roasted red pepper appetizer

You can add black olive slices, fresh basil and italian parsley, use bleu cheese or ricota and parmesan

16 ozs roasted red pepper (drained)
8 ozs goat cheese (room temperature)
1 garlic cloves (minced)
3 tbsps olive oil
3 tbsps pine nuts (toasted)

12 tsp red pepper flakes
14 tsp pepper
5 slices garlic (bread)
1 Swirl half of the olive oil into an attractive baking dish - 9x13 or so.
2 Combine the softened Goat Cheese with the garlic, stuff gently into the Red Peppers and place them in a single layer into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, red pepper flakes and pepper, drizzle with remaining olive oil.
3 Cut garlic bread (I use the frozen box of garlic toast) into "fingers" and kind of place them on their sides in the dish, so they will brown.
4 Bake about 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Tuscan Vegetable soup

this is so easy and really good. also low calorie.

from CoookSmart in USA weekend, Feb 24, 2012

15.5 oz can cannellini or other small beans, low sodium, drained and rinsed
1 T olive oil
1 med carrot, diced (1/2 c)
1/2 large onion, diced (i c)
2 stalks celery, didced (1/2 c)
1 zucchini, diced (1 1/2 c)
1 minced clove garlic (1 t)
1 T chpped fresh thyme or 1 t dried
2 t chopped fresh sage or 1/2 t dried
1/2 t salt, or more to taste
1/4 t pepper
4 c chicken broth, low sodium
14 oz can diced tomatoes
2 oz baby spinach leaves (2 c) chopped
grated parmesan

Mash half of the beans. Heat oil in pot over med high, add onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, garlic thyme, sage, salt and pepper. cook stirring, till tender, 5 min. Add brother and tomatoes. bring to a boil. add spinach and beans, cook a few minutes. serve and top with cheese. Serve six, 143 calaries each.

eggplant parmesan

I had most of these ingredients and adapted the recipe liberally, which cut the prep time and was remarkably good. I used one good sized eggplant but after draining for about 15 minutes, i dusted each with flour, salt and pepper and sauteed them in olive oil. i used a prepared italian red sauce, dried basil and didn't have a lot of monzarella so i augmented it with ricotta.


1/2 lb medium eggplants (about 3), cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick rounds
3 1/4 teaspoons salt
5 lb plum tomatoes
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
20 fresh basil leaves, torn in half
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
5 large eggs
3 1/2 cups panko * (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 ozfinely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (2/3 cup)
1 lb chilled fresh mozzarella (not unsalted), thinly sliced

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Preparation

Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt in a colander set over a bowl, then let drain 30 minutes.

While eggplant drains, cut an X in bottom of each tomato with a sharp paring knife and blanch tomatoes together in a 5-quart pot of boiling water 1 minute. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, peel off skin, beginning from scored end, with paring knife.

Coarsely chop tomatoes, then coarsely purée in batches in a blender. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add garlic and sauté, stirring, until golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomato purée, basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 25 to 30 minutes.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.

Stir together flour, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a shallow bowl. Lightly beat eggs in a second shallow bowl, then stir together panko and 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano in a third shallow bowl.

Working with 1 slice at a time, dredge eggplant in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg, letting excess drip off, and dredge in panko until evenly coated. Transfer eggplant to sheets of wax paper, arranging slices in 1 layer.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 cups oil in a deep 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplant 4 slices at a time, turning over once, until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain.

Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in bottom of a rectangular 3 1/2-quart (13- by 11- by 2-inch) baking dish. Arrange about one third of eggplant slices in 1 layer over sauce, overlapping slightly if necessary. Cover eggplant with about one third of remaining sauce (about 11/4 cups) and one third of mozzarella. Continue layering with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted and golden and sauce is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cooks' note: Tomato sauce can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. *Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets, and Uwajimaya (800-889-1928).

Read More http://www.epicurious.com:80/recipes/food/views/Eggplant-Parmesan-109739#ixzz1oYHVcXlL

Crespelle with Ricotta and Marinara

Ingredients
Crespelle

1. 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2. 1/2 teaspoon salt
3. 2 large eggs
4. 3/4 cup milk
5. 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
6. Olive oil

Filling

1. 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
2. 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
3. 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

Directions

1. MAKE THE CRESPELLE In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk. Whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter until just blended. Cover the batter and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat. With a paper towel, rub the skillet with olive oil. Pour in 1/4 cup of the crespelle batter and tilt the skillet to distribute the batter. Cook the crespella until golden brown on the bottom, 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned in spots, 1 minute longer. Invert the crespella onto a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter, rubbing the pan with oil as needed. You should have 8 crespelle.
3. MAKE THE FILLING Preheat the oven to 375°. In a medium bowl, blend the ricotta with the chopped parsley and 1/3 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Season the filling with salt and pepper.
4. Lay the 8 crespelle on a work surface. Spread 2 rounded tablespoons of the ricotta filling over half of each crespella. Fold the crespelle over the filling, then fold them in half again to form quarters.
5. Spread half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the filled crespelle in the dish in a single layer, overlapping them slightly. Top with the remaining marinara sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling; serve.

caponatina

INGREDIENTS

# 1 medium size eggplant, finely diced
# 1 small onion, diced
# 1 stalk of celery, diced
# 1 small red bell pepper, diced
# 1 8oz can of tomato sauce
# 6 green olives, pitted and chopped
# 6 black olives, pitted and chopped
# 1 Tbls of capers
# 1 Tbls of pine nuts
# 2 Tbls of raisins
# 1/2 cup of olive oil
# 1 Tbls of sugar
# 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
# 1/4 tsp. of salt
# 1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

# Prepare the eggplant by salting them and letting them stand around a half an hour or more to release the excess water. Rinse and pat dry with a paper towel.
# In a frying pan sauté the eggplant in olive oil until tender.
# Remove the eggplant from the pan and drain on a paper towel and set aside.
# Add the onions, celery and bell pepper to the pan and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
# Stir in tomato sauce, olives, capers, pine nuts and raisins and simmer for 15 minutes.
# In a separate saucepan slowly heat the vinegar and sugar until sugar is dissolved.
# Stir the sugar vinegar mixture into the tomato sauce .
# Stir in the eggplant.
# Season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm or cool to room temperature before serving. Serve on toasted bread.