Ingredients

• 2 pounds eggplant, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• Sea salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon, plus 2 tablespoons
• 1 pound penne or other short pasta
• 2 cups basic tomato sauce (from Mario’s cookbook)
• 1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup grated caciocavallo or pecorino
• 4 sprigs fresh basil, roughly torn

Preparation

Stack eggplant slices in a colander, each piece sprinkled with sea salt. Weigh the slices with a large, full can of tomatoes or other weight and set aside in the kitchen sink so that juices run free. After 1 hour, rinse and pat dry.

Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons salt.

In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat and saute eggplant slices until golden brown on both sides, working in batches if necessary and removing cooked eggplant to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Cook the penne in the boiling water until not quite done; about 5 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with 3/4 cup of tomato sauce.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease a glass or ceramic oven dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cover the bottom of the dish with a few tablespoons of tomato sauce. Top with half the bread crumbs, and salt and pepper, to taste. Add half the cooked pasta, then half of the eggplant slices, arranged in a layer. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce over, and top with half the grated cheese and torn basil leaves. Repeat the process with remaining tomato sauce, bread crumbs, pasta, eggplant, cheese, and basil.

Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and bake in oven for 1 hour. Let rest 30 minutes before serving.

Mario Batali

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces and skinned
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade, for garnish
• 1 cup black Nyons or kalamata olives, for garnish

Preparation

Combine the 3/4 cup flour and the salt in a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken to the bag, several pieces at a time, and shake to coat completely.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned on both sides. Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain, then arrange in the slow cooker.

Set the sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the onion and the 2 tablespoons flour. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the garlic and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes, until some of the tomato liquid evaporates.

Pour the onion mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 3 to 8 hours, until the chicken is tender. At 3 to 4 hours, the chicken will still be firm and hold its shape. At 6 to 8 hours, the meat will be falling off the bone.

Divide the chicken among dinner plates and garnish with the parsley, basil, and olives. Serve immediately.

Lynn Alley, Epicurious

Ingredients

• 6 cups leftover turkey, chopped
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 2 large onions, quartered and finely sliced
• 1 tbsp sweet curry
• 3-4 pieces leftover fruit (pears, peaches, plums)
• 1 1/2-2 cups water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 cup yogurt, drained
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Preparation

In a large pan, heat the oil over medium. Add onions and cook until lightly brown, stirring frequently. Add the sweet curry powder, stir and cook another 5 minutes. While the onions are cooking, cut up fruit. Use whatever fruit has gotten a bit soft in the fridge, peel or not as desired. Add the water, vinegar and fruit to the pan, stir and get everything simmering, then add the turkey, Make sure the mixture never boils, so the turkey stays tender. Cook everything for as long as possible, 30 minutes minimum. Make rice or pasta while the curry is cooking. Drain the yogurt but placing it in a very fine strainer or a cheese cloth-lined regular strainer over a small bowl while curry is cooking. At the end of the cooking time, add the fresh cilantro leaves and cook for one final minute. Turn the heat off and stir in the yogurt. Serve.

Penzys

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 large egg beaten until light yellow
• 1 cup milk
• 3/4 cup honey
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350, grease 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Whisk first 4 ingredients until blended. Mix the next 5 ingredients in a bowl. Beat the liquid ingredients into the dry ones until just blended. Fold in the nuts. Pour the batter into the greased pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly then unmold.

Joy of Cooking calendar

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup bulgur
• 1 cup frozen, thawed cooked baby shrimp, well drained (about 4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons sliced pitted green olives
• 4 large grape tomatoes, sliced
• 1 scallion, trimmed and chopped
• 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Bring 1/2 cup water to boiling in a small pot. Stir in bulgur. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and bulgur is chewy, not hard. Spoon into a large salad bowl and set aside to cool. Add shrimp, olives, tomatoes, scallion and parsley to bulgur. Stir well. Combine vinegar, oil and cumin in a small cup. Pour over salad. Toss gently but well. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside 10 minutes for flavors to blend.

Chicago Tribune

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups grated zucchini, squeezed of excess moisture
• 1 1/2 cups ground pecans or walunts

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Whisk together first four ingredients. Blend the next 5 ingredients in a bowl. Stir in the dry ingredients. Blend in the zucchini and nuts with a few swift strokes. Scrape the batter into the greased pan. Bake until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 45 min. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the rack.

Joy of Cooking Calendar