Roasted Tomato-and-Feta Shrimp

This recipe is so versatile and can be served as an appetizer, salad, or main dish. The beauty of the fresh ingredients make for a gorgeous presentation. All these are good reasons to make this recipe, but the best reason is because it is delicious!

I think it is awesome and I think you will love it too :)

Buon Appetito!

Roasted Tomato - and - Feta Shrimp

source: Southern Living December 2010

6 servings

prep: 10 minutes

bake: 25-30 minutes

calories per serving: 233

fat grams per serving: 12.3
nutritional info does not include French bread

• 2 pt. grape tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined, medium-size raw shrimp (31/40 count)
• 1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (4-oz.) package crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Crusty French bread, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Place tomatoes and next 4 ingredients in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, tossing gently to coat. Bake 15 minutes. Stir in shrimp and peppers. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Toss with parsley, feta cheese, and lemon juice. Serve immediately with crusty French bread.

Lazy Lil's Easy Mango Salsa

Now that it is almost summertime and getting oh-so-hot outside  I start to crave foods that are light and refreshing like this Easy Mango Salsa.  It is the perfect blend of spicyness and sweetness.  One of the ladies in my bible study brought this to a meeting and I just loved it. I love mango and it is especially yummy and refreshing in this salsa. Paired with baked tortilla chips or gluten free corn chips this makes for a healthy, delicious addition to your next Mexican menu or BBQ. This recipe makes a ton so it is great for crowd!

Lazy Lil's Easy Mango Salsa

Yields: 16 cups

Serving size: 1 cup

calories: 133

fat g: <1

 INGREDIENTS:
4 cups chopped mango
2 cans stewed tomatoes, diced
1 small white/red onion, diced
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
2 limes,juiced
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups canned diced green chiles or
2-5 fresh green chiles, chopped finely
6 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
8 cups of mild/medium store bought salsa

DIRECTIONS:  Makes 16 cups approximately.
1.  Combine all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
2.  You can substitute the chopped mango with canned crushed pineapple, fresh chopped peaches or diced avocados, corn, black beans.

Buon Appetito!

Marinated Grilled Veggie Skewers

These delicious marinated grilled veggie skewers would make a perfect addition to your Memorial Day cookout. I made this recipe several weeks ago when we had our Italian friends over for dinner and karaoke. We planned to cookout steaks and chicken so when I came across this recipe I thought it would be a perfect compliment. It is super easy and doesn't take a lot of time to prep which is great when trying to prepare several other dishes. The marinade can be made the day before and then simply add the veggies a couple hours before grilling.


These veggies made such a pretty presentation and were a big hit with everyone at the party. They are really healthy so you can save those calories for dessert!



I used the recipe as a guide, but didn't follow it exactly. You can use whatever vegetables you like. I did not add the crushed red pepper since I wasn't sure if my guests would like them spicy.

Marinated Grilled Vegetable Skewers Recipe

Source: www.divinedinnerparty.com

Ingredients:
Veggies:
1/2 C. thickly sliced zucchini
1/2 C. red bell pepper chunks
1/2 C. yellow bell pepper chunks
1/2 C. thickly sliced yellow squash
1/2 C. wedged red onion
16 fresh mushrooms
16 large cherry tomatoes
Wooden skewers


Marinade:
1/2 C. olive oil
1/3 C. soy sauce
1/3 C. lemon juice
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. honey
2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional-- only if you like heat)


Instructions:
1. Place all your veggies in a large mixing bowl or resealable plastic bag.
2. In a separate small bowl, combine the marinade ingredients.
3. Pour over veggies and marinate at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
4. Soak skewers one hour in water.
5. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
6. Place your veggies on the skewers, dividing them evenly. Reserve the marinade.
7. Grill veggie skewers directly on oiled grill rack for about 15 minutes, till crisp-tender. Brush occasionally with reserved marinade.

