Sausage and Sweet Potato Soup with Black-eyed Peas 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1 cup of chopped onion 1/2 cup of chopped green bell pepper 1/4 cup of chopped celery 1/2 pound of andouille or other smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 3 cups) 2 cups of beef stock or broth 1 can of Rotel diced tomatoes, undrained 1 can of black-eyed peas, undrained 1 cup of tomato juice or V-8 1/4 of a small head of cabbage, sliced (about 1-1/2 cups) 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt 5 turns of the pepper grinder Heat the oil in a soup pot or 4 to 6 quart Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery; saute for about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and cook another 3 minutes, then add the sweet potatoes. Add the beef stock, Rotel, black-eyed peas, tomato juice, cabbage, salt and pepper; stir, bring up to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. About 6 servings Note: This is a fairly spicy soup. I used Rotel diced tomatoes. If you prefer a milder version, simply substitute one can of regular diced tomatoes, undrained, in place of the Rotel and use a milder smoked sausage.

I've never cooked eggplant, but the idea of ratatouille intrigues me. I think you either love or hate eggplant....how many of you like it? This is a recipe that's a Mediterranean relish or antipasto. The instructions look long and daunting, but it's just cooking it in batches. If you like antipasto, this should be delicious! Caponata gets better overnight, so make at least a day ahead if possible. It will keep 3-5 days in the frig. Serve with pita bread or Italian bread or crostini. Caponata----Relish/Antipasto (Mediterranean Harvest cookbook) 1 1/2 lb (1 large) eggplant, cut in half lengthwise 3 tbsp olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 3 large garlic cloves, minced 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2" dice 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes 2 tbsp plus 1/4 tsp sugar 3 stalks celery, sliced 1/2" thick and blanched in boiling salted water 3 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained 1/4 cup coarsely chopped green olives 1/4 cup wine vinegar or sherry vinegar Preheat oven to 400*. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush the foil lightly with oil. Score the cut sides of the eggplant halves with a small knife, cutting down to the skin, but not through. Place on the baking sheet, cut side down and bake 20 minutes, until the eggplants collapse and the skins begin to shrivel. Drain and cool, cut side down in a colander. When cool enough to handle, pull off and discard the skin, scraping any eggplant that adheres, and chop. The eggplant should be soft and is not meant to hold its shape. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring until tender but not browned, 5 minutes; and add 2/3 of the garlic. Cook 1 minute until the garlic begins to smell fragrant; add bell peppers and 1/4 tsp salt. Cook, stirring, until just about tender, 8 minutes. Add 1 tbsp oil and the eggplant, and cook, stirring, 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and the remaining garlic to the skillet. Cook 30 seconds, just until the garlic begins to color, and add the tomatoes, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp sugar. Cook, stirring 5-10 minutes until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat; they should not be dry however; and they smell fragrant. Return the eggplant mixture to the pan and stir. Add the celery, capers, olives, vinegar, salt to taste, and remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, 15-30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and the caponata is quite thick, sweet and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper and cool to room temperature.

We are having our family Christmas this weekend. Our DIL LOVES onions...son, hates them! LOL So, I found this recipe and she is excited! I only made 3...Dean is sure that I should have make 6! lol Stuffed Onions 1/2 cup uncooked white rice 6 large Vidalia onions 3/4 pound ground spicy pork sausage 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper 1 egg, beaten 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon paprika Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking dish. In a saucepan bring 1 cup water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Peel onions and slice off the tops; boil for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Drain, cool and remove the centers, leaving the shell intact. Chop onion centers and reserve 1/2 cup. Cook sausage over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain and set aside, reserving drippings. Saute green pepper and 1/2 cup chopped onion in sausage drippings. (I used a pan big enough so that I could mix everything together) In a large bowl combine green pepper, onion, sausage, egg, 1 cup cooked rice, cream cheese, oregano and parsley. Spoon mixture into onion shells and place in prepared dish. Combine melted butter and paprika; brush tops of onions. Cover and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Uncover, and bake an additional 5 minutes.

I remember making this oh so long ago and how moist it was. One layer chocolate cake 1 8 x 8-inch cake pan INGREDIENTS: 1 8 x 8-inch nonstick baking pan 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup white sugar 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt) 6 Tbs vegetable oil 1 Tbs white vinegar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup cold water PROCEDURE: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In the 8 x 8-inch nonstick baking pan, carefully combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp kosher salt...or 1/2 tsp regular table salt....and mix everything together. Make sure you get the stuff around the edges mixed in as well and, once you are happy with that, use your spoon to make three separate wells in the flour and then add 6 Tbs vegetable oil to one well, 1 Tbs white vinegar to another and 1 tsp vanilla to the last well....add 1 cup cold water and mix everything together. Go slow while you're doing this and once again make sure you incorporate the stuff at the edges. Once it is well mixed, use a damp paper towel to clean up the edges of the pan and place it on the center rack of the preheated oven. It'll take just about 30 minutes to bake and it's a good idea to spin the pan around once while it is in the oven��then use a toothpick test to check it for doneness. HINTS: No mixing bowls needed for this recipe at all...just one 8 x 8 inch nonstick baking pan and a wooden spoon or rubber spatula for mixing everything together.