Eggplant – Caponata Sicily’s Famous

This is the recipe from one of the restaurants that Andy and Karen ate at

  • 1 Eggplant – calls for a KG, diced
  • 2 Celery Stalks – calls for 500 GR, sliced
  • EVOO
  • 2 Onions, diced
  • Sugar – calls for 50-70 GR, I used 2 Tablespoon
  • Green Olives – calls for 200 GR, soaking in water for 30 minutes first then drain
  • Black Vinegar – calls for half glass (I didn’t use)
  • Basil – I used sweet, dried basil
  • Tomato Sauce (Q.B.) – I used one large can of crushed tomatoes
  • Capers – I used one small jar, soaking in water for 30 minutes first then drain

Cut the eggplant into cubes.  This calls for the violet aubergine eggplant which has an elongated shape. This sounds like the eggplant that I’ve used before that is very thin and long.  It is firmer and stays in tact even after double cooking.  It tells you to cut them and put them in salt water, then rinse and drain them.  I didn’t do that and I used regular eggplant, I just sauteed them in the EVOO.  Once mostly cooked remove from pan.

Sauté the celery and onions.  I liked that the celery added a little crunch to the dish in the end.  Add the tomato sauce, basil, capers, and green olives.  I let this cook for 20 minutes because I used a can of tomatoes instead of sauce.  Add sugar to taste (I didn’t make this as sweet as Andy’s).  Loved it.  Froze some. October 2025.

 

 

Laundry – Stripping Clothing

This is for stripping detergents/fabric softeners out of used clothing.  Let it soak for a couple of hours at least.  Swish it around.  Then rinse thoroughly.

3 Tbsp Borax

3 Tbsp Washing Soda

3 Tbsp Calgon Water Softener

1/2 Cup Detergent

That’s for a bathtub so probably one Tbsp of each for a laundry tub

Clean – stainless steel appliances

Stainless steel cleaners add a film to the appliance. Instead:

  • Use bar keepers friend and a non- scratch sponge to clean the appliance using the sponge and wipe in the direction of the grain
  • Wipe with a dry cloth
  • Then wipe with a damp microfiber cloth
  • Last wipe with an additional dry cloth

Zucchini – Grilled Squash Salad

  • 4 medium- large zucchini trimmed, halved lengthwise
  • Four medium to large yellow crook neck squash trimmed, halved lengthwise
  • 5 Tablespoons olive oil (3 light, 2 EVOO)
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup fresh pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Dressing: Grate fresh basil and pecorino Romano in food processor. Add EVOO and balsamic vinegar.

Medium heat on grill. Place zucchini and crook neck squash on large baking sheet; brush all over with 3 Tbsp Light olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill vegetables until tender and brown, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to plate and cool.

Cut vegetables diagonally into 1 in wide pieces. Place in large bowl and add dressing. Toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serves six.

Notes:

2019-We made this multiple times in the summer and everyone loved it

Dusting Spray

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Few drops dish soap
  • Few drops essential oil (optional)

Put into a spray bottle.  Spray microfiber cloth and dust.

 

Ganache – Chocolate

For piping decorations to put on a cake:

  • 2 parts melted chocolate and 1 part heavy cream

Drip for a cake

  • 1 part melted chocolate and 1 party heavy cream

More like an icing?

  • 1 part melted chocolate and 2 parts heavy cream

Cake Filling – 2 ingredient

  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • 1 package (small) instant pudding

Beat for about a minute.

Easy, delicious custard-like filling.

Can freeze leftovers and reuse.

 

To Try-2 Ingredient No Bake Healthier Brownies

It says that you want to use bittersweet chips that contain 60 to 65 percent cocoa.  The chips need to contain LECITHIN because it is needed to keep the chocolate smooth and prevent it from seizing.  She says that Guittard Baking Chips 63% extra dark have lecithin but it is not on the ingredient list (they are on Amazon).

  • 1 cup banana puree (use blender or food processor)
  • 1 (11.5 oz) bag dark chocolate chips, 63% cocoa at least, approx. 2 cups

Line the bottom of an 8 x 8 square pan with parchment

Blend bananas until completely smooth.  Make sure you only have 1 cup or 240 grams of banana puree or the brownies will not set.  Best to use a scale.

Melt the chocolate and then blend it with the bananas until the mixture is smooth (seconds).  Don’t blend too long.

Working quickly, transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.  The batter thickens quickly.

Set in fridge 2 to 3 hours or overnight.  Remove from pan and slice with large sharp knife, wiping the blade between for clean cuts.  Store in an airtight container in fridge or freezer.

 

To Try-Chocolate Truffles

  • 1.5 pitted medjool dates
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder, plus additional 1-2 Tbsp for coating.  Important to use Dutch process because it is sweeter

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Add dates to a food processor and blend until it is a mostly smooth date paste. Some little flecks of date skin are okay. You will need to scrape down the sides of your food processor a few times to help it blend. Once you have a smooth paste, add in ½ cup of cocoa powder, reserving the rest initially.
Blend the cocoa powder and dates until you have a uniform mixture. Test the consistency of the mixture. If it is too sticky and wet, add more cocoa, 1 tbsp at a time and blend, until your mixture is workable. You want the consistency so that the mixture is just sticky enough to roll up into a ball but not so sticky that it is going to stick to your hands. If your mixture becomes too dry and crumbly you can add 1-2 tbsp of water to make it more sticky.
Scoop 1 tbsp of filling and roll between palms to form a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Place the balls on your prepared baking sheet.
Add 1 to 2 tbsp of cocoa powder to a fine mesh strainer and lightly dust the surface of each truffle before serving. Uneaten truffles can be stored in an airtight container for 1 day at room temperature and longer in the fridge or freezer. If you prefer a sweeter truffle, you can dip the truffles in melted chocolate instead of coating them with cocoa powder. See note section for more details.

Notes

  • Dates note: This recipe works best with very soft dates so I recommend using a newly purchased not yet opened bag of dates. While you can soften drier dates by soaking them in warm water, the date paste is usually much more wet with this method (even if you thoroughly pat dry the dates). This then results in you needing a lot more cocoa powder which will make the truffles more bitter. I like using Joolies Medjool Dates (Amazon | Target)*
    • If you are using whole dates with pits, make sure to remove the pits before measuring and using.

  • Cocoa note: The amount of cocoa needed will vary depending on how much moisture is in your dates. This is why I recommend starting with 1/2 cup and adding more as needed. I used Rodelle Dutch process cocoa powder.*

    • Sweetness note: These dates have a very rich cocoa flavor but are not that sweet. If you prefer sweeter truffles, I recommend dipping them in melted chocolate. You can use whatever chocolate is your favorite such as dark chocolate, semisweet, milk, or white. You can also use sugar-free chocolate sweetened with other sweeteners.
    • Chocolate coating note: If you want to dip the truffles in chocolate, I recommend freezing the truffles first until frozen solid which will make them easier to dip. I recommend 2 cups of chocolate chips of your choice, melted down until smooth.
    • Estimated nutrition does not include optional melted chocolate coating.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1truffle, Calories: 57kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, NET CARBS: 10

July 11-13, 25 Picklesburgh

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