Cold Marinated Veggie Variation: Don't have time or space to make your veggies on the grill? Turn your veggies into a cold salad, instead.
If you know you're tight on time, this is a good element of your dinner party menu for the grill to make ahead of time. In this case, you can take carrot slices, chopped Brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, and cauliflower and turn them into a cold salad by simply adding some chunks of provolone, mozzarella, salami, ham, and a little vinaigrette – fast, easy and very appealing!

Buon Appetito!

Baked Goat Cheese Dip

Fat Girl Trapped in a Skinny Body is one of my favorite blogs.  I love the author's humor and often lol when reading her post.  Her food looks great and is very different from my style of cooking.  I think one reason I like her blog so much is because I get ideas for foods that I wouldn't normally cook. For example, I have noticed that she often shares recipes that include goat cheese.  She even has a recipe for Goat Cheese Stuffed Cookies.  I had never tried goat cheese before and was really curious. I saw this recipe for Baked Goat Cheese Dip in Southern Living Magazine I thought I would give it a try.

Goat cheese has a very distinct flavor and reminds me a lot of feta cheese, which I love.  If you like feta, I think you will really enjoy this easy appetizer recipe.

 

Baked Goat Cheese Dip

Southern Living

DECEMBER 2010

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients 

1 small onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

Pinch of sugar

1 (14.5-oz.) can petite-diced tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1/4 cup torn basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

2 (4-oz.) goat cheese logs, softened

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

Assorted cut vegetables and bread cubes

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sauté onion in hot oil in a 3-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in garlic and next 3 ingredients, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Stir in diced and sun-dried tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat, and stir in basil and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Stir together goat cheese and cream cheese until well blended. Spread into a lightly greased 9-inch shallow ovenproof dish. Top with tomato mixture.
3. Bake at 350° for 15 to 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with assorted vegetables and bread cubes.
Make ahead: Prepare recipe as directed through Step 2. Cover and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake as directed.

Buon Appetito!

Preventing Holiday Weight Gain Part 1 ~ featuring Registered Dietician, Jenny Cooper (including recipes for Spinach Dip and Baked Balsamic Chicken)

The Holidays are here! With the bustle of decorating, shopping, spending time with friends and family and eating delicious food who wouldn’t agree that this is the most wonderful time of the year? But along with the fun and celebration of the holidays also comes worry and stress around holiday weight gain. The good news is, you can enjoy all of your favorite holiday foods without stretching your waist line.  The key to preventing weight gain during the holidays is the same as preventing weight gain any other time of the year: limit the amount of calories you take in through foods and beverages while also burning extra calories through physical activity. Where most of us get in trouble during the holidays is when we overindulge on holiday goodies for two months straight and we allow the busyness of the holiday season and the colder temperatures to interfere with our usual efforts in staying physically active. To help keep you on track this year in preventing those sneaky pounds from piling on, check out these top three ways to prevent unwanted holiday weight gain:

1.       Avoid Overindulging During the Holidays

It’s perfectly okay during the holidays to enjoy your favorite holiday goodies, but try to limit the amount of high calorie foods you eat by practicing portion control. This can be accomplished by eating from a small salad plate versus a regular sized dinner plate and by filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, a fourth of your plate with a lean protein food such as turkey or beans and the other fourth of your plate with a starchy carb food like a dinner roll or mashed sweet potatoes. At that holiday meal, you can also save your calories by choosing to eat only your favorite dishes and fight the urge to “sample” everything. For dessert try to choose your top two favorite desserts offered and cut very small slices of each to enjoy.

Avoid skipping breakfast to “save” calories for the big meal later. This will only cause you to overindulge during the meal. Have a breakfast consisting of protein, a whole grain and a piece of fruit. The protein and fiber from the breakfast meal will curb your appetite and control blood sugar until your next snack or meal. If your holiday meal is later in the day, be sure to have a healthy snack 1-2 hrs before the meal to, again, prevent you from overeating at the meal. Your snack should also contain some type of protein and fiber such as low fat cheese slices and whole grain crackers, unsalted trail mix with nuts and dried fruit or raw veggies and hummus.

