Eggplant Parmesan

Joy then takes Bob’s eggplant opens a jar of good spaghetti sauce grates some parmesan and mozzarella cheese along with fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme parsley, marjoram whatever you have…you don’t need all of them) Then she layers the eggplant adds sauce herbs cheeses and repeats until all is used and bakes it in the oven until cheese is melted. This can be turned into a meal by adding cooked Italian sausage to the sauce (mushrooms can also be added to the sauce) Panko bread crumbs mixed with parmesan cheese and a little olive oil can cover the top if you like the crunch!

Bob's Eggplant

One of my favorite very easy side dish that my mom used to make. I like using the big eggplant for this recipe and basically slices the eggplant about 1/4" to 3/8" thick, seasons it wih salt and pepper, then dip it in an egg wash and sauté s it in olive oil.

Nancy Favorite Spicy Shrimps

Joy call this recipe by this name because her dear friend, Nancy gets very excited when Joy bring this appetizer to her house. Nancy calls them her shrimps! 1 lb of (21 to 25 count per lb) shrimp, raw, peeled tail on tiger fresh water or salt water Mom’s essence (recipe) Cilantro about ½ or more chopped Fresh lemon juice Heavy cream Tabasco sauce Shake lots essence on the shrimp then fry in a hot pan with a little olive oil until slightly browned on both sides, they will not yet be completely cooked it will take 2 pan loads. Set them aside in the same pan add the juice of ½ of a lemon, Tabasco to taste (we add a lot at least ¼ cup) fry for a few mins then add the cream reduce and taste put the shrimp back to finish cooking. (Be careful not to over cook if the sauce isn’t right yet remove the shrimp onto a serving dish and finish the sauce) Add ½ the chopped cilantro and cook a little longer. This is a sauce you must taste to get it right. If it is too sour add more cream not salty enough add more essence…not spicy enough…more Tabasco. Pour the sauce over the shrimp garnish with remaining chopped cilantro and lemon wedges. Enjoy Nancy’s favorite, she always saves the sauce she loves it so much.

Essence

¼ cup paprika ¼ cup cayenne pepper 2 tbls garlic powder 2 tbls onion powder ¼ cup dried thyme ¼ cup roasted ground coriander seeds ¼ cup roasted ground cumin seeds 1 tbls ground black pepper 1 tbls kosher salt Buy whole cumin and coriander seeds and roast on a dry heavy skillet (no oil of any kind) just until they turn brown or start to pop not too long then put in a spice grinder or coffee grinder or even the bullet if you have one. Mix all ingredients together and if you like you can omit the salt and use a store bought essence Zatarans or Emeril’s essence and mix that with yours so you have less salt and more spice. Joy usually does that.