes
6 ounces vodka
4 ounces lychee juice
Splash vermouth
2 lychees, for garnish
Directions
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add vodka, lychee juice and vermouth. Shake until chilled. Pour into 2 martini glasses and garnish with lychees.

All ingredients listed in the recipe are estimates. Add or subtract according to your taste. One of the things that makes sangria so wonderful is its flexibility. Depending on the ingredients used, sangria can be a light thirst-quencher or a potent cocktail that can set heads spinning. Adjust the amounts of liquor according to mood and the guests. Taste the sangria the day before your guests’ arrival so you can tweak the flavors a bit (add additional juice, brandy, liqueur, fruit, or sugar if you want).

Yields: serves many
Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

2 (750 ml. bottles) dry white wine (Pinot Gris, Chablis, Chardonnay, Riesling, or Sauvingnon Blanc, chilled
1 cup fruit brandy (your favorite)
Fruit juice of your choice (I use fruit juice instead of sugar to add some sweetness)
Granulated sugar or Simple Syrup to taste (optional if not using fruit juice)
Fresh fruit (use whatever combination of fruit and berries that are in season), sliced*
2 cups club soda, 7-Up, seltzer water, lemon-lime soda, or sparkling water (optional)
Ice cubes
Mint sprigs, for garnish

*Any other seasonal fruit that tempts you may be added (berries, melon, grapes, guavas, mangos, apples, etc). Fruit juices may also be added. Let your imagination be your guide!

Preparation:

In a clean vessel, large enough to accommodate the wine, brandy, and fruit (pickle jar, sun tea jars, etc), combine the wine, fruit brandy, and fruit juices. Pour in the sugar or simple syrup, stir or shake the pitcher thoroughly to mix. Add the cut up fruits of your choice.

Add ice. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the fruits flavors to come through.

Serve the Sangria over ice in large wine glasses. Fill serving glass half full with ice. Pour the sangria over the ice. Add a few slices of the marinated fruit along with some fresh berries. Garnish each glass with a mint sprig and serve immediately.

Simple Syrup:
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Boil for 5 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat and let cool.

Tangerine Rum Popsicles

Yields: 6 Popsicles
Prep: 15 minutes
Freeze: 8 hours

2 oz.             Bacardi Select Dark Rum
22 oz / 2 ¾ cup     8 to 10 Peeled Minneola Tangerines
1 oz.            Juice of 1 Lime
1 oz.            Raw Sugar Simple Syrup*
Splash of Lemon-lime soda
8 Popsicle Sticks

Into a blender, add peeled tangerines, lime juice, simple syrup and soda.  Puree mixture into a liquid.  Strain mixture into a measuring cup and add rum.  Mix well and pour into Popsicle molds.  Add Popsicle sticks and freeze for 8 hours.

is it possible? yes it is! made it last night….(i always cook more so we have leftovers…)

1.5 pounds high fiber rotini (smart balance, never tried it before, very good!)

1 cup sargento reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar (1/3 less fat)

1 cup fat free ricotta

1 cup evaporated fat free milk (but i think regular fat free milk would be fine)

1 cup fat free cottage cheese (or fat free greek yogurt)

10 garlic cloves

1 sweet onion

salt

pepper

garlic powder

breadcrumbs

1/4 cup pecorino romano or parmigiano. i like pecorino bc it’s more pungent.

1. preheat oven to 350

2. cook pasta al dente. drain set aside

3. heat up milk and add in other cheese, slowly stirring constantly.

4. in a microwave safe bowl, shop onion and garlic, add 1/2 cup water and cook on high for 10 minutes. remove and put in blender. add to cheese mixture.

4. add salt and pepper to taste.

5. put pasta in casserole dish, add cheese, combine. top with bread crumbs, pecorino, and garlic powder, more or less depending on how much you want to stink the next day. (i will be scaring off vampires or the next 72 hours.)

6. cook for 15-20 mins until bubbly and crusty on top.

serve with steamed broccoli. my 3 year old had two bowls. and so did i!

So our buddies Lee and Marina invited us over for a little dinner (she made Malaysian Chicken Curry w/Swiss Chard and Feta! YUM!)). But we all knew it was really an excuse for the parents to unwind, have a beer or two, while the rug rats run themselves ragged. And dessert fell in my lap. Too lazy to go to the store, in true McGuiver style, I rummaged around the cupboards on a quest to make apple crisp (which Lord knows why, I was seriously craving). This is what I found:

3 apples – one green, one golden, one fiji, all past their prime. Not really enough to make enough for 6, I pulled a half full bag organic mixed berries from the freezer.

2 Apple Juice Boxes (which we never let our sugar deprived son have! lol!)

Lacking fresh Lemon Juice, i used my husbands dehydrated powdered lemon packets – free samples form work – True Lemon – 6 packets mixed with 6 tablespoons water.

Oats (1 cup)

Whole Wheat Flower (1 cup)

Brown Sugar (1/3 cup)

2 Tablespoons Butter. C’mon, you gotta have a little butter!

What I did:

1. I peeled and thinly sliced apples and dumped bag of berries into pyrex dish.

2. Sprinkled lemon “juice”

3. Added in 1 and 1/2 juice boxes

3. Mixed Oats, Whole Wheat Flower, Brown Sugar – also added cinnamon – maybe 2 teaspoons. Chopped up butter into tiny pieces, mixed it in and put over fruit.

4. Sprinkled remaining juice box.

5. Baked at 400 degrees until bubbly. About 35 minutes.

Packed the dish in a roaster pan, covered with tin foil, hopped in the Traverse and hit the road.