Carb-free, Guilt-Free, Taste-full Eggplant Pizzas

Ok, this recipe was so delicious that I didn't even stop stuffing my face long enough to take a photo! (Rich took an embarrassing photo of my stuffed face that shall remain unpublished.) Fortunately for me, that gave me the perfect reason to make it again today! I'm a little obsessed...

As I said yesterday, Rich and I are trying to eat healthier for our upcoming vacation(s). Well, I am eating healthier and since I usually make the dinners in this family.... Rich is getting into bikini shape too! Next up, couples waxing. Butt (yup, I did that) as I've mentioned, when I decide to eat healthy, all that I want to eat is pizza. Quite honestly, all that I EVER want to eat EVER is pizza. 

I am a big fan of the Pinterest famous cauliflower crust pizza. It's absolutely delicious, but it is SO much prep work. Anything that requires a food processor is a pain in my ass, which makes me a pain in Rich's... it's a rabbit hole of pain. So, I like to stick to kitchen appliances that require very little cleaning. And while the zucchini pizzas I have seen floating around the internet look really yummy, they are way to small. I mean, I need to mush two of them together to make them "bite size!"  So, no. Then, I remembered Julia Child's eggplant pizzas! 

Tranches d'aubergine a italienne. A' perfecto is what I call them. They are so easy and so delicious!I actually really dislike eggplant! (Please note that I did not say "hate" eggplant because I save that word for foods like salmon.) But, it's true. Eggplant is not something that I usually reach for in the kitchen. But, I think I have finally found an reason to show it a little love. 

Now, even though this recipe is from Julia Child (after all, the best are other people's), I made this my recipe my own... which you should do, too! I had some extra mushrooms in the fridge that I sautéed and put on top and I also added some kalamata olives and fresh basil. 

Ingredients:
1 large globe eggplant
About 1 tablespoon salt for drawing out excess water from eggplant
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil

Salt and Pepper

Hot red pepper flakes

(Again, you can add more toppings if you want to...)

Method: 
Slice the eggplant into 3/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for about 30 minutes to draw out the excess water that makes eggplant have that awful, mushy texture. Wipe the eggplant fry with a paper towel to remove the water and all that salt. Don't skip this step or your pizzas will be wayyyy to salty!

While the eggplant is sitting, you can make the pizza sauce! (Recipe below!)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush both sides of each piece of eggplant with olive oil and place on a parchment paper lined backing sheet. Roast the eggplant for about 25 minutes. I flipped the eggplant halfway through baking so that both sides got golden brown. 

Once the eggplant is roasted, top each piece with pizza sauce, grated cheese, and toppings of your choice and bake for another 8 minutes or so until the cheese is melted and slightly browned! Then top each pizza with fresh basil and crushed red pepper flakes! 


For the pizza sauce:
You can totally use your favorite store bought sauce, but if you are feeling fancy here is my recipe.....

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 ounces of cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon water
Salt and pepper

Method:
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the tomatoes, garlic, and water. Cover and bring to a simmer. 

When the tomatoes are beginning to cook down, about 20 minutes, remove the skins, they should slide off easily, and dispose. Once all of the skins are removed, remove and dispose the garlic cloves and crush the tomatoes until they are smooth. 

Continue cooking, uncovered for another 25 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce is a deep red color. 

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!!!!

Funfetti Birthday Cake Ice Cream

I'm not really a birthday cake person. I know, I have lost my mind. Here's the thing... to me, the best part of birthday cake is the ice cream that goes on top. So, obviously the best and most logical thing to do is mush them both together (frosting, sprinkles, and all!) and make, well, for lack of a cooler thing to say.... a party... in your mouth! I am so serious. This is so good. 

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

2 cups funfetti cake, baked according to boxes instructions and broken into small pieces (not crumbs)

3/4 cup vanilla frosting (I used pink because it is pretty!)

1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

Method:

In a mixing bowl, combine 2 cups cream, salt and vanilla. Set aside. 

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup milk. Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 2-3 hours until cooled. Once the mixture has chilled, follow the instructions of your ice cream maker to make the base ice cream. With 5 minutes left of churning, add in your sprinkles.

Meanwhile, put your icing into a pastry bag with any sized tip you like. Once your ice cream is done, gently stir in your chunks of cake. Spoon one layer of ice cream into your container. Then, add one layer of frosting from your pastry bag. You'll be doing 3 layers total so make sure you only use about a third of your frosting. Repeat with a layer of ice cream. And a layer of frosting. Add your last layer of ice cream and top with your last layer of icing.

Freeze for 2 hours (more for firmer ice cream) and enjoy!

Turkey Chili and Cheddar Cornbread.

