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I recently got a new cookbook, The City Gardener’s Cookbook, which focuses on how to use up all your garden produce. I do not have a garden but I love veggies so I figured this book would be good. It is my favorite cookbook of the week! This book has so many yummy and unique vegetable recipes - I cannot wait to try them all. Cheesy Vegetable Casserole, only slightly modified, was my first recipe out of the book. It turned out quite well and is a great way to showcase summer produce. It sounds looks more complicated to make than it really is.. I think the whole thing took me 1.5 hrs which includes the 30 min baking time for the eggplant and the 45 min baking time for the casserole. So mostly, I was just sitting around reading.

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 medium potato, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ground pepper, to taste
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (8 oz) block cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the eggplant slices on a greased baking sheet and bake covered with foil for 30 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, steam to potatoes for 5-7 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat and let cool. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, basil and oregano. Mix salt and pepper with eggs.

When eggplant is done, remove from oven and turn oven down to 375 degrees.

Oil a 9×13″ pan and dust with 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs. Make two layers of: eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, egg mixture, olive oil, breadcrumbs, cheese.

Bake, covered, at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Serves: 8-10 as a side dish; 4-5 as a main dish

This is a fun spin on eggplant Parmesan. You could serve over pasta, but it’s great on its own as a small plate for dinner or an appetizer.

Ingredients

• Eggplant, sliced length-wise about 1/4 in thick
• Beaten egg
• Italian breadcrumbs
• 1/2 C olive oil (or other frying oil)
• 2-4 oz chevre
• Standard tomato sauce (see previous recipe)
• Fresh basil

Directions

In a large skillet, heat the oil till it crackles and pops when you drop a drop of water in it. Dip the eggplant into the egg wash and then dredge it in breadcrumbs. Place in the skillet, one at a time. When the edges start to turn brown, turn the eggplant over. When both sides are brown, remove from oil.

Next, you’re going to place a piece of eggplant on a plate, then spread some goat cheese on. Then put another piece of eggplant on top of that and some more goat cheese. Stack it about 3-4 slices high. Don’t put goat cheese on the top piece.

Spoon the tomato sauce on top and sprinkle with basil.

This is a super easy sauce that you can serve over pasta, gnocchi, or fried chicken or eggplant. Rather than a sauce that comes from a jar you can taste all the flavors because you’re using all fresh ingredients. This recipe is for two servings, but you can easily double or triple the recipe to serve more, or save leftovers for later.

Ingredients

• 10 medium crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 T extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 C dry white wine
• 4 medium tomatoes (blanched, peeled, and seeded)
• 2 T butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T fresh basil chopped

Directions

If you’ve never used fresh tomatoes for a sauce before, you’re in for a real treat. The trick is to blanch them in boiling water. Score the top of them by making an “X” across the top. Put them in boiling water for a minute. The boiling water gets under the skin making it easier to remove. Take them out and run them under cold water. When they’re cool enough to hold, peel the skin off.

Next, chop the top off the tomato and use your fingers or a spoon to scoop the seeds out. You’ll end up with a heap of yummy tomato flesh. You can mince it with a knife or throw it in a food processor or blender if you don’t like a chunky sauce.

Meanwhile, saute the mushroom slices in the olive oil over high heat. Add some salt. You’ll really want to cook theses down to get a nice flavor. Once they’re pretty well browned, add the crushed garlic. Allow this to cook for about a minute, mindful not to let the garlic burn. Then add the white wine and stir. When this is mixed, add the tomato and stir.

Allow the entire mixture to cook for another 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Right before serving, add the butter and mix it in. Serve over fresh pasta with fresh basil scattered on top.

I’ve got a bunch of herbs growing in pots on my back porch. I had no idea what to do with the tarragon until I thought up this beauty of a sauce. As a rule, tarragon and lemon usually work quite well together. They are the main flavors in Hollandaise sauce. Use them with chicken, white fish, or scallops. Here I have the chicken served with green bean almandine, parsley buttered potatoes, and a nice dry white wine.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken tenders
• 1/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 C Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 T butter
• 1/2 C dry white wine (I used Lolonis fume blanc)
• 1 lemon
• 2 sprigs French tarragon
• salt, to taste

Directions

In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over high heat till a drop of water pops on the surface. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and then in the bread crumbs. Place in hot oil and turn down to medium. Cook the chicken on one side till it browns, then turn over. Turn the heat down to a smidge higher than low. All the chicken to finish cooking.

Once the chicken is done, remove from the sauce pan. Drain about half the olive oil. Try to keep all of the bits and pieces that fell off the chicken as it cooked. Turn the heat back to high. Add the crushed garlic and cook until translucent. Immediately add the white wine and slosh around a bit. If you’re using a gas range, this is the part where the sauce might catch fire. This may be a bit scary if you’re not expecting it, but it will certainly impress any guests watching you prepare it.

Add the tarragon and juice from the lemon. Allow the sauce to cook over high heat for another minute to thicken a bit. Add salt to taste.

Put the chicken on plates and pour the sauce over.

My parents have an incredibly prolific lemon tree in their yard. Last year it produced over 500 lemons! They squeeze and freeze the lemon juice in the winter so they have it all year round. Lately, they’ve been making lemonade. It’s great and not too sweet or too tart. Best of all it is easy!

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a pitcher and stir until sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate until ready to serve.