Mini Donut

My dear friend Lummi made me a mini donut for Vday.  <3 

Thai Green Curry with Eggplant

Recipe adapted from "America's Test Kitchen 30-Minute Suppers"

serves 4
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
1 chicken breast, cut into bite size chunks
8 scallions, white parts minced, green parts cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (14 oz) can nonfat coconut milk
3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup frozen peas
4 teaspoons julice from 1 lime
1/2 cup basil leaves, roughly torn

Directions
1. Microwave eggplant for 5 minutes, tossing halfway through.  Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add eggplant and chicken.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Add scallion whites for 30 seconds.  Transfer eggplant-scallion mixture to a bowl.
2. Add coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce, and sugar to skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat.
3. Add peas, scallion greens, chicken, and eggplant for 5 minutes.
4.  Off heat, stir in lime jucie and basil, then serve.

Pasta Alla Norma

Recipe adapted from "The Best of America's Test Kitchen - Best Recipes and Reviews 2011" magazine

Serves 4
Ingredients
3 Japanese eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 anchovy fillets, minced
1 (28-ounce) can Pomi Marinara Sauce
1 pound rigatoni
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
pepper flakes
ricotta salata, shredded

Instructions
1. Toss the eggplant with 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl.  Microwave the eggplant, uncovered, about 7 minutes, tossing once halfway through.
2. Transfer the eggplant to a medium bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoonof the olive oil. Cook the eggplant in a nontstick skillet over medium for 10 minutes.  Transfer the eggplant to a plate, and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes to the skille with the tomatoes t using the residual heat for about 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, cook over medium heat and simmer for about 10 minutes
4. Add the eggplant to the skillet with the tomatoes.ith salt to taste.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
5. Stir the basil and olive oil into the sauce and season with salt to taste.
6.Add the sauce to the cooked pasta, adjusting the consistency with the reserved pasta cooking water. 
7. Sprinkle with the ricotta salata and serve immediately.

Pasta with Bacon & Peas

 Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's Fresh Angel-Hair Pasta with Bacon & Peas

Serves 4-6
Ingridents
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 slices bacon, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (I used applewood smoked bacon)
2 shallots, halved and thinly sliced (I used garlic slices instead)
1 box (10 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
1 cup half-and-half
18 ounces spaghetti
pinch of grated nutmeg

Directions
1) Set a large pot of salted water to boil. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain (leave fat in skillet).
2) Add shallots to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 1 to 2 minutes. Add peas and half-and-half; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
3) Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta, and return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to combine, adding some reserved pasta water a little at a time to coat. Sprinkle with bacon and grated nutmeg, and serve immediately.

Corn Muffins

Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar (I used about 3/4 cup of sugar + 2 tablespoons of honey)
1 cup medium cornmeal
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 extra-large eggs

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
2) In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
3) In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and eggs.
4) With the mixer on the lowest speed, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones and stir until they are just blended. Spoon the batter into the paper liners, filling each one to the top.
5) Bake for 30 minutes, until the tops are crisp and a toothpick comes out clean. 
6) Cool slightly and remove from the pan.