Eggplant Caponata

Eggplant Caponata

This is a dish I cooked back when it was still warm outside and I wasn't eating every meal on my back deck, or on the way to a Spring sporting event.  But now that my garden is beginning to bloom, I thought it was time to share a recipe that I would be happy to make again when I have my own fresh eggplant, tomatoes and herbs to work with.  I like to think of this dish as an Italian version of  a Mexican mole because of the use of cocoa powder.  And of course anything made with chocolate is a favorite of mine!  I also like how versatile it is because not only can it be served hot over pasta, like I did here, but it is also great room temperature and would make a fantastic appetizer on crusty bread while sitting out on my deck this summer as well.  It doesn't take very long to cook, is full of intense flavor, nutritious vegetables, herbs and spices. So try something a little adventurous the next time you are entertaining and incorporate cocoa into the main meal as well as dessert!

Raspberry and Cocoa Beer Biscuits

Raspberry and Cocoa Beer Biscuits

I couldn't stop with just one variation on my Beer Biscuits, so the weekend after I first made my Blueberry Beer Biscuits, I changed the recipe a little more and made these. They are so moist, and delicate, with a rich chocolate flavor, that I almost felt guilty eating them for breakfast, but not for long.  You could easily substitute the butter in any of these recipes for coconut oil for a different flavor and nutrient content, and as I stated with the blueberry ones, any type of beer and mix in would work as well.  My favorite part is that from start to finish, it only takes about 30 minutes and my family can enjoy a healthy, slightly indulgent, home baked breakfast.  And if you have left overs, they freeze great and are perfect to pack into a kids lunch for a treat all their friends, and teachers, will want to try!