Kendra's hummus with roasted eggplant

Here's the recipe I make every week...and it disappears every week! It's super cheap and takes 5 minutes and is soooo good. My good friend Kendra gave me the recipe. It pretty much sealed the friendship :)

1 large can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
2-4 cloves garlic, crushed (or 1/2 tsp dried garlic)
1/6 cup water
2-4 Tbsp tahini (opt)
1 Tbsp olive oil
pinch salt
Lemon juice - start with 1/2 lemon and add to taste
1 eggplant, roasted and scooped from peel*

Dump. Purée with stick blender/blender/food processor. Dip.

* The eggplant is optional but SO stinkin' good. It's so creamy. Just wrap the eggplant in foil (well!) and toss it in the oven the next time you bake something. When it soft, it's done. Let cool completely in foil, then unwrap and add to hummus.

Grandgarden salad

big handful of mixed lettuces
1 ripe tomato, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
6-8 mint leaves, snipped
2 rounds fresh goat cheese
freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tsp Italian dressing


Garden fresh!

Baked pork chops and wild rice

Mmmm... comfort food!

6 bone-in pork chops
2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
2 onions, peeled and quartered
1 cup brown rice
1/4 wild rice
1/4 cup quinoa
2 Tbsp onion soup mix
1 packet dried mushroom soup mix
1 tsp sage
3 cups water

In a large baking dish mix together rices, quinoa, soup mixes and sage. Add water and stir. Place pork chops on top of rice, then add carrots and onions over them. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 1 hour. If it begins to dry out, add more water (1/4 cup at a time). The onions and carrots should roast and brown. if they start getting too done, cover dish with aluminum foil.

Thin-crust pizza margherita

We make pizza every Friday, sometimes more often during the summer when I don't feel like slaving over a hot oven. By my estimates, I've made more than 300 pizza crusts in the past four years. We decided to try a thin crust pizza recently and are hooked! Bonus: it can be made in about an hour.

What you'll need:
a large bowl
strong spatula or wooden spoon
2 tsp sugar or 3 tsp honey
2 1/4 tsp yeast
11/4 cup warm water
3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp oil
paper towel
pizza stone or baking sheet

Pour the water into your large bowl.



Heat in the microwave to about 120 degrees, or until hot to the touch, but you can stand to keep your pinkie finger in it.



Dissolve the sugar/honey in the hot water.



Pour in the yeast.





Let stand 5 minutes or until 'fireworks' bubble to the top of the water.



Wait until the entire surface is covered with foam. Stir well to dissolve any remaining yeast granules on the bottom of your bowl.





Add half of the flour, stirring until blended. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to get it all mixed in. Your dough should have a batter-like consistency.

Add another cup of flour and stir until mixed in completely.



Sprinkle salt on the dough. Using the spatula, lift the dough up from the bottom and fold it over the top to trap the salt within the dough.



Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.





Knead until smooth and elastic (about 4 minutes). Add 1 Tbsp of flour at a time as needed to keep it from sticking. When you can knead it ten times without sticking to your hands, it's probably ready.



Shape it into a ball.



Place dough in a large bowl coated with oil, turning to coat top. Cover lightly with a damp paper towel. Microwave on high for 15 seconds. Repeat ten minutes later, and again ten minutes later. During this time, preheat the broiler.

Cut dough in half and roll out on parchment paper. Thin, thin, thin!





Top with marinara sauce and cheese.



Broil for 7-10 minutes until browned. Snip basil over the pizza.

Spiced carrot zucchini bread

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 cup purée carrots
1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs

Combine flour and the next 5 ingredients (through cloves) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add shredded zucchini to flour mixture; toss well. Combine canola oil, buttermilk, carrot purée and eggs in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

Pour batter into a loaf pan coated. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 50 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack then remove from pan.

Lait caillé potato salad

3 large potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2-3/4 cup lait caillé (or plain yogurt)
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
pinch of salt

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Cover, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook 6-10 minutes until just softened, but still firm. Drain water and spread potatoes out on a baking sheet to cool.

In a large bowl, mix together remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust as needed.

Once potatoes have stopped steaming, pour them into the bowla nd stir to coat. Chill well before serving.