I made a pasta dish out of it that was really simple.
All I did was scrape the innards out of the skin of the eggplant and the stuffing after I had reheated it, and mixed it into some cooked pasta.
Ever use your leftovers to make a different dish?
Showing posts with label Beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beef. Show all posts
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Leftovers Reused
In an earlier post, I had made roasted stuffed eggplants. And I am now just getting to posting what I did with the leftovers.
I made a pasta dish out of it that was really simple.
All I did was scrape the innards out of the skin of the eggplant and the stuffing after I had reheated it, and mixed it into some cooked pasta.
Ever use your leftovers to make a different dish?
I made a pasta dish out of it that was really simple.
All I did was scrape the innards out of the skin of the eggplant and the stuffing after I had reheated it, and mixed it into some cooked pasta.
Ever use your leftovers to make a different dish?
Thursday, January 12, 2012
I Assure You, Eggplants Can Be Stuffed
oI am a big fan of eggplant. Eggplant Parmesan, Baba Ghanoush, stir-fried eggplant, you name it, I probably like it.
My two favorite ways of preparing eggplant at home are roasting them in the oven and stir-frying them "Asian style". Roasting eggplant changes the flavor making it more savory, and the texture is better, in my opinion.
All you need to do when roasting eggplant is to cut it in half, season both sides with salt and pepper, and then put it cut side down into a glass baking dish with about a 1/4 inch of extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 40 minutes until the eggplant is tender and the skin is wrinkly and slightly brown.
The eggplant should be tender and golden brown after it has been roasted. You can eat it straight like this or make it into a dip, but I like to take it a step further and stuff it.
As the eggplant is roasting, I like to brown some ground beef with mushrooms, using some season salt and Italian seasoning. Then I add in some tomato sauce making sure not to add too much, you don't want it to be too liquidy. You can also add in chopped fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, etc. After the ground beef and mushrooms have soaked up some of the tomato sauce and the flavors have had a chance to make friends, I layer it onto the eggplant and into the crevasses. If you didn't notice in the photo above, I like to cut the roasted eggplant so the stuffing has a place to go. I then add bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on top of the stuffing. You can also add mozzarella cheese in addition to the Parmesan, but I didn't have any at the time. Put everything back into the oven under the broiler until the bread crumbs become a golden brown and the cheese has melted.
I've tried this recipe on eggplant haters, and they even liked it. So don't take my word for it and try it yourself!
My two favorite ways of preparing eggplant at home are roasting them in the oven and stir-frying them "Asian style". Roasting eggplant changes the flavor making it more savory, and the texture is better, in my opinion.
 |
| Raw eggplant, seasoned |
All you need to do when roasting eggplant is to cut it in half, season both sides with salt and pepper, and then put it cut side down into a glass baking dish with about a 1/4 inch of extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 40 minutes until the eggplant is tender and the skin is wrinkly and slightly brown.
 |
| Roasted eggplant, prepped and cut to be stuffed |
The eggplant should be tender and golden brown after it has been roasted. You can eat it straight like this or make it into a dip, but I like to take it a step further and stuff it.
As the eggplant is roasting, I like to brown some ground beef with mushrooms, using some season salt and Italian seasoning. Then I add in some tomato sauce making sure not to add too much, you don't want it to be too liquidy. You can also add in chopped fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, etc. After the ground beef and mushrooms have soaked up some of the tomato sauce and the flavors have had a chance to make friends, I layer it onto the eggplant and into the crevasses. If you didn't notice in the photo above, I like to cut the roasted eggplant so the stuffing has a place to go. I then add bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on top of the stuffing. You can also add mozzarella cheese in addition to the Parmesan, but I didn't have any at the time. Put everything back into the oven under the broiler until the bread crumbs become a golden brown and the cheese has melted.
 |
| Stuffed eggplant |
I've tried this recipe on eggplant haters, and they even liked it. So don't take my word for it and try it yourself!
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Very Slow Pot Roast
For the days that I'm lazy, yet remember to plan ahead a bit (ie: remember to defrost some beef and possibly cut up some veggies).
It's time to bring out the slow cooker and put it to good use!
Keep in mind that I have a tiny slow cooker, so I'm just going to tell you what I put into it and not the specific amounts of each ingredient. Honestly, I really just put as much as I can into the slow cooker until I can't fit anymore, which is a bad idea because there should be some head space when using a slow cooker, just fyi. Y'all can learn from my mistakes!
I threw in some chopped onions at the bottom with the beef which has salt and pepper sprinkled on it. Then I added in cubed potatoes and carrots, some sliced fungus...I mean mushrooms, and then top it all off with cream of mushroom soup and a bit of water. That's it! I set it for about an hour at high, then reduced the temperature and let it cook for about 3-4 more hours. I didn't realize this but I always thought potatoes cooked slower than carrots...yeah, well that's WRONG. I wish I had known this and cooked the carrots with the onions first, then added in the beef and potatoes. It was still good, but I just had to be a bit more patient with the stubborn carrots.
I actually rarely use my slow cooker because I tend to forget how easy it is to use. I really need to remember that I have the darn thing.
It's time to bring out the slow cooker and put it to good use!
Keep in mind that I have a tiny slow cooker, so I'm just going to tell you what I put into it and not the specific amounts of each ingredient. Honestly, I really just put as much as I can into the slow cooker until I can't fit anymore, which is a bad idea because there should be some head space when using a slow cooker, just fyi. Y'all can learn from my mistakes!
