Eggplant Parmesan

1 eggplant
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 can French's fried onions or crispy onion straws (sold in salad topping section)
Mozzarella cheese
4 cheese Italian blend (optional)

Begin a pot of boiling, salted water. Using veggie peeler, remove skin from the eggplant. Cut stem pieces off. Cube the vegetable and add to boiling water. Cook at least 10 minutes, test a piece to make sure it is softened. Drain well.

Using a potato masher, mash the cooked eggplant, give it a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt and spread in a casserole dish.
Next layer some crispy onions, followed by a jar of marinara sauce. Grate mozzarella over entire dish. Sprinkle 4 cheese Italian blend over all. Finish it off with crispy onions.

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until top begins to turn golden.

I made this tonight for dinner and it is so delicious. Best of luck!

Xo, Ryan

Green Chile

I've got roasted green chiles for days, this green chile is so amazing.  I shared it last year on my dear friend's blog here.  Her blog has lots of really good recipes.  So, if you're lucky enough to get some fresh green chiles, try this out.  

Lorenz's Roasted Green Chile

-Ingredients for Boil-

-2 Cups Green Chiles (Roasted Preferably- Hatch's chilies even better)

-2 Cups Chicken Broth

-3 Cups Water

-1 LB Pork Shoulder- bone-in preferred (Cut into 1 inch cubes)

* I used thin cut pork loin chops because they are lean and easy

-1 Cup Diced White Onion

-1 1/2 Cup Diced Fresh Tomatillos 

-3 Garlic Cloves (Fresh peeled preferred and smashed flat with knife)

-teaspoon cumin, paprika

-dash of pepper, cayenne, oregano

-tablespoon of salt

*I added a heaping spoonful of diced jalapenos plus the liquid from a can.

-Thickener- (Optional) Use only if chile is too runny for your liking.

-1 Teaspoon of Corn Starch

-1/4 Cup water

-Directions-

Combine all ingredients for chile in large stock pot or crock pot, except onions and pork. Sear pork in hot oiled pan till all pieces are browned. Take pork from pan and throw into pot. Take onions and throw into the same pan with fat from the browned pork. Cook onions till soft and translucent. Throw onions into pot. Heat pot with all ingredients till they boil then lower heat till there is a nice low simmer. Cook for 3 hours minimum. Cook for up to 10 hours if time allows.

When ready to eat take half of the contents and blend in food processor. Return to pot and salt to your liking. (Fine without being blended if you don't have food processor.)

If you want a thicker chile make a corn starch slurry by whisking the corn starch with water. Then add to the the pot slowly until it is completely absorbed into the chile.

Finish each bowl of chile with as much garnish cheese, sour cream, and cilantro as you would like.

xo, Ryan 

http://coxforever.blogspot.com/

Baked New Potatoes

• Red Potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Salt

Wash and cut new red potatoes into smaller pieces.  Place in bowl.  Coat with olive oil and kosher salt (larger salt crystals).  Spread on cookie sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes until outside is crisp and a little browned and the inside is tender.

Zucchini Bread

• 2 cups sugar
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups zucchini

Mix and make into 2-3 loaves.  Bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

September Theme: GARDEN VEGETABLES

Hi Friends!  It's time for another month of great recipes!  This month we are exploring GARDEN VEGETABLES.  Do you have a great recipe for the mounds of zucchini or piles of corn?  Let us know how you mix it up and use those yummy vegetables.