Manicotti in Eggplant Sauce

I don't know about you, but a three-day weekend to me means two things: catching up on homework, and finally being able to cook an amazing dinner this week!

Graduate school has resumed for me, and with it, of course, my graduate assistantship duties, in addition to my bartending job. In short? I'm busy. Too busy too cook a huge meal every night, or even eat one, for that matter. But as tomorrow is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and university offices are closed, and today is Sunday, and the bar is closed, I can finally take a breath and enjoy some home cooking!

A dish that has been on my mind a lot lately is eggplant manicotti; unfortunately, I haven't had the time, until tonight, to make it again. I first made eggplant manicotti several months ago and thought it was so scrumptious, as did my boyfriend. It's very filling and hearty. Prefaced with a crisp salad, this is a perfect romantic dinner for a cold night in! I used this recipe from AllRecipes, with only a few minor adjustments. My meat-eating boyfriend thought the original recipe was too "bland," so we upped the amount of thyme and added garlic powder, black pepper, basil, and parsley. I also found that 10 ounces of spinach was quite a bit for just six manicotti shells, so we were able to make more servings out of this.

I think everybody remembers the first time they try an outstanding dish. I remember the first time I ever had manicotti; I was in high school, and my sister came to visit and made a vegetarian-friendly manicotti for dinner. Manicotti is one of those dishes, like vegetarian lasagna, that is just so yummy that you have a hard time believing it would be easy or uncomplicated to make yourself. Don't be fooled by the lengthy ingredient list; this recipe is extremely easy to make. The only thing tricky is trying not to tear the manicotti shells during the stuffing step, especially if you overcook them. Otherwise, all the preparation consists of are the same basic steps you follow in hundreds of other vegetarian recipes. Nothing fancy, just a remarkably delicious outcome.

Manicotti is loved by vegans and meat-eaters, and no "faux meats" are needed to spice this dish up. In fact, I actually think the addition of soy beef would unnecessarily, and unwantedly, distract from the overall "herb and cheese" taste of this eggplant- and spinach-based pasta meal. Warm, cheesy, healthy, and a mealtime favorite, eggplant manicotti is a flawless and easy culinary piece that should grace every vegetarian and meat-eater's dinner table.

Beginners' Fondue

Tonight, Ty and I did something we rarely do: dine out.

Cooking for myself has improved my palette to the point where most restaurant food tastes bland and flavorless, but we wanted to check out a brand-new restaurant in Richmond, Hangers. We'd heard it was upscale and delicious, comparable to one of our favorite spots, Malone's in Lexington. We were definitely not disappointed; I had a savory Mediterranean pasta, which was very well-seasoned and contained a variety of veggies, even artichokes, a personal favorite. And, Richmond-area vegetarians, the tomato bisque is very tasty!

What most excited me about the menu, though, were the fondue options! We love fondue and have an awesome Trudeau fondue set at home, as well as a tiny candle-burning chocolate fondue set for smaller, more casual snacks. Fondue parties are extremely fun and entertaining, and, as far as cooking for a group of guests goes, it's one of the quickest meals to prepare. However, when just two people are dining, fondue cheese can be a little time-consuming to perfect and to upkeep so it doesn't burn. We love The Melting Pot, but the closest one is about a forty-minute drive. So tonight at Hangers, as an appetizer, we were thrilled to have cheese fondue with veggies and bread, and for dessert, an absolutely amazing chocolate fondue with fruits and Rice Krispies slices. So delicious, and we didn't have to put any effort in for just the two of us to enjoy it!

Although we had a romantic, candelit dinner (see top picture) and a very pleasant night out, you don't have to travel to an expensive restaurant to enjoy great fondue--in fact, as we discussed over dinner tonight, we actually like my home-made cheese fondue better than any we've had at a restaurant before. My first cheese fondue was made with this scrumptious plan from Simply Recipes, and it's an excellent starting point. This is definitely an omnivore-friendly dish; I've made it for several meat-eaters and they were all huge fans. This recipe is not as bland as restaurant fondue cheese--it's extremely flavorful. From there you will be able to alter the recipe to your liking; we actually like to add much more than a "pinch" of nutmeg as the recipe calls for. If you're just starting out in the kitchen, making well-seasoned and guest-pleasing fondue cheese is an excellent way to familiarize yourself with the spice rack.

At home chocolate fondue is an extremely simple dish to make and such a tasty treat, especially with a good blush wine! Use either a block of baking chocolate or a bag of chocolate chips, and, depending on how you desire it to taste, add a dash of vanilla, a tablespoon of white sugar, and, if you like, amaretto or a fruit-flavored liqueur like Razzmatazz. One night, Ty and I decided to have an "art date" at home in the living room--we each had an easel and worked beside each other with a steaming pot of fondue chocolate in the middle, along with cool banana slices and strawberries. The clash of hot fondue chocolate and chilled fruit makes it taste even better.

Is it the sharing of a dish or the accidental bump of the dipping forks that makes fondue such a romantic course? If ever there was a perfect date food, I guarantee you it was made in a fondue pot!