Two Medium Eggplants

Olive Oil (as needed basis)

1/2 Pound Lean Ground Beef

1/2 Pound Lean Ground Lamb

Tablespoon Chopped Spanish Onion

Two Minced Garlic Cloves

8 Ounces Tomato Sauce

Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Teaspoon Dried Oregano

1 1/2 Teaspoons Sea Salt (Divided)

1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper (Divided)

1/4 Teaspoon of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes

Teaspoon of Lemon Zest

Three Tablespoons of Butter

Three Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour

Cup Whole Milk

Beaten Egg

3/4 Cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese

3/4 Cup of Crumbled Feta Cheese

Pinch of Ground Nutmeg

Grease 9X9 inch baking pan with butter.

Peel the eggplants and cut into 1/2 inch round slices. Coat each side of the sliced eggplant with olive oil. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper. Place the eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Broil on high until brown. Turn and broil on other side. Set the eggplant aside.

In a large skillet, combine beef and lamb. Cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the fat. Cook the onions in the same skillet for three minutes. Add in the garlic, the lemon zest, the cinnamon, the oregano, the tomato sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper, the crushed red pepper flakes and the cooked meat. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

In the bottom of the baking dish, add half of the eggplant slices. Pour the meat mixture over the eggplant. Add the remaining eggplant slices over the meat mixture.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Add the beaten egg. Mix well. Finally, add the parmesan and the feta. Stir again until cheese is well incorporated.

Pour the cheese sauce over the eggplant and meat mixture. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares.

Four Cups of Tomato Sauce
Teaspoon of Red Wine Vinegar
Large Head of Savoy Cabbage
Two Tablespoons of Tomato Paste
One Pound of Italian (Sweet or Hot) Sausage
One Pound of Ground Turkey
1 1/2 Cups of Cooked Rice
Beaten Egg
Two Tablespoons of Finely Chopped Italian Parsley
Two Tablespoons of Finely Chopped Red Onion
Two Tablespoons of Finely Chopped Scallion
Two Minced Garlic Cloves
3/4 Cup of Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
Three Teaspoons of Sea Salt (Divided)
Teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper

Combine the tomato sauce and the red wine vinegar. Mix and set aside.

Combine the tomato paste, the Italian sausage, the ground turkey, the cooked rice, the beaten egg, the Italian parsley, the red onion, the scallion, the minced garlic, the grated cheese, the ground black pepper, and two teaspoons of sea salt in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix well.

Cut the core out of the cabbage with a sharp knife. Pull off the largest cabbage leaves carefully keeping them whole and as undamaged as possible. Get rid of all of the small leaves and save them for coleslaw.

Combine about an inch of cold water and a teaspoon of sea salt in a large pot with a lid. Bring to a boil. Place half of the saved cabbage leaves into the pot. Cover and steam the leaves for three minutes. Place the cabbage leaves in cold water. Repeat the process with the remaining cabbage leaves.

Pat the leaves dry with a paper towel. Lay them out so you can assess just how many blankets that you have to wrap up the filling. Using a sharp knife, cut out the center vein so they will be easier to roll up.

Place about 3/4 cup of the meat/rice mixture into the center of a cabbage leaf. Starting at once was the stem end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Repeat the process until all of the filling has been used up.

Using any leftover cabbage leaves that you have, lay them on the bottom of a casserole pan. These leaves will serve as insulation to keep the cabbage rolls from burning when they are baking in the oven.

Place the filled cabbage rolls side by side in the casserole pan seam side down.

Preheat the oven to 290 degrees.

Pour the tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls and spread the sauce out evenly. Cover the casserole pan with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the aluminum foil during the last 30 minutes of baking time. Let the cabbage rolls sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Six Egg Roll Wrappers
12 Ounces Of Frozen Chopped Spinach (Thawed With As Much Water Squeezed Out As Possible)
1/2 Cup Of Thawed Frozen Sweet Corn
1/2 Cup Of Black Beans
1/2 Cup Of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
A Minced Garlic Clove
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Jalapeno Pepper
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Scallion
A Teaspoon Of Cumin
A Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper
Two Teaspoons Of Chili Powder
A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
Canola Oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Combine all of the ingredients except the egg roll wrappers in a bowl. Mix well.

Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean, dry surface in a diamond pattern. Place a sixth of the vegetable filling into the middle. Fold the top of the wrapper over the filling and tuck it in. Fold in the sides and tuck them in. Moisten the bottom tip with warm water and fold that over the top. Place the filled egg roll (bottom tip down) on a greased baking sheet. Repeat until all of the wrappers have been filled. Brush the egg rolls with canola oil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes or until the egg rolls are golden brown. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Five Small To Medium Sized Zucchini Peeled And Cut Lengthwise Into About 1/2 Inch Wide Silices
Four Cups Of Panko Breadcrumbs
A Cup Of All Purpose Flour
A Beaten Egg
1/4 Cup Of Cold Water
A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt, Divided Into Four Equal Portions
1/4 Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper, Divided Into Three Equal Portions
Four Cups Of Tomato Sauce
Four Tablespoons Of Grated Parmesan Cheese (Or More If You Are A Cheese Lover)
3/4 Cup Of Olive Oil

Set Up A Breading Station

Put the beaten egg and the water in one shallow dish. Mix well. Put the flour in one shallow dish. Put the breadcrumbs in one shallow dish. Add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and an equal amount of ground pepper to each component. Take a zucchini slice and dip it into the flour shaking off the excess. Next dip the zucchini slice into the egg and water mixture. Finally, roll the zucchini slice in the breadcrumbs. Put the breaded zucchini slice on a wire mesh rack. Repeat the process until all of the zucchini slices are coated with the flour, the egg, and the breadcrumbs. For best results, refrigerate for at least one hour.

Put the olive oil in a non-stick skillet and put it on high heat for four minutes. Start frying the zucchini in batches being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Let the fried zucchini drain on a plate lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt when you take them out of the frying pan. You may need to add more olive oil to the pan as you go.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Put a third of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish and spread it around. Add 1/2 of the fried zucchini on top of the sauce. Spread a third of the sauce on top of the zucchini. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese on top of the zucchini and the tomato sauce. Finally, place the rest of the zucchini on top of the first layer. Add the rest of the tomato sauce and sprinkle the top with the balance of the grated cheese.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Let it sit at room temperature before cutting and serving.

Like so many of my recipes, I needed to find a use for an ingredient that I had on hand. In this case, it was evaporated milk left over from a Thanksgiving cake recipe.

One Cup Of White Hominy Grits

Four Cups Of Cold Water

Two Tablespoons Of Butter

3/4 Cup Of Grated Parmesan Cheese

3/4 Cup Of Evaporated Milk

An Egg

A Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper

A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt And Sea Salt To Taste

Whisk the egg and the evaporated milk together and set the mixture aside.

Add the cold water and a teaspoon of sea salt to a pot and bring the water to a boil. Slowly add the grits to the boiling water while whisking. When the grits have been incorporated, turn the heat down to low. Cook for 15 minutes while whisking occasionally.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Apply cooking spray to a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the grits.

After 15 minutes, turn off the heat under the grits. Add the red cayenne pepper, the butter, and the grated cheese to the grits and stir well. At this point, it would be a good time to taste the grits and add more sea salt, as needed. Add about two tablespoons of the hot grits to the egg and evaporated milk mixture and stir well. This will temper the egg preventing it from scrambling. Now add the rest of the egg and the milk mixture to the grits. Stir well and pour the contents into the greased baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes until a crust forms on the top and around the sides of the dish. Let the baked grits cool for 5 minutes before serving.

This recipe makes for a very colorful and flavorful side dish.

½ Pound Of Zucchini Squash Cut Into Inch Wide Pieces
14 Ounces Of Canned Whole Corn Drained And Rinsed
A Small Diced Jalapeno Pepper
A Minced Garlic Clove
½ Cup Of Diced Red Onion
½ Cup Of Diced Red Bell Pepper
¼ Cup Of Diced Pancetta
A Tablespoon Of Canola Oil
¼ Cup Of Low Sodium Chicken Stock
¼ Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper
A Pinch Of Ground Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon Of Sea Salt

Combine the canola oil and the pancetta in a sauté pan. Cook on low heat until the pancetta becomes crispy.

Add the rest of the ingredients and turn the heat up to medium. Cook while stirring frequently until the vegetables are tender and cooked through. Taste and add more sea salt and/or pepper, if desired.

This squash dish captures the flavors of autumn.

Four Pounds Of Butternut Squash Peeled, Seeded, And Cut Into About Two Inch Pieces
1 1/2 Teaspoons Of Sea Salt, Divided
½ Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper, Divided
½ Teaspoon Of Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
½ Cup Of Olive Oil
A Tablespoon Of Unsalted Butter
¾ Cup Of Plain Low Fat Greek Yogurt
¼ Cup Of Grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the squash pieces with the olive oil until they are well coated. Season the squash with a teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Spread the squash pieces out evenly on a sheet pan. Roast in the pre-heated oven for 60 minutes until the squash is tender and browned slightly. Let the squash cool. Puree the roasted squash in a food processor. Depending on the size of the food processor that you have, you will probably need to do this in batches.

Combine the pureed squash, the crushed red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon of sea salt, ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, the butter, the yogurt, and the grated Parmesan cheese in a pot. Cook on medium low heat while stirring until the ingredients are well incorporated. Taste and add more sea salt and/or pepper, as needed.

