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Peach and eggplant season are here and Marjorie West could not have had better timing with the following recipes.
"When eggplants are in season from the garden, I peel and cook down the eggplant and freeze in 2 cup containers. It makes it so easy when we want a casserole. I also chop up and freeze the cornbread," West writes.
Eggplant Casserole
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil OR bacon drippings
2 cups peeled and cooked eggplant (see note)
1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups cornbread crumbs
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Saute onion in vegetable oil or bacon drippings until tender; add eggplant, tomatoes and eggs. Stir until mixture looks like scrambled eggs. Stir in cheese and cornbread crumbs. Pour into a baking dish. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.
Editor's note: To cook, peel and cube the eggplant. Add it to a saucepan with just enough water to cover; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender. Drain well. Add salt and pepper and mash with a potato masher. One pound fresh eggplant will yield about 1 cup cooked.
This recipe calls for canned peaches, but we think fresh peaches would work too. Be sure to measure them sliced, and then chop as the recipe directs.
Spiced Peach Cake
1 (16-ounce) can sliced peaches OR 2 cups sliced fresh peaches
1 box (size not given) white cake mix
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup light (mild) molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, divided use
3 ounces cream cheese
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan.
Drain peaches and pat dry. Coarsely chop peaches.
Combine cake mix, cinnamon, allspice, molasses, salt, oil and eggs in a large bowl. Stir in peaches and 1 cup of the walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out with fine crumbs.
In bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar, milk, juice and vanilla. Spoon over cooled cake. Top with remaining walnuts.
A few weeks ago we published a recipe for lemon ice box pie from Diane Siebert that called for uncooked eggs. Tom Cain made some tweaks to the recipe and shared his results.
"I added a layer of finely chopped nuts [such as pecans or walnuts] in the bottom of the graham cracker crust and I baked the pie at 350 degrees for 20 [minutes] by convection, so a bit longer for nonconvection; don't overcook because it passes the pudding consistency phase and gets too thick and dry. It [heats] to 140 degrees in the center, which eliminates the concern for salmonella from consuming raw eggs," Cain writes.
Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:
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Food on 07/26/2017