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.

Tofu-Creamed Spinach

Hello, hello, Herbivores!

We attended a Christmas party last night and brought several vegetarian-friendly dishes which I would like to share.

The first has become a staple of mine for every get-together I attend or host, Tofu Creamed Spinach. This is another recipe I stumbled onto while browsing the website AllRecipes, and it has continuously been a hit with both meat-eaters and my fellow vegetarians.

And just a warning, this is probably one of the best-tasting and most crowd-pleasing dishes I have ever made. I'd stack up my spin dip against any restaurant's!!

I usually use fresh spinach from the produce section; I remove the stems and shred the leaves. It's very time-consuming to do this, but I think the fresh spinach has a superior taste to frozen spinach. Thawed frozen spinach is a worthy substitute when you are pressed for time, and it is much less aggravating than ripping apart two pounds of spinach leaves. Sometimes, I have added in sliced mozzarella cheese, which is extremely delicious and contributes to the "creaminess" of the dish. Most significantly, I have always used chopped artichokes--from bottles of marinated hearts--to the recipe. I alternate the sizes of the choppings, because sometimes a half-inch chunk is actually a very scrumptious surprise when using dip.

I season the recipe differently based on what will accompany it. Lots of salt is always a good idea when it is served with tortilla chips or crackers. Last night, though, I knew it would be used as a vegetable dip for carrots, celery, broccoli, and cauliflower, so I skipped the uber-saltiness and instead added Italian seasoning, oregano, and basil, and I upped the amount of garlic and pepper. This morning, we devoured the leftover dip with slices of garlic bread and spaghetti sauce--it was absolutely delicious.

I often make this work for my dayshift customers at the bar, because it's a great accompaniment for beer or the kinds of fried bar food they like. Meat-eaters frequently ask me for the recipe, and, even after they realize they are eating tofu, they do not mind! This is a very easy dish to make, and it's great for any occasion, from an upscale party to watching football at home with your buds. Herbivores and their meat-eating companions will all dig into this creamed spinach--it's too tasty not to!

Stuffed Squash

So small, and yet so filling, and so delicious. Stuffed squash is another recipe I found from AllRecipes. About a month ago, I found this recipe and thought to myself, "Do I even like squash?" Although growing up with nightly homemade meals straight from my parents' vegetable gardens, I couldn't remember ever eating squash. I'm sure that, like asparagus, it was one other food item I turned down, having never tried, only to discover in adulthood how delicious it really is.

When first trying the recipe out, I bought two typical yellow crooked neck summer squash, although if you do an Internet search for stuffed squash recipes, you'll find that acorn, pattypan, and spaghetti squash are all commonly substituted. And instead of ricotta cheese, I used mozzarella. On neither occasion have I used the "optional" jar of spaghetti sauce the recipe recommends, but I have to say, it would complement this dish awesomely, as it is a very pasta-tasting meal.

The recipe is extremely easy to make; neither time preparing it have I had any issues except I do up the seasoning quite a bit. Even after it's been cooked, I sprinkle more ground pepper on for flavor. After all, you're eating squash and spinach, here, folks...hell, give it a little spice! I'll never forget my first time trying this. I was sitting in the kitchen alone, cautiously raising the fork to my knife, afraid to offer my boyfriend a piece of this dish because I didn't know what squash tasted like and was afraid he'd hate it. And then...mmmmmmmmmmm! I couldn't believe how delicious it was--and how guilty I felt when I realized I was going to devour all of the squash before I could offer him some. So, last night was his first sampling of the stuffed squash, and he, too, became a fan. We finished off the rest of it today. A word of wisdom for anyone cooking this--play around with AllRecipes serving adjuster. It says it makes eight servings (really more like 16), so if you're just making it for two people, cut that way down. This dish is extremely hearty and filling, and believe it or not, you won't need any appetizers or sides.

Having mentioned my boyfriend, with whom I not only live, but often share my tribulations in vegetarian cooking, I'd like to introduce him formally to this blog. His name is Ty, and unlike me, Ty eats meat. Like many meat-eaters, he sees vegetarian cuisine as bland, flavorless, and unfilling--or just plain nasty. He has grown to love some of my recipes--a veggie medley on garlic bread, a New Orleans style rice dish, a cauliflower bake, and my cheesecake. But like most meat-eaters, it's hard to get him to try something that has soy products (imitation meat) or tofu in it. And sometimes I just offer him the wrong damn recipes; for example, one of my earliest feats was a baked eggplant dish. Ty tasted it and immediately crinkled his face. Apparently, he's not the biggest fan of eggplant.

So in writing "Herbivores Anonymous," I promise you, I will occasionally mention some recipes that are OMNIVORE-FRIENDLY. Stuffed squash may not satisfy the taste buds of someone who likes, say, sloppy Joes and Big Macs. But for anyone health-conscious, this is will be a delight. Also, any meat-eaters who have a refined palette or enjoy some good hearty vegetables will enjoy this, though they may want to cut their serving in half and put it next to a meat dish.

Which reminds me, when are they going to make a good meatless country ham? I've tried the sliced soy ham you can find next to the tofu in the produce section, and I'm unsatisfied...