Chicken and Eggplant Stir-Fry

I combined this recipe and this recipe.

Mix in a small bowl:
1 T (or more) minced ginger
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chicken broth
2 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
1 t chili paste (or more to taste)
2 t rice vinegar
1/2 t anchovy paste
1 t corn starch

Cut into cubes about the same size:
1 to 1 1/2 lb chicken breast
1 onion
1 eggplant, peeled
about the same volume of mushrooms as eggplant

Heat some peanut (or other) oil and another tablespoon of sesame oil in a wok over high heat.
Cook chicken and onion 6-8 minutes.
Add eggplant and mushrooms, and cook 3-4 minutes.
Add sauce and cook 5-7 minutes.

Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles.

Greek (ish) Casserole

I was inspired by this recipe.

2 smallish to medium sized eggplants
olive oil in a sprayer, and salt

Meat part:
2 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped pretty fine
1 lb ground beef
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 T dry oregano
1/2 t cinnamon
dash nutmeg
the pulp from the eggplant
1 (10 oz) package of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (6 oz) package crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper
2 eggs

Sauce:
1/4 c butter
2 T flour
1 c heavy cream
1 c finely shredded pecorino or Parmesan
dash nutmeg
salt and pepper
1 (5-6 oz) cup of plain Greek yogurt
2 eggs

Pre-heat oven to 400F.
Line a sheet pan with foil, and spray it with olive oil.
Wash the eggplants, and cut them in half.  Put them cut side up on the sheet pan, spray them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with salt.
Roast the eggplant for 20 minutes, until soft.  Let cool.  Scrape the pulp out of the skins, and mash or mince it.

Warm the olive oil in a large skillet.  Saute the onion a little, then add the beef, and brown it.  Add the spices and vegetables, and cook, stirring occasionally, until everything seems pretty cooked.  Stir in the feta.  Adjust salt and pepper.
Spread the meat mixture in a greased casserole dish.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the flour, and stir until thick and bubbly.  Add the cream, and stir until thick.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Pour over the meat mixture.

Bake at 350F for about an hour.

Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash Casserole

1 large spaghetti squash

1-2 T olive oil
1 lb chicken breast meat, cut into small pieces
1 onion, chopped
1-2 T "tamed" jalapeno slices, minced
3 t cumin powder
2 t dry oregano
2 t granulated garlic
1 t paprika
1/2 t chili powder
2 t salt
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, slightly drained
cilantro leave or paste

2 c shredded colby-jack cheese
1 c shredded pepper jack cheese

additional shredded cheese for topping

Microwave the whole spaghetti squash 1 minute.  Cut it in half, and scrape out the seeds and strings.  Put the halves, cut side down, in a glass casserole dish, and just cover the bottom of the dish with water.  Microwave until tender--about 10-12 minutes.  Remove from microwave, and let cool a bit before using a fork to scrape/shred the "spaghetti" strands.

Heat oven to 350.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large skillet.  Add the chicken, and cook until almost cooked through and/or starting to brown.  Add the onion, and continue to cook until it starts to soften.  Add the seasonings, beans, and tomato.  Continue to cook until everything is hot.

Stir the shredded cheese into the spaghetti squash.

Stir the chicken mixture into the squash.  Stir well, so that there are no chunks of plain squash.

Spread the mixture in a greased casserole dish, and cover with more shredded cheese.

Bake at least 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Flourless Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

8 oz (weight) dark or semi-sweet chocolate
1/4 c butter
3 eggs
1 c brown sugar
1 c peanut butter
1 t vanilla
1/2 c cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t espresso powder
1 bag peanut butter chips

Melt chocolate and butter together, and set aside to cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar.
Add the peanut butter and vanilla, and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients, and mix well.
Stir in the melted chocolate mixture.
Stir in the peanut butter chips.
Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes.
Makes 3 dozen (medium-small cookies).

Chicken with Mushrooms, Tarragon, and Mustard

4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1/4 c butter
1/4 c white wine or sherry
1/2 of a large onion, chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic, minced
12 large mushrooms (about a pound), sliced
1 c heavy cream
1 T mustard (I had spicy brown this time, but Dijon might be better)
2 t dry tarragon

Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Melt the butter in a dutch oven.
Brown the chicken on both sides, then cover and cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan, and set aside.
De-glaze the pan with the wine.
Saute the onion, garlic, and mushrooms until they are mostly cooked.
Add the cream, mustard, and tarragon.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken.
Return the chicken to the pan, covering it with the sauce, and cook over low heat until the chicken is hot again.

Sumbitches ("the mother"'s cookies from HIMYM)

All the recipes for these that I found on the internet, started with a peanut-butter cookie dough, and added the chocolate and caramel.

I have never been fond of peanut-butter cookies, so I decided to start with a chocolate chip cookie dough... specifically, Smitten Kitchen's salted chocolate chunk cookies.

Changes I made:

Demarara sugar for the turbinado sugar

Left off the sprinkle of salt at the end

Instead of the 1/2 lb chopped chocolate, I used 4 oz dark chocolate chips and 4 oz peanut-butter chips.

I scooped the dough with a tablespoon measure, and wrapped and molded it around 2 mini Rolos, held bottoms together. (It took one whole bag, plus a few from the second bag.)

The batch made 30 cookies.

Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Olives

This was my main inspiration. (Also this.)

Starting to simmer

4 chicken thighs
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 lb mushrooms, wiped clean, and any really big ones cut in half
1/2 of a large sweet onion, sliced
about 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 c capers
18 kalamata olives, chopped (about 1/2 c)
9 double-stuffed (with garlic and jalepeno) green olives, chopped, (about 3/4 c)
about 1/4 c white cooking wine
about 2 T lemon juice
about 2 c water
parsley


Dry the chicken with paper towels and season them with salt and pepper.
Heat about 2 T olive oil in a skillet.  (I used medium heat.)  Place the chicken skin-side down, and let cook for 5 minutes, or until the skin is looking browned, and after the fat has melted and released into the pan.  Turn over, and cook another 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pan, setting it aside, and add the mushrooms.  Stir them around so they are evenly coated in the fat, and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes.
Remove the mushrooms from the pan, setting them aside.  Since the mushrooms have soaked up all of the oil, add another tablespoon to the pan, let it warm up, and add the onion.  Let that cook for 5 minutes or so, then add the garlic.  Once they look pretty well cooked, put the chicken back in the pan, and then the mushrooms around the chicken pieces.
Spread the olives and capers around, getting them down in as best you can, then add the cooking wine, lemon juice, and water.
Increase the heat to high, to bring it to a boil.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Uncover, taste, add salt and pepper if needed, and simmer another 15 minutes.