Caprese BLT's

Yes, I'm on a Caprese kick.  How can you not be?  Tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil are a match made in heaven.  Add bacon and I'm tappin' out.  You win.  My strength is no match for bacon.

I don't think I need to give you a recipe.  It's a BLT:  bacon, lettuce and tomato, on yummy bread.  We used sourdough 'cause I had it.  I skipped the mayo and used olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the bread instead.  Then layered on fresh mozzarella, amazing heirloom tomatoes from the farmer's market, basil, and micro greens.

And then.....bacon.

Did I mention bacon?
You could totally eat this without the bacon.
I do quite often actually.
But.....bacon.

Dinner on my plate:

Oh my gosh, that was so dang good.

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Cherry Season

I just couldn't resist.

We should all enjoy our food even half as much.
Oh wait, that's right, I do.

Eggplant Curry

Curry is the queen of one-pot meals.  If you haven't entered it into your regular rotation, summer is the perfect time to give it a whirl.  It's one of those magic dinners that cooks up in less than 30 minutes and tastes like you've slaved all day.  All you need is some veggies, a protein if you want, coconut milk, sugar, and some curry paste or curry powder.  And, according to my sister, fish sauce.  I think the fish sauce is an acquired taste, so go easy the first time around if you've never used it.  It's not fishy, but adds that depth of flavor, similar to a dish using sardines.

So I found the cutest little Thai eggplants at our new Asian market and brought them home not sure what I'd do with them.  They look like miniature watermelons.  So cute.  Anyway, they became the starting point for a giant pot of veggie curry.  My sister's fam was here, so we made a ton, but that's the great thing about curry, use as many or as few veggies as you need to fill the mouths around the table.

Here's what we used:

Eggplant Curry 
Printable Recipe
serves a crowd, but can easily be cut in half

1/2 Onion, diced
4 cloves Garlic, chopped
1-inch piece Ginger, chopped
4 peeled potatoes, cubed
1/2 pint Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 Bell Pepper, cubed
2 C halved or quartered, depending on size, Thai Eggplant (any eggplant will do)
Handful of chopped Chard Stems
Handful of chopped Chard Leaves
1 can Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
8 oz Pop Fried Tofu, halved
2 cans Coconut Milk
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Curry Powder, to taste (about 1/8 C or 2 Tbps Red or Green Curry Paste)
Fish Sauce, to taste
Basil

In a large pot, heat 2 Tbsp veggie oil and saute onion, garlic, ginger, and potatoes until softened.

Add eggplant, chard, bell pepper, and tomatoes.  Add coconut milk, brown sugar, and curry powder.  Add fish sauce.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Simmer until veggies are cooked, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add garbanzo beans and tofu.  Stir and cook just long enough to heat through.

Serve over steamed rice with lots of chopped basil.

Here's the monster pot at my house:

And dinner in my bowl:

So delicious.

Here are some other curry dishes that are a hit at my house:

Pineapple Curry Chicken

Coconut Green Curry Lentils

Indonesian Beef Curry

Thai Coconut Shrimp Curry with Mango

Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup

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