For years, this site has been Jenn’s Cook Book. It started as a place for me to post recipes as I learned how to cook, with little commentary. In time, the posts have grown to encompass more information about the recipes and my experiences with food in and out of the kitchen. Last year, the Bitter/Sweet blog was born and allowed me to expand on topics not necessarily relate to food. One of the topics I posted in Bitter/Sweet was titled The Misunderstood Eggplant, based on the title of an article that ran in the New York Times.

To summarize the article, and the reason why I chose to write about it, the eggplant is a beautiful yet seriously unappreciated food. Eggplant is versatile and can be quite tasty, but the key is in the preparation. The article struck a cord with me because James and I had often quarreled, in jest, over my cooking and serving eggplant. The first time I made eggplant, I steamed it according to the recipe and the results where similar in taste and texture to a dry sponge. James was not quick to forget that experience.

Since then, I have prepared eggplant in a variety of ways that have been delightful. James no longer puts up a protest when I mention eggplant, but he still likes to recount the story of eggplant gone horribly wrong. It has almost become a legend, a cooking story we both tell over and over again. The Misunderstood Eggplant has come to represent my journey in the kitchen, a culmination of my experiences and successes (or failures) in cooking.

For these reasons, along with my own cruel whimsy and fondness for the name, I have decided to rename this site to The Misunderstood Eggplant (http://misunderstoodeggplant.com/). The old content is all still here, just in a prettier purple package.

Here’s a quick and easy to make dip, perfect for chips, crackers, or raw veggies. It is a touch tangy with herbs, garlic, and dijon mustard. Since everything is going in a food processor, the herbs and garlic can be coarsely chopped. You can also finely chop the herbs and garlic to combine in a bowl and mix by hand.

This can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Allow to chill at least 3o minutes before serving (allows the flavors to combine). Serve with your choice of dippers, such as tortilla chips, cut strips of red bell pepper, baby carrots, and wheat or rye crackers. This dip goes great with a fruity red wine, such as a Granacha/Tempranillo or similar Spanish blend.

Creamy Herb Dip

1 bar (8 oz) fat-free cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dijon mustard
zest and juice from about half a lemon
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, about 1 tbsp

Combine all ingredients but olive oil in a food processor. Pulse lightly to combine, then drizzle in olive oil while pulsing. Add just enough oil to combine all ingredients, about 1 tablespoon. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl and chill about 30 minutes before serving.

Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

The current bill sponsored by a House of Representatives delegate from California deals with an issue that you probably encounter every day. The hot button topic? The volume of commercials on television: why must television commercials be so loud? From a marketing perspective, the answer is simple. When the commercials start, people leave the room. In order for people to hear the message, advertisers needs to make the commercials louder.

In this video from CNN explaining the bill, several “on the street” interviews reveal what a nuisance these loud commercials are. Fair enough, but as one commentator points out, doesn’t Congress have bigger issues to deal with?

Granted, another commentator remarks, those issues are big and messy. No one really knows how to fix the economy or implement a national health plan. No one has a nice, neat plan for the issues going on abroad. So, in a field of political land mines, this is a fairly straightforward piece of legislature that will be easy to pass and regulate. It probably will not change any one’s life, but it will relieve a minor annoyance during stressful times. A little bit of relief is better than none at all.

Interestingly, the video on CNN’s website was bookended by advertisements playing at a louder volume than the video itself. Perhaps CNN can learn a little something from this bill as well.

One of the go-to favorites in our house is tacos (or nachos). Because I have long since given up on packaged taco spice mix, I came up with this mix of spices that adds just the right zing to ground beef. It took a couple adjustments to get the right balance of flavor and heat, but if you prefer a hotter mix, simply increase the red pepper flakes to taste or add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

For preparation, use one batch of this recipe for one pound of ground beef. I prefer to use beef with a low fat content (6% or less). Inside of draining the beef, I use the drippings to help the seasoning coat the beef. If you are using a higher fat content, drain the beef before adding the seasoning.

Homemade Nacho/Taco Seasoning

1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 dried oregano

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

When preparing, brown ground beef in a skillet and drain. Reduce heat to low and return beef to skillet. Add seasoning and stir until beef is evenly coated. If pan is too dry, add a little water or reserve some of the drippings. Remove from heat and serve as desired.

A book that I borrowed from the library featured a selection of food writings throughout history, including a small excerpt from Marcel Proust on madeleines from 1913. It was a particularly endearing post on the petite French cakes and how warming they were with a cup of tea.

It was a heady thought, reading words from the great Proust on something as mundane as madeleines. I happen to mention this to a fellow baker and she offered me a madeleine pan to borrow over the holidays. I could not recall eating a madeleine, let alone making them. I had, however, recently read a post on Vanilla Garlic on Chocolate Lime Madeleines.

The recipe was simple enough: chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, salt, and lime zest. The results were delectable, light little cakes with a wonderful hint of lime. I was quite pleased, so I also whipped out a batch with white chocolate instead of dark. The results were slightly different in texture, much more moist than the dark chocolate (probably due to the high fat content in white chocolate).

The process of baking and serving the madeleines was wonderful, and it built up my confidence in the kitchen. The little cakes were also a perfect compliment to a cup of hot cocoa after a long walk in the snow with the dogs.