Cornbread and chili is like peanut butter and jelly... kind of the best thing since the sliced bread that you put it on. I have made chili seven thousand times, but this is honestly the first time that I didn't turn to google (.....or SmittenKitchen) to shed a little light on "secret ingredients" and how much of them to add. I think there comes a time in every girl's life when she should set the cookbooks aside, raise the bar, and rely solely on her taste buds.(***However, this should be done with caution, please see note below.) I may not have re-invented the culinary wheel, or the peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but I made some awesome chili that I can totally toot my own horn over, which is obviously one of my favorite things to do. 


***Note: Recipes can be helpful....really helpful. 
Example: Yesterday I decided to really go balls to the walls and whip up a little freestyle pad thai. I've made it before and it was delicious (see here)..... I made it this time and made the worst pad thai in the history of pad thai.... if you could even call it that. I did not just fall short of that bar I so pridefully spoke of, but I came nowhere close. Richard said it was too horrible to feed to the dogs. I agreed with him (through my tears) and sulked for the remainder of the afternoon. Ugh.

Ingredients:

Chili-

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey meat, I get dark meat.... more flavor

2 28 oz cans diced tomatoes, plus juice

2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained

1 15 oz can black beans, drained

1 4 oz can diced green chilies

1 cup green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 1/2 tablespoons cumin

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste (I used 2 teaspoons of salt and a few grinds of peppercorns)

*This chili is mild, if you want it spicier.... add spice. Duh. 

To garnish-

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese

Green onion

For cornbread-

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 cups cornflour, stone ground

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cups corn ( I used canned.... you can use frozen, also)

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, well shaken

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

1 jalapeno (optional)

Method:

In a large dutch oven heat oil and sauté onions and bell pepper until transparent and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.... this is what makes chili delicious. Add the ground turkey, chili powder, chipotle power, cumin, and cinnamon. Stir the meat to break up any lumps and cook it until it is no longer pink, about 15 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, diced chilies, beans, cocoa powder and brown sugar. Bring the chili to a simmer and then cook over medium/ low heat for at least an hour. I let mine cook for about 2 and a half. I am a firm believer in the longer things like this cook, the better they taste. 

While the chili is cooking, prepare the cornbread. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

Line a muffin sheet with muffin cups. In a medium bowl, combine cornflour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together melted butter, buttermilk, corn, and egg. Stir in the flour mixture and mix together until just combined. If you over-stir cornbread it will become very dense. Fold in 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese. Dived the batter into the prepared muffin cups and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. I also thinly sliced a jalapeno and added a slice to each muffin. 

Bake about 20 minutes until golden. 

Garnish chili with sour cream, green onion, and cheddar cheese. Mmmm. 

PS- This chili= super healthy. This cornbread= not so much.... the perfect marriage of foods in my opinion, which should also be your opinion. 

Blue box blues.

When your boyfriend's ex girlfriend decides that your vacation is the perfect time to cause a little drama and stir things up.... a bottle of wine (yes, another one. duh) and a little blue box blues are the perfect fix.

follow the directions on the back of the box.

enjoy in front of fire place.

second dinner for two.

Ingredients:

Contents of Kraft Macarroni and Cheese box

Milk

Butter

Method:

Cook pasta (about 7 minutes.)

Drain pasta. 

Add milk, butter, and powdered cheese packet to pasta. 

Stir

This recipe is not adapted from the back of the box. 

A little advice? 

A second dinner of macaroni and cheese is really not recommended unless you are already in a relationship. 

Pasta at midnight? 

Not the best idea unless someone already likes you and can see past you unbuttoning your jeans for a little extra room. 

Wasted Talent

I nanny two hours a day for two children that I adore.
I love them so much that every night I cook them a wonderful home made meal only to have it pushed aside with turned up noses and a frozen pizza or chicken nuggets put in its place.
Ugh.
I mean, I get it.... when you are a kid, broccoli can not only be a little intimidating, but also a little gross. However, when I slave over meatballs for 2 hours, I think it is safe to assume that they probably taste better than a can of (uh-oh) spaghetti-Os.

For example....
Last nights menu? Chicken, cheesy risotto, and carrots vichy. Carrots vichy..... they are cooked in butter and sugar. I truly thought these were a safe bet as far as veggies go.
I was wrong.
Apparently (when you are two years old) carrots vichy are not considered a fine french food, but something more along the lines of a building material.

Yep. I made carrots vichy and he made a castle. 

Carrots Vichy:
Carrots (peeled and cut on a bias)
Butter
Sugar
Water
Salt

Method:
Heat butter in a saute pan over medium heat. Add carrots and toss in butter. Add sugar and water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook covered until carrots are tender and the liquid turns into a glaze.