Be sure to eat a healthy meal before heading out for that last minute shopping trip or when hitting the major after holiday sales, and carry a healthy snack with you to prevent being tempted by unhealthy fast food and convenient store snacks. White meat turkey on whole grain bread with veggies or tossed into a salad makes a great pre-shopping trip meal!   

Stay tuned for part 2...

                                                                                                 
                                                                                                           Jenny Cooper, RD, LDN

 Hi! It's Joy.

Jenny was talking about the importance of eating a well balance breakfast. I have a hard time finding something for breakfast that will stick with me all morning.  Recently, a friend told me about Bagel Thins. They are just like a bagel, but thinner (duh, I am sure you could have figured that out) and have about 1/2 the calories of a regular bagel.

I now eat a Bagel Thin sandwich and drink an 8 oz. glass of skim milk every morning for breakfast:

• 1 whole wheat bagel thin toasted
• 2 fried egg whites (mix 3/4 tsp. sugar with leftover egg yolks and freeze for later use)
• 1 slice of lowfat cheese 

This meal has approximately 300 calories, and it sticks with me until lunchtime even on days when I run 5 miles or more.

Jenny also mentioned eating a healthy snack a couple of hours before a big meal to curb your appetite. One of my favorite snacks is spinach dip with fresh veggies. Just look at these beautiful veggies at the local Italian market.

Spinach Dip

2 cups light or nonfat sour cream

1 pkg. frozen spinach (chopped, thawed, and drained)

1/4 cup chopped onion

3/4 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

• Combine ingredients in a bowl and chill for at least an hour.
• Serve with raw carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, celery, bell peppers, tomatoes, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, zuchinni, squash, snap peas or any veggie of your choice. 
• Can also be served in a round bread loaf.
• Also makes a great spread for sandwiches.

Jenny says that we need to include lean meats in our diet. Here is a really easy and juicy chicken dish to help you maintain your weight during the holidays. It is great hot out of the oven with veggies. Leftovers would be perfect tossed in a salad for that preshopping meal!

Balsamic Baked Chicken

Source: www.food.com

4 chicken breast halves, bone-in or skinless

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Arrange the chicken bone side down in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
• Pour the vinegar over them and sprinkle evenly with the oil, oregano,  salt, and pepper.
• Bake the chicken 20 minutes and baste with the vinegar juices.
• Bake 20 minutes more (depending on size of breast) or until juices run clear.
• Serve chicken with juices spooned over them.

Servings one breast (94 g.)

calories 170.2

fat 10.1

protein 15.2

fiber <1 g

Buon Appetito!

Tortilla De Patata Con Ajo Y Perejil (Spanish Tortilla)

The past couple months my friend Ginny and I have been training for the Palermo, Sicily half marathon which is this coming weekend.  It will be my first half marathon. Eek! I met Ginny in 2007 when our husbands were both stationed at the Naval Hospital in Charleston, SC.  We became fast friends and soon began training for the Cooper River Bridge 10k run.  I had never run a race and at that time could probably only run one mile.  It took me several months to be able to run 4 miles without stopping.  To my credit I WAS pushing a jogging stroller which makes running much more difficult.  Ginny is a natural runner.  She ran the Disney half marathon without training.  I didn't even know that was possible.  Ginny was such a sweetheart and was really patient with me during our training.  She never complained when I asked to walk, which I did often.  We never ran the full 6 miles while training for the run, so I was super excited when I ran the entire race without stopping. Here we are after the race.

Fast forward a few years and our husbands are once again stationed together.  I love how the Navy can bring wonderful people back in your life even half way around the world.  This past September Ginny ran the Dingle Marathon in Ireland along with her husband James, my husband Brandon, and my next door neighbor, Jen. Here is a pic of the runners after the race.

Jen's husband Mike did a half iron man the same weekend in Galway, Ireland.  Here is a pic of him with his darling daughter.

