eggplant stew

Ingredients

• 1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 quart chicken stock, divided
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 red onion, chopped, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 to 4 celery stalks, cut into bite sized pieces
• 2 cubanelle peppers, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 eggplants, peeled of half the skin, cut into bite-sized cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes (recommended: San Marzano)
• 1 cup milk
• Handful golden raisins
• 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped and finely chopped
• 1 cup quick cooking polenta
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano

Directions

Place dried mushrooms and 2 cups chicken stock in a small pot over medium-low heat.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven or high sided skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add garlic, crushed pepper, onions, carrots, celery, peppers, and eggplant to the pot as you chop them. Add the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and cover the pot to sweat the vegetables out a little faster. Stir occasionally for 10 to 12 minutes then uncover and add the balsamic vinegar.

Remove the reconstituted dried mushrooms to the pot with a slotted spoon. Pour in all but the last few tablespoons of mushroom stock. The last of the stock can hold a little loose grit from the dried mushrooms. Add tomatoes and break up with a wooden spoon. Simmer over low heat the last few minutes before serving. Adjust salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining 2 cups stock with 1 cup milk, golden raisins and rosemary over medium high heat. Whisk in polenta and stir 3 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in honey, butter and cheese.

Pile some polenta in shallow bowls and spoon the stew around the polenta.

white wine vinegar chicken

Brown chicken in OO, put aside

add ww vinegar, garlic, 1 tbsp tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, basil, oregano

Simmer sauce

add chicken back in

add a couple of pats of butter

serve over roast potatoes

cinnamon rolls

Ingredients:
20 frozen dough rolls (or 1 frozen bread loaf, thawed (approx. 1 hour) until sliceable and cut into 12 pieces
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vanilla instant pudding
1-2 Tbsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/4-1/2 cup melted butter

Instructions:
Before you put the cat out and turn off the lights, grease a 10" bundt pan and add frozen rolls. Sprinkle with brown sugar, pudding powder, cinnamon and raisins. Pour melted butter over all. Cover with a clean, damp cloth. (leave out at room temperature). Turn out the lights and say goodnight!

Halibut Provencal

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4x6 ounce halibut filets, dried on paper towels
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, chopped or 1 can of whole tomatoes
• 24 black olives, pitted
• 24 green olives, pitted
• 1/4 cup of capers
• 1/4 cup best quality balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat a large heavy skillet. Add enough oil to cover the bottom with a thin film. When wisps of smoke begin to appear, season the halibut with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Sear on one side until it has a crispy golden crust and releases easily from the pan. Flip and sear on the other side, remove to a plate and reserve.
2. Add the onions and garlic to the hot pan, and sauté until they smell great, a minute or two. Add the tomatoes olives, capers and balsamic and heat through. Add the halibut back to the pan and continue heating until the fish is cooked through, another five minutes or so.

cous cous

1 1/2 cup chicken stalk

handful chopped dried apricots

pitted kalamata olives chopped

3 green onions chipped

1 cup cous cous

simmer apricots and chicken stock 10 minutes

pour over cous cous

add olives and onions

sit 10 minutes, fluff, serve hot or cold