Moroccan Chicken & Eggplant Stew

So this is one of those dishes that I couldn't stop my boyfriend from erupting about.  Yes, I chose the right verb.  Throughout dinner, every few moments he would loudly yell, "Man!  This is good!"  Yes, it's just that good.

What led me to this recipe was the realization that my entire run of eggplant recipes so far have been meat-free.  Eggplant is so commonly used as a substitute for meat that I hadn't even noticed not having it.  That had to change, of course, if I was going to be as diverse as I wanted to be with the ingredient.

This recipe-- Moroccan Chicken & Eggplant Stew-- just sounds darned good, doesn't it?  It is.  I did tweak a little.  Instead of the diced, canned tomatoes I used about 2 cups of fresh, chopped tomatoes and a 15oz can of tomato sauce.  I didn't realize what a difference it would make until my boyfriend called it the most delicious tomato soup he's ever had (which he's never been a fan of.  Until now!)  I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be quite as liquidy as it came out.  I also put in more eggplant than was called for and left the skin on. 

I honestly think that whichever way you make it, improvise it or adjust it, it's going to turn out delicious.  The flavors are just so complementary that even if you hitched up the paprika a notch or added some other herbs or whatever, it will still be so hearty, warm and delicious.  Most of the items are pretty likely in your home too or in your neighborhood (like lemons).  And of course, always be open to improvisation!

The only bad thing: I forgot to take a picture before it disappeared.  Guess I'll have to make it again.  That's a shame :)

Coconut Milk Thai Pasta with Chicken & Carrots

This is such an amazing and unique recipe that I had to bring it to your attention, even though it is only loosely tied to my carrot streak.  After using half a can of coconut milk for a carrot soup that I was trying to doctor up (to no avail, sadly) I looked for another interesting recipe to use the rest of the milk.  I stumbled upon this fabulously unique Coconut Milk Thai Pasta Sauce recipe.  

It attracted me because it doesn't require much-- of its ingredients list, probably lime, cilantro and jalapeno are the only items you may not have readily at hand.  I coincidentally did.  (HINT: this would be a great way to use leftover guacamole ingredients!!) 

As it recommends, I used it as a sauce/dressing over some Capellini pasta.  I complemented it with this Martha Stewart Baked Chicken and Carrots recipe to continue with my carrot theme.  I didn't have scallions, so I just chopped up some onions instead and added a generous amount of taco seasoning.  Guilty as charged, I essentially didn't follow the vegetable half of the recipe, except the temperature and length of time in the oven.  But it came out the perfect amount of crispiness!  That shows just how improvisational veggies can be :)

Once everything was done, I had my first bite of the pasta.  Amazing!  So refreshing, with the sour lime and sweet coconut milk.  A great amount of spice and mint and ginger.  It's a side of Thai cuisine that I confess I haven't tried before.  It's a great alternative to the normal curry and pad thai faire that dominates thai recipe searches.  Happy cooking!