• GarlicEggplantDipFinal

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    Ingredients:

    2 large eggplants
    3 garlic cloves
    2/3 cups mayonnaise
    1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

    GarlicEggplantSpread-Ingred1
    GarlicEggplantSpread-Ingred2
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    Directions:

    Wash eggplants and place on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.

    GarlicEggplantDipPrep1

    Broil in oven for 10-15 minutes on each side, or until the eggplants turn soft and change color.

    GarlicEggplantSpread-Prep2

    Take the eggplants out of the oven and let them cool for a few minutes.
    Cut the eggplant in half, and peel off the skin. Use a spoon if needed.

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    Cut the eggplant in strips lengthwise and chop finely with a knife.

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    Place the eggplant in a colander and let the juices drain for about 10-15 minutes.
    Crush garlic using a garlic press and add to the eggplant.

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    Add salt and mayonnaise, and mix it together.

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    Chill in the refrigerator. Serve on bread or crackers, as an appetizer/ snack, or to complement any meal.

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  • RedPepperEggplantFinal

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    Ingredients:

    2 large eggplants
    1 tablespoon salt
    1/2 red bell pepper
    3 garlic cloves
    3 cups oil. Could use less, but will take longer to cook.

    RedPepperEggplantIngredients

    Directions:

    Slice the eggplant lengthwise, about 1/2″ wide, as pictured.

    RedPepperEggplantSliced
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    Cut slices into strips, about 1/2″ wide as well. If the strips are too long, you can cut them in half.

    RedPepperEggplantStrips
    RedPepperEggplantStrips2

    Place the eggplant strips into a strainer/colander. Add salt and mix gently, then let sit for about 30 minutes to let some of the eggplant juice drain.

    RedPepperEggplantDrain

    Meanwhile, place the red pepper and the garlic in a blender and blend until everything is crushed.

    RedPepperEggplantCrushedPepper

    Pour the crushed pepper and garlic into a bowl and drain the juice. Set aside.

    RedPepperEggplantCrushed2

    In a medium size pan, heat the oil on medium-low temperature until hot. Add the eggplant to the hot oil and fry until golden brown. If you want to use less than 3 cups of oil, you can do so, but you will be able to fry less eggplants at a time, therefore it will take longer to cook.

    RedPepperEggplantFrying1
    RedPepperEggplantFrying2

    Remove the eggplant from oil, and set o a plate lined with a paper towel, in order to absorb the oil.

    RedPepperEggplantFried

    Gently mix the eggplant with the crushed pepper and garlic, and serve.

    RedPepperEggplantFinalBottom1

    Serving suggestions: Serve warm or cold, as an appetizer or as a side to complement any dish.

  • GarlicBeetSaladFinal

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    A very simple, easy to make spread, that will beautifully garnish any meal.

    Ingredients:

    2 large or 4 small red beets
    2 garlic cloves
    1/2 cup mayonnaise
    3/4 teaspoon salt, or adjust the amount to your taste.

    GarlicBeetSaladIngredients

    Directions:

    Boil the red beets in water, until soft, so that you can easily insert a fork into them.

    GarlicBeetSaladBoil

    While beets are boiling, crush the garlic using a garlic press.

    GarlicBeetSaladGarlic

    When beets are done cooking, remove from water, peel and finely grate.

    GarlicBeetSaladGrated

    Mix in the mayonnaise and salt. Serve.

    GarlicBeetSaladFinalBottom

    Note: To garnish, I used green onions and boiled red beets to create the decorative rose.

  • TomCheeseAppFinal

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    Ingredients:

    3 large tomatoes
    3 garlic cloves
    3/4 cup mayonnaise
    2/3 cup feta cheese
    1 and 1/4 cup finely shredded mozzarella/cheddar cheese
    fresh dill weed for decorating

    TomCheeseAppetizerIngredients

    Directions:

    Cut tomatoes in slices as pictured below.