Six Poblano Peppers
Twelve Ounces Of Cream Cheese, Softened
One Minced Garlic Clove
Two Tablespoons Of Finely Chopped Scallions
A Teaspoon Of Ground Cumin
A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt
A Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper
A Tablespoon Of Chili Powder
½ Cup Of Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
½ Cup Of Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
All-Natural Cooking Spray

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Seed the peppers creating “boats” for the filling.

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, the garlic, the scallions, the cumin, the sea salt, the red cayenne pepper, the chili powder, the cheddar cheese, and the Monterey jack cheese. Stir until well blended. Taste and add more sea salt and/or red cayenne pepper, if desired. Spoon the filling into the hollowed out peppers.

Coat a baking sheet lightly with cooking spray. Arrange the filled peppers on the baking sheet. Roast until the peppers are tender and crisp with the filling slightly browned. This should take about 30 minutes. Let stand for ten minutes before serving.

The flavor profile of this dish is that of a baked potato with “the works” (butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and chives). To lighten up the casserole a bit calorie wise, I use all low fat (2%) dairy products.

Five Russet Potatoes (Peeled, Washed, And Cut Into ¼ Inch Thick Disks)
Two Cups Of 2% Greek Yogurt Or Sour Cream
Four Cups Of Skim Milk
Four Tablespoons Of Unsalted Butter
Four Tablespoons Of All Purpose Flour
¼ Cup Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
A Cup Of 2% Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
A Minced Garlic Clove
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
A Tablespoon Of Finely Chopped Fresh Chives
¼ Teaspoon Of Ground Black Pepper
A Tablespoon And A Teaspoon Of Sea Salt, Divided

Combine the potatoes and a tablespoon of sea salt in a pot. Add enough cold water to just cover the potatoes. Put the pot on high heat and bring the contents to a boil. Cook the potatoes in the boiling water for five minutes. Drain the potatoes well in a colander.

Whisk together the skim milk with the yogurt until smooth and well incorporated.

Into a saucepot, add the flour and the butter. Put the pot on medium heat. Cook while whisking until the butter melts and a paste like mixture (roux) is formed. Add the yogurt/skim milk mixture. Bring to a slight boil while whisking (to get out any lumps). At this point, switch from a whisk to a wooden spoon for stirring. Add the black pepper, the Parmesan cheese, the cheddar cheese, and a teaspoon of sea salt. Stir while cooking until a cream sauce is formed. It should be able to lightly coat the back of the wooden spoon. Take the pot off the heat and add the parsley and the chives. Stir well to incorporate. Taste and add more sea salt and/or black pepper, to taste.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Coat the bottom and the sides of a casserole dish with cooking spray. Place one third of the potatoes on the bottom of the dish. Place one third of the cheese sauce on top of the potatoes. Continue this process until you have three layers of potatoes finishing with cheese sauce on top of the last layer. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for one hour. Remove the aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes of baking time. Let the casserole sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

You can prepare these peppers in advance and bake them later.

Six Green Bell Peppers With The Tops Cut Off About ½ Inch From The Stem Bottom And The Seeds Removed (Note: Discard The Seeds And The Stem)
A Chopped Jalapeno Pepper
An Andouille Sausage Link Cut Into About ¼ Inch Cubes
¾ Cup Of Chopped Red Onion
Two Minced Garlic Cloves
½ Cup Of Chopped Celery
A Cup Of Canned Red Beans Rinsed And Drained
Four Cups Of Cooked White Rice
½ Cup Of Your Favorite Barbecue Sauce
Two And One Half Teaspoons Of Sea Salt, Divided
A Pinch Of Ground Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon Of Red Cayenne Pepper
¼ Cup Of Finely Chopped Italian Parsley
A Tablespoon Of Olive Oil

Into a pot about four inches deep, add about ½ inch of water and a ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Place the peppers in the pot (bottom side up). Cover the pot and put it on high heat. Bring the water to a boil and steam the peppers for three minutes.
Remove the peppers and let them cool.

Dice any of the leftover flesh from the tops of the peppers that were cut off. Set aside.

Place the olive oil and the sausage in a 12-14 inch skillet. Put the skillet on medium heat and cook the sausage stirring occasionally for four minutes. Add the jalapeno pepper, the diced green pepper, the garlic, the celery, the red onion, two teaspoons of sea salt, the black pepper, and the cayenne pepper to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are soft (about 4 minutes) stirring frequently. Add the cooked rice, the red beans, the barbecue sauce, and the parsley. Stir until all of the ingredients are incorporated and cook for an additional minute. Taste and add more sea salt and/or pepper, if desired.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Stuff the peppers equally with the rice mixture and place the peppers in a baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for about 40 minutes. Let cool for five minutes and serve.