Zucchini Cake

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but I know and trust anything that comes from the kitchens of these women, my friends. It was posted on Whitney Montenegro's facebook page.

Mulligan Stew

 Boil 3 cups water drop 1 lb hamberger into boiling water add 3⁄4 tsp salt and 1⁄4 tsp salt. Add 1

onion chopped. Turn to simmer and dice 1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery and 2 cups potatoes.

Add to soup. Add extra water to cover top of potatoes. Cook until tender. Thicken with 1 1⁄2

cup cold water mixed with 1⁄2 cup flour. Let come to a boil to check thickness. Can add

more flour/water mixture if desired. Add 2 cups frozen green peas. Add more salt and

pepper if desired.

Stir let simmer until peas are hot. Serve with sour cream if desired.

A Really Good Pumpkin Cake (aka Gordon's 3rd Birthday Party Cake)

Beat together

 3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups pumpkin puree (if it's watery fresh pumpkin or if it's not watery pumpkin 2 cups and 1 cup of the drained pumpkin juice, if you use canned pumpkin you may want to add a bit of liquid)

Add:
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger (or about 2 teaspoons fresh ginger)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir together (sift if you want):
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder

Mix flour mixture into wet ingredients.

Pour into cake pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 min or in muffin or baby bundt pans and cook shorter time.

Aria originated this recipe for Gordon's 3rd birthday celebration in Hawaii and we repeated it when they came for Thanksgiving (2025).

Aria says it's Gordon-approved when made it with cream cheese frosting. I sprinkled Trader Joe's pumpkin spice pumpkin seeds on top of the the batter before cooking and it was delightful. These are only available seasonally, make sure you pick up extras in October. They are also wonderful in my cabbage/apple/pomegranate salad and sprinkled on pumpkin pancakes batter before you flip the pancakes.

I planned to have the cake for dinner after we picked up Gordon and family from the airport. I also taught seminary that morning so I made a double batch to have it for seminary.  When we tried it the texture was off ...  Kim thought is was still raw ... it wasn't ... I just forgot to add the leavening.  

So I re-made a double batch, this time with the leavening agents and it worked out better. They were a hit at seminary.

When Spencer tried the first batch he thought it still tastes great and said it's almost like the texture of a pumpkin fudge.

Crustless Ham Quiche

 

Crustless Ham Quiche

 8 oz cubed ham (1cup)

½ pound fresh mushrooms

2 tbl butter

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 cup small curd cottage cheese

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ cup flour

½ cup diced onion

1/3 cup milk

2 cups shredded gouda or guyere cheese

¼ tsp salt

4 tabasco drops

 

Saute mushrooms in butter iuntil tender. Drain, set aside. In a bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, cottage cheese, parmesan, ham flour and milk. Saute onions in butter and add to the bowl. Also all the mushrooms. Add gouda cheese ,salt and tobacco.

 

Pour into a 10in porcelain pie plate, greased

Bake 325 for 45 minutes (until knife comes out clean)

Let stand 4 min before cutting.

 

For a 9 x13 casserole dish 1 ½ times the recipe bake 1 hour or more.

Can be made the night before and baked. In the morning put foil over pan and warm in oven on 200 or 250 degrees for 40minutes or longer

Orange, Grapefruit, Avocado, Pomegranate Salad is delicious and such a great winter salad

 

Orange and Grapefruit Salad

4 oranges

2 grapefruit

1 kiwi sliced

1 avocado sliced

 Butter lettuce head or 1 head iceburg

Pomegranate seeds

Crushed pistachios

Celery Seed Dressing

 

Section grapefruit by first peeling with sharp knife around and around getting all of the white pulp, then put knife between section to center without cutting through. Lift individual sections out so that no membrane is included. Squeeze remaining membrane on sections to get all of the juice out. Oranges sectioned the same. Arrange butter lettuce on the plate with slices of grapefruit, oranges, kiwi, and avocado. Pour a small amount of dressing and garnish with pomegranate seeds and pistachios.

Celery Seed Dressing

1 cup salad oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp paprika- can do ¾ tsp regular and ¼ tsp smoked paprika

2 5sp grated onion

10 tbl sugar

 

Blend well and slowly add:

1/3 cup rice vinegar

¼ cup red wine vinegar

1 tbl celery seed

Chill and serve (makes a lot)

Gingerbread Cookies

This dough is so easy to work with, you can roll the cookies out immediately (you don't have to regrigerate dough before rolling it out like a lot of other rolled-out shaped cookies). I used to make them frequently until I married Kim and he doesn't really like gingerbread.