    TomCheeseAppSliceTomatoes

    Arrange tomato slices on a serving plate.

    TomCheeseAppetInPlatter

    Crush the garlic using a garlic press.

    TomCheeseAppGarlic

    Mix with the mayonnaise. Spread over tomato slices.

    TomCheeseAppTom&Mayo

    Using a fork, crumble feta cheese.

    TomCheeseAppCrumbFeta

    Spread feta cheese on top of the mayonnaise and garlic.

    TomCheeseAppFetaOnSlices

    Spread the shredded mozzarella/cheddar cheese on top of the slices.

    TomCheeseAppB4Dill

    Decorate with finely diced fresh dill weed.

    TomCheeseAppFinalBottom

  • StuffedEggsFinal

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    Ingredients:

    8 eggs
    1/2 onion
    1/4 cup oil
    4 pieces of chicken liver
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    half of 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
    few tablespoons of mayo to spread on top of the eggs at the end

    Directions:

    Boil eggs until hard.

    StuffedEggsBoilEggs

    While eggs are boiling, in a small saucepan, boil the chicken livers until well cooked.

    StuffedEggsBoilLiver

    Meanwhile, chop the onion very finely and saute in oil, until brown. Do not burn though.

    StuffedEggsFryOnion

    When eggs are cooked, peel, cut in half lengthwise and remove yolks.

    StuffedEggsHalfEggs

    When livers are cooked, remove from the saucepan and mash well using a fork. Mash the egg yolks as well, reserving 2-3 for decorating.

    StuffedEggsLiverYolk

    Mix together the browned onions, livers and egg yolks. Stuff the eggs with the mixture.

    StuffedEggsStuffed

    Place them on a serving plate/platter, with the cut part down. I spread some sliced green onion on the bottom of my plate, before arranging the eggs on top.
    Using a teaspoon, spread a little mayo on top of each stuffed egg.

    StuffedEggsMayoTop

    Decorate with green onion pieces and the reserved egg yolks, finely grated.

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  • LadybugsAppetizerFinal

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    Be sure, you’ll impress all your family and friends with these cute ladybugs. And if you got kids, they will simply LOVE them. I know this because my two year old did too.

    Ingredients:

    15 thin slices of a baguette
    1/4 cup sour cream
    1/4 cup finely crumbled feta cheese
    1 green onion
    a couple romaine lettuce leaves
    8 cherry tomatoes
    8 large pitted black olives

    LadybugsIngredients

    Description:

    Chop the onion very fine.

    LadybugsSpread

    Mix together sour cream, feta cheese and onion.

    LadybugSpreadMixture

    In the oven, broil the baguette slices for a couple minutes – optional. Arrange on a large plate or platter.
    Take about 1/2 tablespoon sour cream spread at a time and spread on each slice of bread.

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    Tear or cut the romaine lettuce leaves into pieces about the size of the baguette slices.

    LadybugsLettucePieces

    Place the lettuce pieces on top of the slices covered with the spread.

    LadybugsLettuceSlices

    Cut the olives and tomatoes in half, lengthwise.

    TomOlivesHalves

    Cut the tomatoes from the bottom end to the middle, as pictured below.

    LadybugCutTomatoes

    Cut about a third of each olive, as pictured below. Set aside. They will be used to make the ladybugs heads.

    LadybugsCutOlives

    Using a knife with a sharp pointy tip, make about 4 tiny holes into the tomatoes, 2 on each side. Cut small pieces from the remaining pieces of olives, and place them into the little tomato holes, as pictured below.

    LadybugsSpots

    Using the same principle, make 2 tiny holes into the olives we will be using for the ladybugs’ heads. These will be the eyes. Fill them with small pieces of feta cheese. For the eyes you can also try to use tiny pieces of cream cheese. Just take a pointed knife and place the pieces on the ladybug’s “heads”.
    Arrange the tomatoes on top of the lettuce leaves, then add the olive pieces in front, right next to them, as pictured below.

    LadybugsFinalBottom