Eggplant Marinara Bake

A good option for vegetarians or meatless Mondays. Eggplant is hearty, filling and especially delicious layered with cheese! I serve with bread and salad. (from Martha Stewart Everyday)

2 large eggplants, sliced lengthwise into 3/4" thick strips
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for dish
kosher salt and ground pepper
15 oz container part-skim ricotta cheese
3 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano, or 2 tablespoons fresh
one 16 oz jar good store-bought marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place eggplant slices in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets. Brush on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, then flip slices over and bake another 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together the ricotta, eggs, 1/2 cup parmesan, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Oil an 8x8 baking dish. Place 1/4 of the roasted eggplant slices in the bottom of the dish, then cover with half of sauce. Top with another 1/4 of the eggplant, then cover with half of ricotta mixture. Repeat layers, then sprinkle top with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

*Live near Trader Joe's? I also like to get their frozen breaded eggplant patties. Prepare as directed, then layer with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese in a casserole dish and bake until bubbly. Serve over spaghetti or make sub sandwiches on french bread.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

Mildly spicy and very easy to make! A great one to take along to parties or potlucks. (I realize that I should put a little symbol over the "n" in jalapeno, but this is beyond my skills...)

two 8 oz blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayo
4 oz can chopped green chiles, drained
2 oz can diced jalapeno peppers, drained
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
panko breadcrumbs for the top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine cream cheese and mayo, then stir in chiles, peppers and 1/2 of the cheese. Spoon into a small baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese and some breadcrumbs. Bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

*Serve with Ritz crackers, pita chips, pretzels, tortilla chips and/or bagel chips. You can make this ahead of time and stick it in the fridge—just bring to room temp before baking or add a few minutes to the baking time.

Penne al Pomodoro e Peperoncino

This one has a kick! We serve it to our kids anyway, but you might want to do a taste test first. My husband says this recipe is a favorite of Janet Jackson's, but I don't know: a) whether this is actually true, b) why he knows this, or c) whether that really recommends it. Either way, it's a favorite recipe of ours, so I always double and freeze the sauce. (from my mother-in-law, Jody)

1 1/4 cups olive oil
2 cups chopped red onion
3 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
10 fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 lbs penne pasta, cooked until al dente
chopped parsley for garnish

Heat oil in a medium-large saucepan, then add red onion, garlic, celery, carrot, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes and simmer for another 30 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add basil leaves. Puree with a hand blender, or transfer to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Serve over pasta and sprinkle with chopped parsley, if using (I always seem to forget this).

*One of the few pastas that I don't serve with parmesan cheese—it really doesn't need anything.