Eggplant Delight

Eggplant Delight is a wonderful tasting and quite filling main dish. It is easy to prepare and keeps well for quick meals later in the week. As a matter of fact, the taste improves over time. The quantities depend on the size of your casserole dish. Place it on the table and watch it disappear.

Eggplant
Tomato sauce (your favorite type)
Mozzarella cheese (shredded)
Ricotta (whole or low fat - NOT fat-free)

Peel and slice eggplant about 1/4 thick. Sauté in until cooked. Layer in the casserole dish. Cover with a layer of tomato sauce. Spread some ricotta on the tomato sauce (don't skimp). The final layer of eggplant should be covered with tomato sauce and a healthy amount of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for a half an hour.

Vichy Carrots

2 cups finely sliced carrots (baby carrots are especially good)
juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Slice the carrots and place in a pan. Pour 1/2 cup boiling water on the carrots.  Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the carrots. Place slices of the butter over the carrots. Sprinkle salt and sugar over the carrots. Simmer with a loose cover until all the water has evaporated or absorbed. Do not overcook. The recipe is adapted from the Joy of Cooking.

It's Nice on Rice

Cee Cee, who claims that she doesn't cook, suggests this quick and easy dish. She prepares It's Nice on Rice to feed her two hungry teenage daughters, husband, and Alex, the couch-eating black lab. (Look for Alex's picture on Raisin's page in the near future.)

2 cans of Progresso black beans
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
˝ onion
some bell pepper.

Cook the onion and bell pepper in some water till tender. Add the beans and tomatoes. Cook for about 20 minutes. Serve over rice with grated low fat cheese and fat free sour cream.

Grilled Vadalia Onions

This recipe is adapted from the June/July, 1998 issue of Taste of Home magazine. Stanley Pichon of Louisiana was featured in the Men Who Run the Range column. Here is a wonderful recipe for the grill. We had it on our July Fourth weekend. It was a real hit with everyone.

1 Vandalia Onion
1 tablespoon of Butter.
1 teaspoon of beef bouillon granules or some beef bouillon

Hollow the center of the onion to an inch deep. Place butter in the center of the onion. Sprinkle boullion on the butter and onion. Wrap with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place on grill for about 30 minutes. Serves two to four.