eggplant pizza.

leslie — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 00:39:15 +0000

It is approximately 462 degrees in my apartment right now.

And yet, I decided to turn the oven on. Why? Roasted eggplant and melted goat cheese sounded too good.

[I am now guzzling water and trying to decide if it was worth it].

This was an easy meal. I just brushed some eggplant slices with olive oil and roasted them. Halfway through, I topped them with tomato paste, fresh oregano, caramelized onion, and goat cheese. Back in the oven for another 10 minutes – dinner was born, and I was officially living in a sauna.

I know some of you are thinking the crust of pizza is the best part. Don’t worry, there was plenty of bread consumed alongside.

I’m going to go park myself in front of the fan now. It’s too hot in here!

What’s your favorite kind of pizza?

beet it.

leslie — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:07:31 +0000

I apologize for the title of this post. I just had to do it.

I’ve never actually bought a beet before. Mostly out of fear of permanently rosy fingertips, or apprehension due to stories of splattered beet juice, stained counters, and pink streaks across foreheads.

I don’t know why I was so afraid of this little guy. No discoloration was caused in the making of this dinner.

warm summer squash and beet salad

1 red beet, cut into 1″ pieces
1 yellow squash, cut in 1″ pieces
1/2 c fennel greens
3 c steamed kale
1 oz goat cheese
1/2 c chickpeas
chopped Brazil nuts for garnish

Preheat oven to 400. Roast beets for 20 minutes. Add squash; roast 20 more minutes. Toss with fennel greens, goat cheese, and chickpeas. Layer on top of kale; garnish with Brazil nuts.

Here’s a fact: I never peel my vegetables. Sometimes the skin is the best part. This may have been my first at-home beet experience, but my peeler went nowhere near the skin.

I’ve been hard at work on several projects tonight, and this plate was a delightful interlude.

Have you ever cooked a food that intimidated you?

the whole plate. » goat cheese

eggplant pizza.

beet it.