It was Brandon's first full marathon and he did great finishing in 4 hours 15 minutes even though the course was extremely hilly and very tough even for experienced marathon runners.  He is also training for the Palermo half marathon.  Here is a pic of him running in Dingle. It was a beautiful course.

Jen and Mike are rockstars. Even after just racing in Ireland they flew to the states a couple of weekends ago and ran the Marine Corps Marathon.  I am surrounded by running greatness!  They all inspire me to keep going and not give up.

A couple of weeks ago Ginny and I ran an eleven mile long run. It was hard and I will confess I walked a tiny bit.  I don't particularly enjoy long runs but after burning over 1100 calories, I love getting to eat whatever I want.

Needless to say, I am extra hungry on long run days. So mid-afternoon as I was finishing cleaning my house I realized I was getting really hungry. I was just getting ready to find something to eat when  I got a call from Jen saying that Mike, who is a great cook, had just cooked a Spanish Tortilla and wanted to know if I wanted any. I was not familiar with the dish and was excited to try it.  The aroma was wonderful and I knew if it tasted anywhere near as good as it smelled, I would want to blog about it, so I took a picture just in case.

The Spanish Tortilla, or potato omelet, is a typical Spanish dish and one of the most popular tapas. Tapas are little meals or appetizers and are eaten anytime of the day or night. In Spain you will find an abundance of tapas bars/restaurants. We had an opportunity to eat at one while touring Barcelona. We enjoyed some delicious tapas and seafood paella but at a hefty price. That lunch costs us over $100!  Just think how much money I am saving you by sharing this recipe! The restaurant where we ate was on La Rambla a very popular street in Barcelona. There were lots of shops and restaurants. It reminded me a lot of the states.

La Rambla

street performer in Barcelona

and another one

I was very impressed with Mike's cooking skills as the omelet was beautifully browned to perfection. It was absolutely scrumptious! The protein from the eggs and the carbs from the potatoes made it a perfect post-long-run snack.

If you are not familiar with this dish, it may be helpful to check out this link for a step by step pictorial of a similar recipe. This dish makes a perfect breakfast or brunch food.

Tortilla de Patata Con Ajo Y Perejil

(Potato Omelet with Garlic and Parsley)
Source:  Rockstar Runner Mike Delicioso! The Regional Cooking of Spain
Serves 8-12 for tapas, 4 for supper

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

4 medium-large baking potatoes, peeled, and sliced into 1/8 inch slices

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Salt

5 large eggs

Heat the oil in an 8 or 9 inch skillet until just hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion, and cook the onion very slowly for about 20 minutes (alternatively, the onion can be sliced and cooked with the potato without discarding). Skim off the onion and discard. Add the potato slices one at a time, making layers and salting each layer lightly. Cook slowly (in effect, "simmering" the potatoes in the oil) until the potatoes are tender (they should not be brown), lifting and turning them as they cook (this may also be done in the basket of a deep-fryer). Drain in a colander and pat with paper towels. Reserve about 2 tablespoons with the oil. Wipe out the skillet and scrape off any stuck particles.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork and add salt to taste. Stir in the garlic and parsley. Add the drained potatoes, pressing the potatoes with the back of a pancake tuner to completely immerse them in the egg. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the reserved oil in the skillet to the smoking point. Add the potato mixture all at once and press with the back of a pancake turner to spread the mixture evenly in the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook until the tortilla is lightly brown underneath, shaking constantly.

Slide the tortilla onto a dish, cover with a second dish, and invert. Add another teaspoon or so of reserved oil to the skillet, heat again to the smoking point, slide in the tortilla, and continue to shake the pan until the tortilla has browned on the other side, tucking in any tough edges with the back of the pancake turner. Turn the tortilla, twice more, to perfect its shape and cook it a little more (about 30 seconds on each side). It should remain juicy within. Cut into wedges or 1 1/2 inch squares that can be speared with toothpicks. Serve warm or at room temperature (it can be made several hours in advance).

