How to Grill Eggplant with Fresh Herbs

Fresh herbs are best with this recipe, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can certainly use their dried counterparts. Just use a pinch of each herb if you’re using dried.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 cloves minced garlic

¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh thyme, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped

¼ cup fresh oregano, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

How to Make It:

Cut the eggplant into slices and salt them lightly. Let them sit for about 15 minutes, so the salt can bring out the moisture of the pieces. Wipe them dry with a bit of paper towel.

Meanwhile, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic herbs, salt and pepper. Let site to absorb the flavors for about 15 minutes.

Brush eggplant with oil and herb mixture all over, ensuring that the herbs get distributed well.

Place on a lightly greased grill and grill for about 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.  Mix with olive oil and garlic. Then let the flavors blend for about 15 minutes.

Golden Winter Seafood Chowder

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maynard/3793578671/

Who want's seafood chowder???? 

On a chilly day like today, I do!

It's going to be gooooood!!!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup butter
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup potato, peeled and cubed
2 ribs of celery, chopped (At my store they already have diced onion and celery together, so I used that)
2 carrots, chopped (I used a can of carrots - feel free to use some shortcuts people lol)
1/4 cup Clamato juice (Found this at Target)
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) package of sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (I actually shredded a block of cheese, is it just me or does the shredded cheese taste different that comes in a bag??)
1 (6 ounce) can crabmeat, drained and flaked
1 cup shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

Instructions:

Place the butter into a soup pot over medium heat.  Allow the butter to completely melt.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until tender.  Pour in the both.

Add the potatoes, celery and carrots.

Pour in the Clamato juice and stir to combine.  (I found it in Target)

Sprinkle in the lemon pepper and stir to blend the ingredients together well.

Bring soup to a rapid boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender.

Place the flour and milk together in a small bowl. Whisk until completely combined or it will be lumpy & gunky, and who wants that?

Turn the heat back up to medium.  Add the mixture to the soup.  Bring the mixture back to a rapid boil.

Continue to cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes as the liquid thickens to your liking.  Once thick reduce the heat to low and add the cheese, crabmeat and shrimp.  Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the cheese has completely melted into the soup.

Then Viola! Let me know how you liked it :)