Asian Noodle Salad with Eggplant, Sugar Snap Peas, and Lime Dressing

• I am always looking for new ways to incorporate eggplant into my recipes, this is a good one, but watch out it has quite a kick!

Ingredients:

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• 4 Japanese eggplants, unpeeled, cut on diagonal into 1/3-inch-thick slices
• 2 bunches green onions, trimmed

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• noodles (I used spaghetti)
• 1 8-ounce package sugar snap peas, trimmed

• 7 tablespoons hoisin sauce (I made my own...see recipe below!)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 4 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).  Grill eggplant and green onions until tender, turning often, about 7 minutes for eggplant and and 5 minutes for green onions. Transfer onions to cutting board; cool slightly. Slice  onions.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender but still firm to bite. Add sugar snap peas to noodles; cook 1 minute longer. Drain well. Transfer noodle mixture to large serving bowl. Add grilled vegetables.

Whisk last 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Toss noodle salad with dressing; season with salt and pepper.

Hoisin Sauce 

INGREDIENTS:

4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut butter or black bean paste
1 tablespoon honey or molasses or brown sugar
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil
20 drops chinese hot sauce, habenero or jalepeno
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy 4th of July!  It has been a tradition in my family to bake these scrumptious cookies for the 4th of July.  Nothing like a good ole American favorite on this day!

Here is the secret to Nestle Toll House Cookies:  Make half a batch at a time!  They will come out fluffy and golden...crazy I know!

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 2/3 cup flour

1 cup chocolate chips

PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F.
COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter.  Then add, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop a tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

ENJOY with a glass of ice cold milk!

Herb Potato Salad

2 lbs Red Potatoes

1 cup fresh parsley chopped

1/4 cup sliced scallions

salt and pepper

Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 TB Dijon mustard

2 TB red wine vinegar

1 small shallot diced

Mix ingredients and toss with potato mixture.

ENJOY :)

Corn and Tomato Salad with Fried Goat Cheese

Salad:

2 grilled ears of corn

1 cup of sliced cherry tomatoes

1 small shallot diced

1 TB white balsamic vinegar

1 TB olive oil

1TB of fresh parsley chopped

Salt and Pepper

Arugula or Spinach

Mix all ingredients except arugula/spinach.  Add/Omit any flavors to taste.

Fried Goat Cheese:

Herb goat cheese, 1/4 inch thick slices

1 cup panko 

1 egg

Dip goat cheese in egg.  Roll in panko.  Fry in olive oil, until browned and crispy.  

On a plate, place arugula, corn salad, then 2 pieces of fried goat cheese.  ENJOY :)

Pork Chops Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach

SO GOOD.  

You will NOT be disappointed with this new recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis!

Prep Time: 15 min 

Cook Time: 20 min

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced

1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese

1/3 cup reduced-fat cream cheese

4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 lemon, zested

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions: 
Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the goat cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and set aside.
Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture and close the pork around the stuffing. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.
Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a side dish and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes. Spoon some sauce over the pork before serving.

Panko Crusted Shrimp with Soy Ginger Sauce

Shrimp:

1 cup panko (may need more)

peeled and deveined shrimp

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs
1/2 TB parsley

E.V.O.O.

Dip shrimp in egg parsley mixture, then flour, egg again, then panko.  Fry in hot pan with E.V.O.O.  

Sauce:

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 TB garlic chili sauce

1 TB ground ginger

1/2 TB lemon zest

1 TB lemon juice

Bring water and sugar to a simmer.  When thicker and dissolved, add other ingredients. Simmer for 5-10 minutes.

Enjoy crispy shrimp with soy ginger sauce!