Eggplant Pasta and Cuppa Cuppa Cake

…I know, weird title, but both were quite excellent dishes that I’m super glad I tried. Sarah, try the cake. It’ll knock your socks off.

Here’s the original recipe for the pasta…

…and here’s the original recipe for the cake.

PASTA

• 1 Medium eggplant, cubed
• 1 pound rotini pasta
• Kosher salt
• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs EVOO
• 1 small package baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 Tbs lemon juice (fresh if you have it)
• 1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• Fresh black pepper
• Parmigiano-reggiano

Start by chopping up your eggplant. This was my first time working with the vegetable (although I’ve eaten it before), and I found it rather… odd. Texturally, it’s a little like apples, but it tends to soak up all the flavors you put on it. It’s interesting, certainly enough.

Then put it (in sections) onto a plate with a paper towel underneath it into the microwave for about 2 or 2 and a half minutes. While you’re doing this, start boiling your water (with roughly 3 tsb of the Kosher salt) for your pasta. When it’s done, drain and set aside.

When all your eggplant has been microwaved, melt your butter and add your EVOO to a skillet. When the butter starts to brown, add the eggplant and mushrooms and cook for about 6 minutes, or until your veggies start to brown.

Then add your garlic, thyme, marjoram, lemon juice, and tomatoes. Let that get acquainted for about 5 minutes, and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta and garnish with parm.

Pardon the blurriness.

Happy eating!

But oh, wait- we aren’t done yet! We still have cake to contend with! Just a heads up, this cake takes about 45 minutes to bake, so don’t be like me and wait until the last minute to throw it into the oven. You will regret it, because then you have to wait till it’s done to enjoy its simple goodness.

CAKE

• 1 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup sugar (less if you don’t have a sweet tooth)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1- 14 oz. can fruit cocktail
• 1 tsp lemon extract

This is super complicated, I promise.

Throw all of your ingredients into a bowl, stir to combine (don’t beat the heck out of it), pour into a greased baking dish, and put it in the oven for 45 minutes.

Told you it was complicated!

Anyway, you can serve this with UNSWEETENED whipped cream or vanilla ice cream- either would be delicious.

Now, happy eating! For real this time!

 

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Artichokes and Capers

So… this pasta is one of my favorite pasta recipes, well, ever. I first had it while I was visiting my sister Sarah over Spring Break last year, and I just fell in love with it, and now I’m sharing it with you. Here’s the original recipe.

• 12 oz. spaghetti noodles
• 4 slices of bacon
• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
• 1 container capers, drained
• 4 oz. can of mushrooms, drained
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

So here’s what you do. Start cooking your spaghetti according to the directions on the box. When they’re done, strain the water off and set the noodles aside.

Cook your bacon slices. The original recipe calls for three, but I happen to love bacon, so really, you should cook 4 slices.

Set on paper towels to drain.

Then, drain off some of the grease and add it to your bacon grease container (which you should always have around) to use in other dishes.

Cut up your chicken breasts into bite sized chunks.

Then chuck it into the pan with a little bit of leftover grease, and cook it all up. Set aside.

Oh, yeah, I might add that you should salt and pepper your chicken before you cook it. I kind of forgot that step… don’t be like me.

And now we assemble the sauce. Throw your artichoke hearts, capers, and mushrooms into the pan, and let them cook for about a minute. Then, add the wine, lemon juice, and chicken broth.

I definitely didn’t do this in order, but it doesn’t really matter. Chop up your bacon and add it in, along with your lemon juice and broth (if you haven’t already added it in).

Add your cream and chicken to the mix.

I thought it looked a little skimpy, so I added about a quarter to a half a cup of cream.

Now let that do its thing for about 5 minutes, or until ready to serve. If you let it cook for longer, make sure to cover it and give it a good stirring when you serve.

Put some of the spaghetti on a plate, top with sauce, and serve! The sauce is thin enough that you don’t have to mix it into the pasta- it’ll just drain down when you pour it over.

Happy eating!