Hallowe'en in July

This past weekend Sam & I attended Sarah's Monster Prom Birthday party, and we had a lot of fun getting dressed up for it! Check it out:

Before & After: Kitchen Makeover

Last weekend I decided to paint my kitchen light blue in an attempt to bring more colour into the apartment.  Here's some before & after shots, as you can see, matching the countertop to the wall colour makes for a very boring affair. We also have an ugly fluorescent light on the ceiling which we avoid turning on because the light is so glaring, not to mention the missing cupboard door on the sink....
A few hours later we've got track lighting, fixed cupboards & some colour! Yay!

before

before

after

after

after

after: new lights :)

Grilled & Marinated Eggplant

If you like eggplant, you will love this recipe, & if you hate eggplant, this will likely convince you it can taste amazing,  Forget the soggy, gritty texture you probably associate with eggplant, this recipe is grilled dry, marinated, & served cold for eggplant perfection.This recipe needs to marinate for 2-3 hours so make sure you make it early :)


You will need:

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tablespoons drained capers

1 medium garlic clove, peeled and sliced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Sicilian

1/4 teaspoon minced peperoncini or red pepper flakes

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 medium eggplant (3/4 pound), peeled and sliced about 1/3" thick

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1: Finely chop the parsley with the capers and garlic. Add the oregano and peperoncini and chop everything together. Put the mixture in a bowl, stir in the oil, & season with salt and pepper.

2: Preheat your BBQ until smoking hot. Grill the eggplant until well marked (3-6 mins) then flip and cook for another 3 mins.  Remove from grill.  Do not put any oil or salt on the eggplant before grilling.

3: Dip Eggplant slices in balsamic vinegar, and place in a dish with 1/3 of the marinade spread around in the bottom.

3: Keep layering the eggplant & marinade mixture until all your slices are covered.  Cover in plastic wrap and marinate at room temperature for 2-3 hours before serving.  Enjoy!