Potato Leek and Turnip Soup

4 cups of Water

2 cups of potatoes, diced
2 cups of turnips, chopped (smaller than the potaotes)
1 Leek, finely chopped
1/2 white onion diced

2 celery stalks
2 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Bring water to  boil, salt water.  Add potatoes, leeks, onion.  bring back to a boil.  Turn heat down and simmer for 45 minutes.  Add desired amount of crushed red pepper.  Saute celery and garlic in pan and a bit of olive oil until garlic browns slightly.  After 30 minutes of water and veggie simmer time add celery mixture and oregano to pot.  Now adding this was definitely an after thought for me, but the crunch from the slightly less cooked celery was an exciting bonus.   Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!  Super easy, super healthy.   I did let this cook a little longer, which made the potatoes break down and thickened the soup. 

   Yummmmmmmmm....

The Beginning...Twisted Roasted Rosemary Eggplant Parmesan

Nearly every meal I make stems from the fact that I always have too much food in my fridge and I am always trying to find creative ways to utilize it all. I have a shopaholics addiction to buying food and exploring what is out there. So whatever I make is always an adventure and an experiment despite how many recipes I might refer to.

The following had no recipe reference but was overwhelmingly tasty and just the right amount of richness.

In the fridge.... The eggplant was in need of being used, as well as the leeks, there was half of a red pepper (a rare comodity in the fridge of a food lover on a budget) and the following is what happened. Not your typical eggplant parm, but super yummy!!

I roasted.... @ 400 degrees:

1/2 of a medium eggplant sliced thin

1/2 small leek (only the white part) sliced horizontally the same size as the linguini you are about to cook.

2 tlbs fresh chopped rosemary

1/2 red pepper sliced

Please use garlic (I was out)

the above tossed in olive oil and balsamic (use your judgement) a splash of white wine and sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Roast for around 20 minutes

8 oz of Linguini (I used Trader Joes' Spinach and Chive)

While this is roasting boil pasta less than the cooking directions (less than al dente)

drain and set aside.

When the veggies are done roasting remove from dish, place pasta in the bottom of dish tossed with olive oil, top with the roasted veggies, shredded parmesan cheese and marinara sauce. I would opt for some crushed red pepper depending on your sauce.

Throw this concoction back in the oven for another 15 minutes or so.

This is the best way I have yet to cook eggplant. Fantastic flavor, less of the texture that slightly rubs me the wrong way with eggplant. It is overloaded with aromatic rosemary flavors that blow me away. And, as opposed to the traditional eggplant parmesan, it is not greasy or heavy.

Enjoy!