Nutritional Facts per 1/12 serving
195 calories
15.6 grams of fat
3.7 grams of protein
1 gram of fiber


Buon Appetito!

Mexican Dip

I apologize that I haven't been consistently posting recipes lately. I am currently taking four accelerated college classes, so I have been a little busy. My write ups will probably be short and sweet until two of my classes end on November 7.

I am excited to share this yummy Mexican Dip recipe with you! I got this from a good friend when we lived in Meridian, MS. She now lives in Texas, and I am in Italy, but thanks to Facebook we can still keep in touch. I am so thankful for the friends all over the world that the Lord has brought into my life. Each new friend makes my life so much richer, and I am truly grateful!

Mexican Dip

2 pkg. 8 oz. cream cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)

¾ cup mayo (I use light)

3 T. taco seasoning

2 green onions, sliced (set aside 2 T. for topping)

1 cup diced red bell pepper

¾ cup salsa

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

Combine cream cheese, mayo, and seasoning until smooth. Set about 1 cup aside, spread the rest on bottom of serving dish and about ½ way up sides. Slice green onions and set aside 2 T. for top. Combine green onion, red bell pepper, salsa, garlic, beans, and corn. Spread ½ of salsa mixture over cream cheese layer. Repeat both layers. Sprinkle 2 T. green onions on top.

Brickle Bit Fruit Dip

I received this recipe from my bff about 15 years ago. I always think of her every time I make it. It is a nice change from the typical marshmallow cream fruit dip and is always a hit whenever I take it to gatherings. 

 The recipe calls for brickle bits which I can't get here in Italy, so I crushed up a few Heath candy bars instead. It was delish!

Brickle Bit Fruit Dip

8 oz. cream cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. brickle bits

Combine cream cheese and brown sugar and let set for 15 minutes. Combine rest of ingredients and chill for 8 hours to allow the brickle bits to soften. Serve it with any fruit, but I prefer to serve it with apples.

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

Bruschetta (pronounced brusketta in Italian) is an appetizer that originated in central Italy and consists of toasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. The most popular variety outside of Italy is topped with tomatoes, garlic, basil, and sometimes mozzarella.

I discovered this easy recipe a few weeks ago. It is especially good using garden fresh tomatoes you can find this time of year. Also, using fresh basil instead of dried makes a huge difference in taste. The smell and taste of fresh basil is divine and I have thoroughly enjoyed cooking with it.

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

6 roma tomatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
8 slices Italian bread, cut about 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Directions:Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 45 mins

1 Whisk together chopped garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, and basil.
2 When combined slowly drizzle in oil.
3 Add tomatoes and let sit for 20 minutes at room temp.
4 Meanwhile, toast the bread.
5 This can be done either in the toaster (if it's got really wide slots) or under the broiler (if using this method watch closely so it doesn't become a brickette).
6 When the bread is toasted rub each piece, on one side, with the whole garlic pieces.
7 Place the bread on a cookie sheet and top with tomato mixture.
8 Sprinkle on a little cheese and broil till the cheese melts (you can skip that last broiling bit and it's equally as wonderful).
9. Serve immediately.
10. The tomato mixture also makes a wonderful vinegrette for an antipasto salad.
http://www.food.com/

Eggplant Caponata Take Two

Last week I tried making Eggplant Caponata again and this time it turn out great! It was a definite improvement from the first time. I left out the potatoes and peeled the eggplant in stripes instead of peeling the whole thing. I also broke up the olives instead of leaving them whole. This is served as an antipasto (appetizer). I like to eat it with Italian bread. It is a process to make but so worth it.