I threw in some chopped onions at the bottom with the beef which has salt and pepper sprinkled on it. Then I added in cubed potatoes and carrots, some sliced fungus...I mean mushrooms, and then top it all off with cream of mushroom soup and a bit of water. That's it! I set it for about an hour at high, then reduced the temperature and let it cook for about 3-4 more hours. I didn't realize this but I always thought potatoes cooked slower than carrots...yeah, well that's WRONG. I wish I had known this and cooked the carrots with the onions first, then added in the beef and potatoes. It was still good, but I just had to be a bit more patient with the stubborn carrots.
I actually rarely use my slow cooker because I tend to forget how easy it is to use. I really need to remember that I have the darn thing.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
BBQ or Barbecue?
If you live in Texas or ever visited Texas, you have to try the BBQ.
I went to the original Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas when I was visiting Austin. It's about 30 minutes southwest of town. I recommend getting there early though because they usually have a long wait. We had to wait approximately 45 minutes, and we arrived around 10:30-11am.
This is probably some of the best BBQ I've never had in Texas, well anywhere actually. The various meats (beef ribs, brisket, sausage) were tender and flavorful, and their bbq sauce had the right balance of sweetness, tanginess, spiciness, and savoriness. It was also nice being able to order a combination platter because I have a hard time just choosing one item. I'm usually not a huge fan of sides, and tend to be really picky about them...especially when it comes to sides served with bbq. Their sides (cole slaw, beans, potato salad) could stand on their own though, and were not overwhelmed by the presence of the actual bbq itself.
Do you call is barbecue or BBQ?
 |
| Combination Plate: Sausage, Ribs, Brisket |
I went to the original Salt Lick in Driftwood, Texas when I was visiting Austin. It's about 30 minutes southwest of town. I recommend getting there early though because they usually have a long wait. We had to wait approximately 45 minutes, and we arrived around 10:30-11am.
This is probably some of the best BBQ I've never had in Texas, well anywhere actually. The various meats (beef ribs, brisket, sausage) were tender and flavorful, and their bbq sauce had the right balance of sweetness, tanginess, spiciness, and savoriness. It was also nice being able to order a combination platter because I have a hard time just choosing one item. I'm usually not a huge fan of sides, and tend to be really picky about them...especially when it comes to sides served with bbq. Their sides (cole slaw, beans, potato salad) could stand on their own though, and were not overwhelmed by the presence of the actual bbq itself.
Do you call is barbecue or BBQ?
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Oh So Fulfilling
I first tried Sao Paulo's when I was a student at UT. I used to only stick with the Tex-Mex they had because I was intimidated by the Brazilian part of the menu, plus I really didn't understand what a lot of it was. Thankfully, I finally started trying items from the Brazilian entrees, and I haven't gone back to the Tex-Mex side since!
Feijoada shown above is a black bean stew with a mix of sausage, beef, and pork. It is served with a side of rice, collard greens, farofa (toasted maize flour), and pao de queijo (cheese bun made with tapioca flour). The Bife A Milanese pictured below is a lightly breaded pan fried steak covered with ranchero sauce and served with a side of mashed potatoes, vegetables, and pao de queijo as well. The vegetables are a mix of corn, tomatoes, collard greens, and mushrooms; and is a great balance against the steak. I usually end up eating all of the vegetables before everything else.
Sao Paulo's has such a great atmosphere in the evening. They dim the lights and each table has a small oil lamp. It's a great romantic spot for dinner!
 |
| Feijoada (black bean stew) |
Feijoada shown above is a black bean stew with a mix of sausage, beef, and pork. It is served with a side of rice, collard greens, farofa (toasted maize flour), and pao de queijo (cheese bun made with tapioca flour). The Bife A Milanese pictured below is a lightly breaded pan fried steak covered with ranchero sauce and served with a side of mashed potatoes, vegetables, and pao de queijo as well. The vegetables are a mix of corn, tomatoes, collard greens, and mushrooms; and is a great balance against the steak. I usually end up eating all of the vegetables before everything else.
 |
| Bife A Milanesa |
Sao Paulo's has such a great atmosphere in the evening. They dim the lights and each table has a small oil lamp. It's a great romantic spot for dinner!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Can I have a bowl of rice with that?
Rice Bowl Cafe opened after I moved from Austin, but I heard many great things about this place from friends that I knew I had to try it when I was in town. The noodles for their noodle soups are made fresh, so they have a distinct chewy texture that's delicious and filling.
The portions are also very large. I can usually get two meals out of an entree. I ordered the Pork on Rice which has this really flavorful sauce that's perfect with the crispy pork, and comes with one of my favorite Asian veggies, bok choy. And yes, it came with two huge pork fillets!
My friend ordered a tofu dish. I believe it was the Bean Curd Homestyle, but I'm not positive. Tofu can be really good if you know how to make it correctly, and Rice Bowl knows exactly how. This dish has a good balance of flavor and spiciness, but it's also light because of the great mix of vegetables. I had to help myself to some of my friend's food. That's what friends are for, right?
There are so many other dishes I want to try in the future. Hopefully I'll have a chance to go back soon.
 |
| Szechuan Beef Noodle Soup |
The portions are also very large. I can usually get two meals out of an entree. I ordered the Pork on Rice which has this really flavorful sauce that's perfect with the crispy pork, and comes with one of my favorite Asian veggies, bok choy. And yes, it came with two huge pork fillets!
 |
| Pork Chop on Rice |
My friend ordered a tofu dish. I believe it was the Bean Curd Homestyle, but I'm not positive. Tofu can be really good if you know how to make it correctly, and Rice Bowl knows exactly how. This dish has a good balance of flavor and spiciness, but it's also light because of the great mix of vegetables. I had to help myself to some of my friend's food. That's what friends are for, right?
 |
| Bean Curd Homestyle |
There are so many other dishes I want to try in the future. Hopefully I'll have a chance to go back soon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)