1 cup molasses

1 cup shortening
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Bring molasses and shortening to a boil in medium saucepan. Blend in baking soda and water (it will foam). Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Blend in flour, cloves, cinnamon, salt and ginger. Roll out and cut out while still warm. The dough is easy to work with--you don't need flour as you roll it out.  

Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes for cookies to eat or 10-12 minutes for cookies to make a house.

Fresh Pineapple Salad

 

Ingredients

2 cups Pineapples sliced
1 tbsp Honey
1 Tbsp Lime Juice
2 Limes zested
2 tbsp Ginger grated
3 tbsp mint leaves fresh

Instructions

Cut the pineapples into bite sized pieces.

Peel the ginger with a spoon. I have found this to be the easiest and most efficient method.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together 1 tbsp Honey, 1 tbsp Lime Juice, zest from 2 limes, and 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger.

3 tbsp fresh mint leaves, sliced. I lay them on top of each other and then roll it so that you can make mint ribbons. My friend uses this cool shredder scissors to do it! I am dying to try it!!

Mix with serving tongs.

Just before serving toss the salad with sliced mint leaves and few whole mint leaves to make the salad look extra pretty.

Nutrition
Sodium: 1mg | Calcium: 10mg | Vitamin C: 20.3mg | Vitamin A: 45IU | Sugar: 5g | Fiber: 0g | Potassium: 55mg | Cholesterol: 0mg | Calories: 28kcal | Saturated Fat: 0g | Fat: 0g | Protein: 0g | Carbohydrates: 7g | Iron: 0.2mg

Notes: I made this for a DUP lunch on 12/9/24 because I had some fresh pineapple, but it was supposed to be a fruit salad, so I felt like I should do something else with it and didn't have other fruit I wanted to add with it (I already had pomegranates and apples in the cabbage salad for the vegetable salad). So I found this online and had all the ingredients, so tried it. I combined it the night before so it had some time for the flavors to develop. It was a hit. I should have taken a picture when I had it in the clear bowl and had tossed a few mint leaves on top when I took it rather than after I put it in a smaller bowl. But you get the idea.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

David loves this soup.

 5 Tablespoons butter, divided
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup hopped carrots (about 2 medium)
2 cups roughly chopped portabella or baby bella mushrooms (don't always have this)
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning (don't typically have, I used chicken flavor base)
1 (12 oz) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 cups chicken broth or 8 cups water plus 2 Tablespoons and 2 teaspoons chicken base
1 cup wild rice
2 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (can also use leftover rotisserie chicken--and honestly I like mixing dark meat with breast meat)
1/2 teasopoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I usually don't add because Kim doesn't like pepper, add at table)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk

1. Melt 1 Tablespoon butter in large stockpot over medium heat. Add oonion, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, celery, and poultry seasoning and satue until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Add rice and chicken, reduce heat, cover and simmer 50-60 minutes or until rice is tender. When rice is tender, remove from heat and add salt and pepper. (I find that it takes even longer than 50-60 min to fully cook the wild rice, so pre-cook it or buy it pre-cooked at Trader Joe's. I found it's hard to find enough just plain wild rice so I bought it in bulk, can cook a batch up and freeze some for future use.)

2. When the soup has about 10 minutes left, melt remaining 4 Tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in four to make a roux. Slowly add milk, about 1/2 cup at a time, whisking constantly to remove lumps, until smooth and thickened to the consistency of thin pudding. Slowly whisk milk mixture into the soup and stir until combined.  Simmer 4-5 minutes, until slightly thickened. (I usually use powdered milk in cooking.)

Note: sometimes add additional cooked rice by putting warm rice in the bowl and addition the soup. I seem to recall we cooked additional rice in it one time and the rice cooked up too much, kind of like when rice becomes rice pudding, so don't recommend addition it to the soup while cooking.

This recipe is from "Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites" by Sara Wells & Kate Jones

Tomato Shrimp Gnocchi

 

Tomato and Shrimp Gnocchi

 

INGREDIENTS

• 24 oz cherry tomatoes
• 1 lb jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1 lb gnocchi
• 12 oz marinated mozzarella balls
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• fresh basil, for garnish
• parmesan cheese, for garnish

 

Directions

·         Step 1

·         Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, coat the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the oil from the mozzarella balls container. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

·         Step 2

·         In a large bowl combine tomatoes, garlic, gnocchi and 2 tablespoons of the oil from the mozzarella balls. Evenly spread the mixture in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes.

