A Prelude to Winter

Looks like we may actually get some rain here!. Though you still never know. I have seen it rain in the L.A. basin,yet we nevr get a drop up here in the Antelope Valley. But it is real cloudy, and it was a 'red sky" this morning. So, hopefully we get wet ! I am really enjoying the cool weather, though the forecast is to be back in the mid 80's by the weekend. Again, we'll see.
Anyway, have a happy day!
Kent

Roasted Eggplant & Feta Dip

This roasted eggplant and feta dip gets a kick from a fresh chile pepper and cayenne pepper. There are countless variations on this classic meze (appetizer) in Greece. Out-of-season eggplant or eggplant that has been heavily watered often has an abundance of seeds, which make the vegetable bitter. Be sure to taste the dip before you serve it; if it's a touch bitter, you can remedy that with a little sugar. Serve with toasted pita crisps or as a sandwich spread.


Ingredients


1 medium eggplant, (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese, preferably Greek

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small chile pepper, such as jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar, (optional)

Preparation


1.Position oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source; preheat broiler.

2.Line a baking pan with foil. Place eggplant in the pan and poke a few holes all over it to vent steam. Broil the eggplant, turning with tongs every 5 minutes, until the skin is charred and a knife inserted into the dense flesh near the stem goes in easily, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle.

3.Put lemon juice in a medium bowl. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scrape the flesh into the bowl, tossing with the lemon juice to help prevent discoloring. Add oil and stir with a fork until the oil is absorbed. (It should be a little chunky.) Stir in feta, onion, bell pepper, chile pepper (if using), basil, parsley, cayenne and salt. Taste and add sugar if needed.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Per serving: 75 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 6 mg cholesterol; 4 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 129 mg sodium; 121 mg potassium.


Exchanges: 1/2 vegetable, 1 fat

Boot Tracks

3 dozen cookies

Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes Ingredients


1/2 cup salted butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder, (optional)

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Preparation


1.Preheat a nonstick (not Belgian) waffle iron.

2.Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, oil and espresso powder (if using). Beat until thoroughly combined.

3.Drop the batter by rounded teaspoonfuls about 1 inch apart onto the preheated ungreased waffle iron. (To avoid burnt fingers, use two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape dough onto the waffle iron.) Close and cook until the cookies are puffed and cooked through, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Waffle irons vary, so watch closely and don’t let the cookies get too dark. Transfer to a wire rack to cool until just warm. Dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while still slightly warm (see Variations). Variations: Instead of confectioners’ sugar, drizzle cooled cookies with melted bittersweet and/or white chocolate. Or make a peppermint drizzle: Mix 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 4 teaspoons water and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; add natural green food coloring, if desired.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 day. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Nutrition

Per cookie: 63 calories; 4 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 7 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 22 mg sodium; 18 mg potassium.

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat

Chicken Potpie with Drop Biscuits

Chicken potpie with drop biscuits




Prep time: 35 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Servings: 2



Ingredients

1 carrot, diced

1 cup sugar snap peas

1 ½ tablespoons butter

1 small red onion, chopped

¼ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size chunks

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon minced fresh dill



Drop biscuits:

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons butter, cut in small chunks

3 to 4 tablespoons milk





1. Place carrot in a small saucepan; add water to cover. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until just tender, 8 minutes. Add sugar snap peas; cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; drain. Set aside. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium skillet. Add onion; cook over medium heat until tender, 5 minutes. Combine flour, salt and pepper to taste in a plastic bag. Add chicken chunks; shake to coat chicken.



2. Add chicken chunks to skillet, reserving leftover flour. Brown chicken over medium heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Stir in 1½ tablespoons of the leftover flour into skillet; cook 1 minute. Gradually pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly. Add dill and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste; adjust salt. Spoon chicken mixture, carrots and peas into a deep 9-inch baking dish.



3. Heat oven to 425 degrees. For the drop biscuits, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. Stir well. Cut in butter to form small chunks. Stir in enough milk to form a wet batter. Drop biscuits by the rounded tablespoon into a circle on the inside rim of the dish. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.



Nutrition information:

Per serving: 607 calories, 46% of calories from fat, 31 g fat, 16 g saturated fat, 129 mg cholesterol, 50 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 1315 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.