Well, 2009 ended with some big plans and ambitions for the website. I had a special project in the works and a new independent study to take the website in a new direction, then suddenly I was taken in a new direction myself.

It started New Year’s Eve, when I turned to James shortly after the ball had dropped and said I had a headache and was going to bed. Three days later we made our first trip to the ER. Three days after that we made our second trip to the ER. It would be two weeks of doctor’s appointments and countless neurological exams before I went back to work. It would be three more weeks until I stepped foot back in the kitchen to make more than instant oatmeal. About two months went by before I began cooking again, and only recently have I been making new things in the kitchen.

Without going into terrible detail, I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder that causes severe headaches and visual disturbances (blind spots). The medication initially caused a wide range of side effects, including extreme bouts of fatigue. My recovery was further derailed by a stomach flu and sinus infection along the way, both of which took exceedingly longer to bounce back from than usual. Within the past two weeks, most all of my side effects and symptoms have subsided, and I have been able to live something resembling my normal life again.

Throughout it all, James and I have been attempting to balance life as I still need to work and help take care of the dogs and the house. Some days are good and some days are not, but more and more the good days are outnumbering the bad ones. While I am not completely recovered, I am hopeful that will come soon given more time.

In the meantime, cooking and food has helped aid the recovery. Being back in the kitchen has helped immensely, even at first when all I could muster was a simple pasta dinner. More recently, my ventures have been more complex and I have been anxious to return to the website. You may notice some posts are dated after December 31, which is because I had a small queue of post-dated entries and they continued to publish (it wasn’t until weeks later that it even occurred to me that some items had posted).

Tentatively, I am hoping to have some new recipes posted next week. As for special projects and the independent study, I cannot say at this point what will come of them. As I continue to do well, I am sure things on the website will progress as well. Please stay patient with me and I hope to be back soon!

Note: “The fourth wall” is a term used to describe the imaginary wall at the front of the stage between the actors and the audience during a play (rooms only have three walls on set so that the inside of the room is visible to the audience). When an actor speaks directly to the audience, it is referred to as “breaking” the fourth wall.

For about 3 months, the Misunderstood Eggplant lay dormant while I recovered from an unexpected illness. Once I started to see the end of my recovery, I debated how to return to posting. When I started the site as Jenn’s Cook Book, the content was pretty cut and dry: short intro or notes, ingredients, and instructions. As time went by the content progressed, with the introduction of Special Projects and the Bitter/Sweet blog. Throughout it all, however, I intentionally left distance between the content and my personal life.

When I was able to return to the kitchen, I was forced to address the issue and eventually relented and posted a message on the main page of the site. The explanation was fairly brief and to the point, and I owed the site that much. Though I was reluctant to begin posting again, I knew that I did not want to let the site go. It was a temporary band-aid solution for the issue.

In the meantime, I had referred a friend to a blog I enjoyed that had some content relevant to her own cooking and lifestyle. I mentioned that I had not been to the blog in some time, but was certain it was still up and running as it appeared to have a strong online following. A few days ago, I happened to be browsing online and decided to visit the blog and to my surprise the author had posted a farewell message.

At first, the message was remarkably similar to my own but as I read further, I realized the author was not dealing with a temporary issue or simply moving on in life. She revealed some deep psychological troubles, and with the help of a therapist, she had decided to leave her blog because it was a reminder of childhood trauma (though to the benefit of her readers, she is allowing the content to remain online and performing basic maintenance).

Reading her admissions certainly put my own hesitation into perspective. She did not just allow readers a peek behind the fourth wall; rather she had torn it down completely. While I admire her bravery, it is not the route I prefer to take. What I did realize was that I could continue on with the Misunderstood Eggplant, despite my misgivings, because the site does not stir up negative emotions for me. Rather, I am ready to return to it and will seize this as an opportunity to again work toward the evolution of the site…into what, I cannot be sure, but I am excited to find out.

Here is a twist on a typical side dish. Instead of a rice pilaf, try it with shredded zucchini. This cooks up quickly and can take the place of a side of rice or couscous, and also works as a side of veggies.

Zucchini is easy to shred using a standard cheese grater. Earthy mushroom and tart apple balance the dish. Toasted almonds would also work well here.

2 large zucchini, shredded
8 oz mushrooms, diced
1 large apple, cored and diced
zest of 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Heat a small amount of oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and saute 3 minutes. Add zucchini to pan and cook an addition 3 minutes. Season to taste with salk and pepper.  Add apple and lemon zest and cook 2-3 minutes until apple is cooked through.

Tip: after cutting, drizzle apple with a small amount of lemon juice to prevent browning.

As part of my return to the kitchen, I came across a recipe for chimichurri sauce and used to create this chicken dish with Argentinean flair.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 recipe Spicy & Smokey Rub
1 recipe Chimichurri Sauce
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
2 garlic cloves, minced
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place a baking rack on top of the sheet and foil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Rub each piece with a small amount of olive oil. Using hands, massage dry rub into meat, coating lightly. Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.

Meanwhile, prepare Chimichurri Sauce. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a skillet. Add peppers and saute 3-5 minutes, until near tender. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add prepared chimichurri sauce and toss with peppers. Cook until sauce is warmed through, then remove from heat.

To serve: slice chicken and spoon peppers and sauce over top.

Here is a rub good to try on chicken breasts or pork chops:

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp instant espresso powder
Salt and pepper
olive oil

Combine all ingredients but salt, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season meat with salt and pepper. Rub meat with olive oil. Using hands, massage dry rub into meat, coating lightly. Bake or grill meat as desired.

Tip: Wash hands immediately after rubbing (chili powder will stain skin).