Pasta with Eggplant and Mint Pesto

from 50 Quick & Healthy Vegetarian Dishes, 1994

Special Ingredients:

- Eggplant

- Mint 

This is my oldest favorite recipe. I tried it first time maybe in 2003. This is easiest fool proof way to cook eggplant, and the mint pesto makes it heavenly.

Fried Pork Chops with Tarragon

from Tuscany the Beautiful Cookbook

Ingredients:

6 pork chops

3 T olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 T fresh tarragon leaves

(Comment to ask for directions)

This is my favorite way to cook pork chops. Tarragon transforms the flavor to the whole new level. Tastes very special and very easy to make.

Winter Lentil Soup with Kale

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/winter-lentil-soup

Vegeterian, vegan

Special Ingredients:

- Kale

- Lentils 

- Sweet potatoes (I used squash, carrots)

Changes:

I normally follow recipes to a t, but this one is perfect to use as a starting point and then throw in whatever you have in a fridge and pantry.

- added potatoes, carrots, celery

- used squash instead of sweet potatoes, or just carrots the first time

- red pepper flakes (Kate's brilliant idea)

- ate with sour cream (that's how Lithuanians like enrishing their soups)

The best vegetable soup I ever had, also very simple and quick. My co-worker Kate discovered this recipe, and i already made it twice this fall. Very basic ingredients, but so much flavor that it does not require broth. This time I had a bad accident. I dumped over a cup of salt into the soup because the container's lid fell off. I quickly dumped the soup into the strainer and had to rinse it with water washing all the leek sweettened tomato broth down the drain. I then added homemade broth - I always have homemade broths frozen in ziplock bags in the freezer. With the accident I forgot to add the lentis, so those went in later and I cooked the soup longer than needed. Despite all the soup turned out delicious.

Every time I have a bowl of this soup I think - omg this makes me so happy!

Notes:

I forget to add parmesan by the time I ladle the soup, but it adds great flavor.

I love adding the red pepper flakes.

Will I make it again? - yes, this will be my stape soup for fall.

Chili and Cornbread

Chili-Beans by Emeril Lagasse

Buttery Corn Bread

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/chili-beans-recipe.html

Extra fluffy cornbread
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/buttery-corn-bread#. 

Betty Crocker's cornbread 

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/cornbread/8990e15c-fc1d-4a8d-b8b3-4b37f45eca49

Chili

I liked this chili recipe because it uses dry beans, and i like Emeril's essence mix. I used 2lb of ground venison because that's what I had to use up. I also added carrots and celery. And used honey instead of sugar.

Note: 

use more spices if add more ingredients. I should have doubled the spice.

Cornbread

Very fluffy. Excellent recipe. I was surprised it called for twice as much flour than corn meal, but that must be the reason for fluffiness.
Betty Crocker recipe tasted more grainy and more like corn. That's my preference.

Will I make this again? - yes, both recipes are great and no need to change.

Sopa de Ajo Blanco (almond and garlic soup)

http://www.andalucia.com/taste/gazpacho/rec3.htm

Vegeterian, vegan

I chose this recipe because it had no dairy and seemed more authentic because so simple.

Next time I would use good bread, and would make only a half of the recipe as it is very strong, so had to keep watering down.

Would I make it again? - probalbly. Have to make it in summer 

Polenta with Vegetables

from Tuscany The Beautiful Cookbook

Vegeterian, vegan

Very easy and hearty recipe. Great with butter. Second time I added celery and frozen peas for more variety, but I almos like the first simplier version better.

Will I make it again? - yes, made it several times. Great simple recipe for a fall sunday to have a filling snack for the next day.

Fresh Corn Salad

by Ina Garten

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/fresh-corn-salad-recipe.html

Vegeterian, vegan

I think this is a great and easy recipe. But i did not cook the corn and the salad turned out too starchy.

Will I make it again? - yes, I love corn and this is easy and refreshing recipe to kill that corn craving