·         Step 3

·         Add the shrimp to the sheet pan. Bake for an additional 8 minutes or until the gnocchi is slightly browned, tomatoes have started to burst, and the shrimp has an internal temperature of 145°F.

·         Step 4

·         Transfer to a serving dish and add mozzarella balls. Garnish with basil and parmesan cheese.

Minestrone Soup

 

Minestrone Soup

Prep Time: 15minutes mins

Cook Time: 30minutes mins

Serves 4 to 6

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1½ cups cooked white beans or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup chopped green beans
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ cup small pasta, elbows, shells, orecchiette
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• Red pepper flakes
• Grated Parmesan cheese, optional, for serving

 

Instructions

1.                  Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, salt, and several grinds of black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

2.                  Add the garlic, tomatoes, beans, green beans, broth, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

3.                  Stir in the pasta and cook, uncovered, for 10 more minutes, until the pasta is cooked through.

4.                  Season to taste and serve with parsley, red pepper flakes, and parmesan, if desired.

 

Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast-made with home grown tomatoes but can use canned

 

Slow Cooker Italian Pot Roast

Ingredients

3 pound beef roast (chuck will produce the most tender result)

5 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves garlic (peeled left whole)

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

4 celery stalks (quartered)

2 carrots (peeled and quartered)

32 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes

3 cups beef broth

fresh parsley (to serve)

 

Instructions

 Take the beef roast out of the refrigerator and let come to room temperature by sitting on the counter 10-15 minutes.

1 three pound beef roast

• Sprinkle roast evenly with 3 teaspoons kosher salt and all of the pepper.

1 teaspoon pepper

• Heat a Dutch oven or large pan over high heat then add olive oil.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

• Sear beef roast on all sides, rotating every 3-4 minutes, so that it forms a golden brown crust on all sides. Remove from pan and place in slow cooker if you didn’t use the stove-top-safe slow cooker insert.
• Add all remaining ingredients to the slow cooker: garlic, rosemary, celery, carrots, tomatoes, beef broth, wine and remaining 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.

4 cloves garlic,2 sprigs fresh rosemary,4 celery stalks,2 carrots,32 ounce can whole peeled tomatoes,2 cups beef broth,1 cup dry red wine

• Heat on Low for 8 Hours.
• To serve, remove beef from slow cooker and let rest 10 minutes. Shred with fork is slice against the grain. Serve with vegetables on the side and fresh parsley.

 

Crispy Shaved Brussels Sprouts I made this for Thanksgiving 2024 in Las Vegas

 

Crispy Shaved Brussels Sprouts

 Prep Time:10minutes minutes

 Cook Time:20minutes minutes

 Total Time:30minutes minutes

 Servings:8

 Calories:115kcal

 Author:Danielle Esposti

 

Ingredients

• 3 lb Brussels sprouts
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground pepper

 

Instructions

1.                   Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.                   Trim the Brussels sprouts. Use a paring knife to slice off the woody ends, then remove any withered or bruised leaves. Slice each sprout in half from top to bottom. Lay the Brussels sprouts cut side down; starting at the tip, slice each sprout crosswise into ¼″ ribbons to create shreds.

3.                   Transfer the shredded Brussels sprouts to a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, vinegar, salt, garlic powder, and pepper and toss until the sprouts are evenly coated.

4.                   Spread the Brussels sprouts over the prepared baking sheet in a shallow, even layer.

5.                   Transfer to the oven and roast 20-22 minutes, stirring two or three times, until golden brown and very crispy.

6.                   Taste for seasoning, and adjust the salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve warm, right away. Enjoy!

 

Notes

• Doubling the recipe? Use two baking sheets. Aim for an even, shallow layer of shredded brussels sprouts to avoid overcrowding and to ensure they roast, not steam.
• Add Bacon

Use melted bacon fat instead of olive oil for a subtle flavor infusion. Or, chop 4 slices of bacon, saute until golden brown, and mix into the cooked brussels sprouts just before serving.

Traditional Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 1/2 cup butter 
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 cup cooked/canned pumpkin puree
1 teastpoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour (can use a blend of whole wheat)
1 teastpoon baking powder
1 teastpoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup diced roasted almonds or walnuts
1 cup chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, pumpkin and vanilla. Mix (and sift) flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmet and cinnamon. Add nuts and chocolate pieces. Mix thoroughly all cookie ingredients.

