eggplant soup

1 large eggplant

1/2 of a head of garlic

1 onion

Roast eggplant (coat with a smidge of oil) and garlic (cut off the top of the head, add a smidge of oil, wrap in foil) at 425 for 45 mins or so, until eggplant is tender.  Remove from the oven and let cool ~5-10 mins.  Meanwhile dice onion and sauté.  Once eggplant is handle-able, peel off the skin and roughly dice/chop.  Squeeze garlic from the head.  Put eggplant and garlic in the pan with the onion and add 1.5 cups or so of water.  Bring to a simmer.  Puree the mixture with a hand blender (or in a blender) until smooth.  Add salt/pepper to taste.  Serve with shredded cheese, rolls, and any other toppings you wish.

adapted from allrecipes.com

hungarian mushroom stroganoff

1 lb mushrooms (chopped)
1 onion (diced)
2 tbsp butter

1 package soft silken tofu (pureed in a small food processor until smooth-looks like heavy cream)
2 tsp dry dill
1/2 tbsp paprika
1/2 tbsp hot paprika
1 tbsp soy sauce

ground pepper/salt to taste
1/2 lb egg noodles

Melt butter and saute onion ~5 mins, then add mushrooms and saute another 10 mins or so.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer until pasta finishes cooking.  Add a little pasta water to the mushrooms, drain pasta, mix together and bring to a quick simmer, turn off heat and let sit ~5 mins before serving.

adapted from allrecipes.com

red beans and rice

1 lb kidney beans
8 cups water

2 medium onions
6-8 cloves garlic
2 celery stalks
2 tbsp cajun type seasoning of your choice (make sure to add some cayenne to make it spicy)
1 bay leaf

Soak kidney beans overnight in the water.  The next day bring to a rapid boil (more than just a simmer) and boil 1.5 hrs (do not change water).  While coming up to boil, in a saute pan saute 1 onion 3-4 garlic cloves and celery.  After softened, add to the beans and include bay leaf.  After 1.5 hrs chop up the other onion and garlic, sauté until soft, add in your spices and saute another minute or so.  Add this into the beans and drop the beans to a simmer.  Simmer another 1.5 hours (or more depending on your taste).  Beans should form a nice broth/gravy and break apart.