Ingredients

• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. plain whole milk yogurt with active cultures

Instructions

1. Mix ingredients in air-tight container and seal container.
2. Set container on counter in warm space for 12 hours or overnight.
3. Move container to refrigerator and use when chilled.

Ingredients

• 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. Tobasco sauce
• 1 c. water (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. If serving with vodka, omit the water.
2. Blend on high until smooth.
3. Chill, serve, and enjoy.

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 2-3 medium carrots
• 3 Tbl. tahini
• 1 Tbl. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-2 garlic cloves

Instructions

1. Zest and juice both lemons into the bowl of a food processor.
2. Roughly chop the carrots and add them to the food processor, along with the remaining ingredients.
3. Process until desired consistency, adding water as needed to thin the dip.

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz. can of chick peas, drained
• 2 lemons
• 2 Tbl. tahini
• 2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1-2 garlic cloves

Instructions

1. Drain the chickpeas and place them in the bowl of a food processor.
2. Add the zest and juice of both lemons to the chickpeas.
3. Add the remaining ingredients.
4. Process until desired consistency, adding water as needed to thin the hummus.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. dried pasta elbows
• 4 Tbl. butters, cut into 4 pieces
• 1 egg
• 8 oz. can evaporated milk
• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and put it into a medium-sized casserole or a gratine dish.
3. Add butter to pasta and mix until butter is melted.
4. In a small bowl, crack and beat the egg until the yolk is incorporated with the egg whites. Add the evaporated milk and pour the mixture over the pasta and butter mix.
5. Add the cheese to the casserole dish and stir until ingreditents are combined.
6. Bake the mac and cheese casserole for 20 minutes, opening the over to stir the mixture every 5 minutes.
7. Let the casserole cool for at least 10 minutes after baking to give the pasta a chance to absorb as much cheese sauce as it can. Then serve.

Notes

If you don't have evaporated milk on hand, you can use an equal amount of half-and-half, which will give the same texture but contain a bit more fat. Or you can use whole milk or lowfat milk, but the lower you go in the fat content, the higher risk you have of curdling the milk when it goes into the oven.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 package firm tofu, drained and sliced into roughly 48 cubes
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 thin slices of fresh ginger
• 2-3 Asian or small Italian eggplants, cubed into sizes about the same as the tofu
• 1/4 cup rice wine or sherry
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• Sesame seeds (optional)

Notes for Next Time

July 23, 2011: The amount of soy sauce in this recipe is a bit heavy and gets sucked up by the eggplant, cut back on it to allow the full flavor of the eggplant to shine.

Instructions

1. Heat 1/2 cup of the the canola oil in a non-stick pan until water sizzles when it hits the oil. Add the tofu to the oil in batches and fry until light brown, approximately 3 minutes, then flip and fry the other side until light brown. Drain on paper towels and continue until all the tofu has been fried.
2. Whisk together the cornstarch, broth, water and sesame oil in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large wok over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for a minute, until fragrant.
4. Add the remaining oil, swirling to coat the sides of the pan.
5. When the oil is hot, toss in the eggplant and stir-fry until evenly coated with oil, then spread it out into a single layer in the wok. Let cook about 10 minutes, stirring about every 3 minutes.
6. Add the tofu to the eggplant in the pan.
7. Gently stir in the wine and soy sauce; the eggplant should absorb it quickly. If some of the larger eggplant pieces are still not cooked through, reduce heat and continue cooking until done, stirring occasionally.
8. Add the cornstarch mixture, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, a few more moments until the sauce thickens and coats the eggplant.
9. Serve over steamed rice, sprinkled with sesame seed if desired.