Drop by teaspoon measure onto well-greased cookie sheet (or flat stoneware). Bake at 350 for 15 min or until lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets while still warm and cool on racks. Makes 6 dozen. These cookies stay soft so store them in a covered container with waxed paper between rows or else they will stick together (if they last that long).

Crock Pot Ratatouille

 I consider eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes are kind of core vegetables for this, but feel free to add whatever vegetables you have that need to be used.

1 eggplant (about a pound) sometimes I use more
2 tsp salt, divided
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons tomato paste (or I use Costco pizza sauce)
4 cloves garlic
2 red, yellow or green peppers, chopped up
2 zucchini (about 3/4 lb) cut into 1 inch pieces, or I use my wide slot slicer on my mandolin
2 yellow squash (about 3/4 lb) cut into 1 inch pieces, I also use the Mexican squash, especially if it's cheaper
2-3 tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons olive oil

Some recommend cutting up the eggplant and sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt on it and toss it in a colander while you chop up the rest of the veggies.

Layer half the vegetables in a large crock pot in the following order: onion, eggplant, zucchini/squash, garlic, peppers, tomoatoes. 

Sprinkle wiht half the spices and dot with half of the tomato paste/pizza sauce (which already has some spices).

Repeat layering process with remaining vegetables, spices and tomato paste. Drizzle with olive oil.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours.

We do several things with it and you may use it warm, cool or chilled. Sometimes I put it on top of some rice and toss in some cooked garbanzo beans. It's great with Parmesan and/or feta cheeses. Sometimes I add it to a variety of breads or crackers with a smear of hummus and top with some feta.

Laura Nielsen's Pumpkin Casserole

 When we were first married we met approximately monthly with other newly married couples for Family Home Evening (FHE), it was a great transition from singles ward FHE to family FHE. We took turns meeting at different homes and had dinner, study and activities together. It was awesome. Some couples came in and out, but the core couples we met with are Chris and Laura Nielsen and Pat and Jill Crist. At an FHE in October/November Laura made this and I have made it every year since. 

A word on pumpkins: my favorite pumpkin for this is what Trader Joe's called a "Cinderella Pumpkin" it is kind of funky-looking and like a sat-on sphere, but when you cut it in half you end up with 2 rounds that I bake and put the casserole in one half and use the other half for whatever I want pumpkin for.

2 1/2 pounds hamburger 
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups green (and/or other colored) peppers, cupped
1 Tablespoon salt
2 cups onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups rice, cooked
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 can mushrooms (I usually don't have this and just omit it, or perhaps use freshe mushmooms)
1/4 cup soy sauce (we have been appropriately schooled and so use Aloha shoyu, of course)
1 (or 1/2 in this case) pumpkin

Cut and clean out the pumpkin and bake, I bake both halves of our Cinderella pumpkin on different bun pans for about an hour at 350 degrees. You can cook the rice and prep the veggies and such during this time.

Brown and drain hamburger and add mix in all the other ingredients (other than the pumpkin). I like to prick the pumpkin skin with a fork (or my tomato/onion holder for slicing) it helps you know if the flesh is ready and I think it helps the pumpkin absorb more of the flavor. Fill the pumpkin half with the mixture--it can be a rounded mound--and put it back in the oven to bake, you probably only need about 30 min more or so to make sure everything is warm and ready.

You can serve the pumpkin on the bun pan, or if you're fancy put it on a big tray. Serve it with a big spoon with somewhat sharp edges so you can scoop out some of the pumpkin with each serving.

For 12 servings approx: 430 Calories, 13 g fat (will depend on the amount of fat in your hamburger), 16 g protein, 63 g carb, 38 mg cholesterol, 1400 mg sodium

Buttermilk Syrup

 2 cups sugar

1/4 cup karo syrup

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients, but vanilla, in a LARGE pot, add the baking soda last (it will foam) and boil for a minute, then add vanilla. 

Yeild: 3 cups

It can be made with powdered buttermilk. Once Melissa made it with 1 cup of buttermilk powder, not just the amount of buttermilk powder to make a cup so we had to suddenly multiply the recipe and it foamed up in a HUGE mess.  Also, we had buttermilk syrup for a LONG time!