Eggplant Caponata

EGGPLANT 0,800 kg (approximately 1.5 lb or 1 large eggplant)

GREEN OLIVES 100 g (1/4 cup)

CELERY 100 g (1/4 cup)

ONIONS 200 g (1/2 cup)

PEANUT OIL 0,500 lt (for frying)

RED AND GREEN BELL PEPPERS 800 g (approximately 5 large peppers)

FRESH BASIL 30 g (1 ounce)

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 50 DL (for sauteeing)

CAPERS 30 g (1 ounce)

SUGAR 30 g (1 ounce)

WHITE VINEGAR 25 g (a little less than 1 ounce)

SALT AND PEPPER 100 q.b (to taste)

COCOA 20 g

1. Wash eggplant and peel 1/2 the eggplant. Cut eggplant into cubes. Cover cubes in water and add a generous amount of salt. Let sit for one hour. This takes the bitterness out of the eggplant.

2. Wash the peppers, remove seeds, and dice.

3. Fry peppers in peanut oil, drain on paper towels.

4.  Drain eggplant and squeeze out water. Fry in oil. Be careful to use a big pot so the oil doesn't bubble over when placing the eggplant in the oil.

5.Wash the celery and onion then dice. Brown in a pan with olive oil, salt, and pepper and cook for 20 minutes on low flame.

6. Then add the sugar, vinegar, capers, pitted olives, eggplant, peppers, basil, and celery. Add salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with cocoa and serve cold.

Caponata and Pork Involtini

In February I took a professional cooking course at a local cooking school. There were nine sessions and each session we prepared a full Italian meal, which consists of antipasti (appetizer), primi piatti (first plate) which is usually pasta or rice, secondi piatti (you guessed it, second plate) which is meat, contorno (side dish or salad), and dolce (dessert). We were seperated into groups and each group would prepare one of the courses. I learned alot, but obviously I didn't get to personally make all the dishes so trying to make them on my own may take some practice. We were given the recipes from each class. The only problem is that they are in Italian. So I have to translate them. Using Google translate makes things alot easier, but somethings are lost in translation and can be a little confusing.

I have really not had the time to cook the Italian dishes since alot of the ingredients I need can't be found at the Commisary on base. However, I recently decided that I was going to pick a couple of recipes a week and go shopping for the ingredients.

I did try a pesto a few months ago that we made in class and it was horrible! One of the problems was that I didn't have a food scale. Italians use the metric system and weigh their ingredients instead of using measuring cups. For instance the recipe may call for 30 grams of cheese instead of measuring out 1/4 cup of cheese. So I was trying to convert the metric measurements to our imperial measurements and it didn't work out well. After that fiasco, my husband so kindly ordered me a food scale and it has been very helpful.

I decided last week to make Eggplant Caponata, which is an antipasto. It is probably my favorite antipasto. It consists of delicious marinated vegetables. However, I was very disappointed to learn that all the vegetables are deep fried before they are simmered in the marinade. My Caponata turned out pretty good, but not perfect. It still needs some tweeking so I will not post the recipe until I am happy with the outcome. I plan to try again this week.

This is the Caponata from class:

This is my Eggplant Caponata:

As you can see it isn't quite the same. I really don't remember potatoes or olives in the original one. I think the olives were too overpowering and I didn't like the potatoes in it. 

I also decided to make Pork Involtini, which is thinly sliced pork, stuffed, and rolled. I was very pleased with how the Involtini turned out. It was so good.

Pork Involtini

Serves 4
Pork Roast 0,800 kg
Bread-Crumbs 200 g
Grated Parmasan Cheese 30 g
Garlic 30 g
Cooked Ham 100 g
Parsley 30 g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 30 DL
Swiss Cheese 100 g
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut pork into very thin slices.

Grate bread or put in food processor and mix with the grated Parmesan, minced garlic and season with salt, pepper, parsley and enough oil so the dough is very wet.

Stuff the meat slices with a layer of bread crumb mixture, slice of ham, and some cheese.

Roll them up in the form of roll and secure with a toothpick. One tip, don't use colored toothpicks unless you want your meat to have some color! lol!

Finally pass the rolls in seasoned breadcrumb mixture and bake in the oven at 350 degrees until done. I cooked mine about 45 minutes.

They were really delicious!!

Buon Appetito!!