Tonight I thought I'd have a fantastic new fish recipe for you.  It didn't happen.  We didn't like the dish.  You know, that happens.  It's tough though when you're blogging and busier than a one-armed paper hanger in a windstorm.  We made it through the party the 6th of January.  Then, we were off to client meetings and a board meeting in Orlando.  We finally got back and it was time to prep for a state securities audit.  Now, audits are a fact of life in my business.  Sometimes they're announced and sometimes they're surprise.  But, they happen with regularity.  Which is fine with me.  But, it is a bit disruptive.  Especially when we've had staff turnover and we're deep into the busiest season of the year.  It means I'm really happy to have a deep freezer since there's not a lot of time to cook. 

Tonight we had a winter weather advisory.  Freezing rain and sleet. It meant we came home early.  Straight to the basement and the Kinect to work out a bit.  I beat Connie at tennis and he beat me at football.  Together we did really well at blocking leaks and popping bubbles.  Ah, yes, working out in virtual reality is certainly different from dancing to the oldies with Richard Simmons or Jazzercise. 

Well, well, well.  Sometimes those days just happen.  Fine, so our dinner wasn't great.  I'd chat about duck confit.  Not happening.  I've done that.  So, how about an apple martini we've made twice now?  Nope.  I've done that.  Fine.  About that time, Connie started changing the cat litter and found out there was no more litter in the house.  Freezing rain and the pet store closes in 20 minutes.  Oh, and he's a hot-blooded guy so he has on shorts and a t-shirt.  Out he goes.  LOL.  I know.  These things happen to all of us, don't they? 

So, on a totally different subject...  How many of you have heard the Progresso commercial where the gal whose jeans fit again finally asks if there's a woman she can talk to?  I laugh every time I hear it!!!  But, the best part?  Connie's the one who heard it first.  He says, "You'll love this commercial!"  I do.

Back to food. I finally started through my directory of food photos - hoping to find something fun I've never blogged about.  It's in alphabetical order.  Alton's ribs.  I'd be here til midnight typing.  They were beyond incredible.  Just like his turkey.  But, I'd like to relax for a bit tonight.  Anniversary dinner.  That was last July.  Fresh raspberries from my back yard in a champagne glass started the meal.  Don't remind me that it's January and the only hope I have for anything in the least bit fresh from my yard is kale.  I love kale but I really don't want to blog about it.  Ah, baba ghanouj and cumin flat bread.  Something that you'd probably like to hear about and I'd like to blog about.  Whew. 

What did we think?  The baba ghanouj was good.  Not fabulous.  I'd make the regular recipe next time.  The hard pear cider?  OMG.  That stuff is incredible.  I'd love to be sitting around a lovely fire in the fire pit in the back yard with a couple of those babies.  Darn.  Freezing rain.  Not a chance.  Now, the cumin flatbread.  That stuff was amazing.  A couple of days later I used the leftover dough for pizza.  Equally amazing.   I'll make the flatbread any time!  This was another recipe from Entertaining with Booze - one of my all-time favorite cookbooks.

Hard Cider Baba Ghanouj

Ingredients:

1 large or 2 medium eggplants
1/4 c hard pear cider
1/4 c tahini
1/4 c EVOO
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 t cumin
1/3 c cilantro
1/4 t salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 450F.  Prick the eggplant with a fork.  Roast it for 25-35 minutes until it's almost charred.  It'll be soft and wrinkly by the time it's done. 

Cool the eggplant by immersing it in a bowl of icewater.  Remove it from the water and pat it dry.  Cut it into quarters and remove the skin. 

Put the pear cider, tahini, EVOO, garlic and cumin in the bowl of a food processor.  Puree.  Add the eggplant, cilantro, salt and pepper.  Process until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Cumin Flatbread

Ingredients:

2 c flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 t sugar
1 t salt
1/2 t ground cumin
2 egg whites, in 2 separate bowls, lightly whisked
3 T EVOO
2 T sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400F.  Take two baking sheets and line them with parchment paper.

Now, it's time to sift together the dry ingredients.  That would be the flours, sugar, salt and cumin.  Once they're sifted together in a large bowl, stir in 2/3 c of water, one of the egg whites and the EVOO.  You want to mix it together until it forms a stiff dough.  Next, it's time to knead the dough.  Knead for about 5 minutes

Time to roll out the dough.  Divide it into eight equal balls.  To roll it out, put a ball on a floured surface. 

Roll it out until it's paper thin.  Slice it lengthwise - about two inches wide. 

Move to the baking sheets and brush with the 2nd egg white then sprinkle with the sesame seeds.  Bake on the parchment lined sheets.  Serve with the baba ghanouj.