Frog-Eye Salad

 1 cup sugar                                                1 package (16 oz) Acini de Pepe (pasta)

2 Tablespoons flour                                    1 cup coconut

2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided                       3 cans mandarin oranges, drained (11 oz each)*

1 3/4 cups pineapple juice                           2 canes pineapple chunks, drained (20 oz each)*

2 eggs, beaten                                              1 can crushed pineapple, drained (20 oz)*

1 tablespoon lemon juice                            1 carton non dairy whipped toping (9 oz)

3 quarts water                                              1 cup miniature marshmallows

1 Tablespoon cooking oil

In a pan on the stovetop, combine sugar, flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, gradually stir in pineapple juice and eggs. Cook over moderate heat stirring, until thickened. Add lemon juice. Cool mixture to room temperature. Meanwhile, bring water, remaining 2 Tbsp salt and oil to boil.  Add Acini de Pepe, cook at rolling boil until Acini de Pepe is done. Drain Acini de Pepe, rinse with water, drain again and cool to room temperature.  combine egg mixture and Acini de Pepe. Mix lightly but thoroughly. Refrigerate overnight/8 hours in air tight container. Add remaining ingredients. Mix lightly but thoroughly.  Refrigerate until chilled in airtight container. It may also be frozen, though freezing somewhat alters the texture. Makes 25 servings.

*I use a #10 can of tropical fruit salad instead of other canned fruit and use the drained juice from the tropical fruit salad in place of the pineapple juice. I don't usually add the salt to the water for the Acini de Pepe. 

Crock Pot Chalupa

1 pork tenderloin 2-3# (can also use chicken; I have found it shreds easier and cooks more tender if you cut it into 3" pieces  before cooking)

1 jar chunky salsa (I also use canned crushed tomatoes and some extra Hatch chile salsa--which I also replace for the green chile)

1 onion peeled & coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn (can use canned if you have to)*

1 can diced chiles OR Hatch chili 

2 cans black beans or 2 cups cooked pinto or black beans*

Place all ingredients in crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. Shred with 2 forks and serve with warm flour tortillas, sour cream & guacamole. 

*I typically add these after I shred the meat

This is from Carolyn Yoss at a Celeste or Evergreen ward Relief Society meeting and she gave us the following on how to cook beans. This is how I cook beans now, black, white, pinto, whatever. I cook up a 1 lb batch and then freeze what I don't use in a gallon freezer bag for future needs.

Whipped Lemon Cream Cheese Mousse

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 c powdered sugar

1 Tbsp lemon juice (use fresh and add zest)

1 tsp vanilla

dash salt

1. Whip cream in stand mixer until soft peaks form, set aside (put in separate bowl to use mixer bowl for cream cheese)

2. beat softened ream cheese until it's nice and smooth.

3. sift powdered sugar into the cream cheese, add fresh lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth and glossy.

4. Fold cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream until combined.

Time: 15 min

Yield 3 cups

Can be made up to 3 days in advance, seal tightly

Thai Red Pork Curry

 

Thai Red Pork Curry

Servings: 4 Servings

 

Ingredients

·         1 each pork tenderloin roast cut into thin bite-sized strips

·         4 each garlic cloves minced

·         1 tbsp fresh galangal minced (substitution = 1 tbsp. ginger)

·         1 tsp cinnamon ground

·         1/4 tsp cloves ground

·         1/4 cup fresh red curry paste (substitution = 2 tbsp store bought)

·         2 tbsp coconut oil

·         1 large japanese eggplant cut into cubes

·         1 small red bell pepper seeded and diced

·         1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

·         16 leaves thai basil hand torn (substitution = regular basil)

·         salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.                   In a large bowl, mix together your pork, garlic, galangal, cinnamon, cloves, curry paste and a bit of salt and pepper. Set aside.

2.                   Heat your largest sauté pan (or wok, if you have one!) over high heat. When the pan is hot, add your coconut oil and swirl around to coat the pan. Immediately add your red pepper peppers with a bit of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 1 minute.

3.                   Add your eggplant to the pan and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Toss the two ingredients together, then let the mixture sit on the high heat and "sear" for a minute or two. Flip it around and let sit for one more minute.

4.                   Sort of slide all the ingredients to one side of the pan, so about 2/3rds of the pan is totally empty. Evenly sprinkle your pork in this area and allow it to sear for about 1 minute. Toss the whole pan together and allow the ingredients to cook, sear and pick up some color (caramelize, or "turn brown") from the heat of the pan. This whole process is hot, fast and smoky, while being fun and smelling AMAZING.

5.                   After about 2 minutes, add your coconut milk. The mixture SHOULD immediately boil rapidly. Turn the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for about 4 to 8 minutes. The mixture should thicken, like a stew. Toss in the fresh thai basil, at the last moment. Taste and season with a bit of salt and pepper.

 

Note: I used sliced onions instead of eggplant since that is what I had, it was great. I also simmered it for 14mins.