Baby Eggplants

These two-inch baby eggplants were on sale at Sprouts fifteen for a dollar
this week, so I scooped some up without knowing how I'd prepare them.

I half-peeled them and cut them in half--Dick doesn't like the peel,
but I do--and instead of brushing them with oil, I put them in a plastic bag with
some olive oil and salt and shook them.  I put them on a piece of foil in a
baking pan and broiled them, turning once, for about 10 minutes total.

They were nice and brown on the outside but tender inside.

After letting them cool to lukewarm, I dressed them with olive oil,
juice of one lemon, a tablespoon of capers, a chopped tomato, and generous
salt and pepper.  It was delicious, even more so the next day.
This would be a good appetizer as well as a vegetable side dish at a meal.

Christmas Marmalade (Grammy’s Recipe)

3 large oranges

1 lemon

Cut in quarters, remove seeds and center membrane, and chop finely in a food processor or grinder.

1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple

6 cups sugar

¼ cup water

Combine oranges, lemon, pineapple, sugar, and water in large kettle.  Bring to boil, then cook at slow boil for approximately ½ hour, or until mixture jells slightly when dropped from a spoon.

1 small jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

Remove from heat and stir in cherries.  Pour in sterilized jars and seal.

This recipe is infinitely variable.  I often use a mixture of puny citrus fruits from our trees, and sometimes omit the cherries.  I usually store it in the freezer.