Baba ghanoush is a totally delicious eggplant dip, and it is really easy to whip together. When the creamy eggplant is flavored with olive oil, lemon, cilantro, and sesame, it turns into a healthy, tasty, and surprisingly filling snack. I’ll definitely be nibbling on it during the next football game.
Traditional baba ghanoush is made with grilled eggplant, but you can cook your eggplant in the microwave for a speedier version. I had tiny eggplants, so I sliced them in half and steamed them in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. However you decide to cook your eggplant, do so until it is fork tender.
If you use a full-sized eggplant, you will want to scoop the insides out of the skin. My eggplants had thin skins because they were so tiny, so I left them on. I liked how colorful the skins made the final dip look. You can make your baba ghanoush in the food processor, but if you’re like me and don’t feel like creating a lot of dirty dishes, you can mash the eggplant by hand in a bowl. Run a sharp knife through the eggplant until it’s broken down into much smaller pieces. Don’t worry- it will take on a creamier consistency once you stir in the other ingredients.
Now it’s time to season your eggplant. Drizzle in about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, some cilantro leaves, the juice from 1/2 lemon, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon of tahini. Tahini is sesame seed paste. I’ve made my own tahini before, but I definitely recommend buying it from the supermarket instead. Also season the baba ghanoush with salt and pepper. Stir the baba ghanoush well with a fork and taste it. Adjust your seasonings until the dip takes on the flavor you want. Eat your baba ghanoush with plantain chips, pita chips, veggies, or as a spread on a sandwich. I hope you enjoy this quick snack!
To make this gratin, peel 3 baking potatoes and cut them up into 1 inch pieces. So simple!
In a 10 inch, non-stick, oven-proof skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add in a diced shallot or small onion and cook it until it softens. What a fabulous smell onions and butter make!
Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the onions and stir them around so the flour absorbs all of the butter. Let the onions and flour cook for a few minutes so the flour loses its raw flavor. 
Add 1/2 cup of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of cream to the onions and stir it all around. Season the mixture with thyme, salt, and pepper. Add in 1 cup of shredded gruyère cheese, and stir it around until it melts into the sauce.
Add your potatoes to the pan and stir them around until they are completely coated in the cheesy mixture. I kept finding a reason to stir the potatoes so I could lick the spoon. It’s just so good. Cover your pan and let the potatoes cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. While they’re cooking, preheat your oven to 375ºF.
When the 15 minutes are up, sprinkle 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese over the potatoes. Put the pan in the oven and let the potatoes cook for 30 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. These potatoes have such an incredible flavor. You can even eat them with breakfast! Bon appétit!
First, marinate your favorite cut of steak. My steak-aficionado cousin has finally declared filets to be the best. Heat your oven’s broiler as high as it will go. Then, put your steak on a broiler pan (or an improvised one like I used- an oven rack on top of a sheet pan) and cook it under the broiler. It took my steak about 6 minutes on each side to reach medium doneness. Use a meat thermometer to make sure your steak reaches the temperature you want.
Let the steak rest for a few minutes before cutting into it. I really love how the caesar dressing caramelizes slightly under the broiler because it adds a huge amount of flavor to the steak. It was juicy and tender too! I hope thiscooking method sees you through the grill-less winter ahead.