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When she was alive, my stepmother had the most amazing of green thumbs when it came to eggplant and zucchini. The first time she grew eggplant, she planted 3 plants and we had so much, we gave it to everyone we knew. The next year she only grew 2 plants and again we had waaay too much eggplant. Every place we went we took veggies with us to pawn off on our friends. (You learn how tolerant people are when you try and give away veggies in church.) There is only so much baba ghanosh you can eat, especially when you're 9. (There was also zucchini bread and zucchini pancakes, which were good, interestingly, with bbq sauce.) The 3rd year she grew only 1 plant and it produced a bumper crop. After that we begged her to never grow it again. She used to slice it and freeze it to use the next summer for baba ghanosh, because she figured that the next crop wouldn't be as good. Strangely she never made eggplant parmesan, or anything else really other than baba ghanosh. When I hear it mentioned, I think of her (fondly), but I still can't bring myself to eat eggplant.

@JerzeeTomato- I'm trapped on the Mainline. According to my husband, the distance is evenly divided between NJ & DE. But our friends live in NJ, so that's where we're headed on Saturday.

@Asado- Disclaimer: PA, not my home state. I've lived here 3 years and I still don't understand the liquor/wine/beer selling system. In all the states I've ever lived in, I could always buy a 6 pack in the grocery store and be set for the next 3 months.

Chiff0nade- I get to decide the menu & everyone else is OK with the lamb idea, but since dear Hubby hasn't ever eaten lamb, I figured it was only fair to make it for him before he declares he hates it in front of his entire family.

Everyone I know raves when I make these. I wish they were mine, but Sugar Hill Inn (in New Hampshire) via Ann Hodgman, beat me to them. Enjoy.

For 12 muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream (I use reduced fat. It tastes the same.)
5 Tbs unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup blueberries, frozen
2 Tbs sugar

Preheat oven to 375F

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin-cup liners. This recipe doesn't work without them. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the sour cream until thoroughly combined.

In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, met together the butter and the brown sugar. Beat this mixture into the egg mixture. Stir in the oats.

Fold in the flour mixture, and then the blueberries. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full. Drop a generous pinch of sugar onto the top of each muffin.

Bake for 25-28 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then remove muffins & finish cooling them on a rack.

I always prefer to know about any food allergies or preferrences. It makes things so much easier. (And I with JerzeeTomato re: vegans. Good for you, but I don't get it & don't know how to cook it.)

In the middle of our rehersal dinner, my brother's girlfriend (of 3 years, who'd I'd only met that morning.... No, I don't know why it took 3 years to meet her either.) asked me if there were any vegetarian dishes. There were 25 people at the dinner; we had 10 family members there who firmly believed that a vegetable was something you put on a plate to keep the meat and potatoes company. It had never occured to us that there was a Veggie in the party. I felt horrible. I told her, if I had known, I would have arranged for there to be more veggie dishes and perhaps some fish (since she eats fish.) She said it wasn't a big deal, and she would find something to pick at. I asked my brother why he hadn't mentioned that she didn't eat meat- I didn't want her to go hungry. He had somehow assumed that I knew. (Apparently I'm the Amazing Kreskin bride.) I got him back, though: I made him get up early and usher my wedding the next morning.

I highly recommend both these recipes from Epicurious.com. The fritters are to die for, and are always a hit when I serve them at parties or on holidays. And, the crisps are just so unusual, they defy description... just salty, sweet, umami... and crispy, too, all at the same time:

crispy eggplant fritters with smoked mozzarella

2 large eggplants (2 pounds total)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
Olive oil (for brushing and frying)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cups plain dry breadcrumbs, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese,* cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 20 cubes)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place on layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; let stand 30 minutes. Brush 2 large baking sheets with oil. Pat eggplant dry; arrange in single layer on prepared sheets. Brush lightly with oil. Bake until eggplant is tender and dry, about 1 hour. Cool slightly; chop coarsely.

Whisk 1 egg, grated Parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, parsley, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Stir in chopped eggplant (mixture will be soft). Spread 1 cup breadcrumbs on plate. Whisk 1 egg and flour in another bowl. Press and shape eggplant mixture into 1 1/4 -inch-diameter balls. Press 1 piece smoked mozzarella into center of each ball, making sure eggplant mixture covers cheese. Dip balls, 1 at a time, into egg batter; roll in breadcrumbs to coat.

Pour enough oil into large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add balls to skillet; sauté until browned, turning often, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CRISPY-EGGPLANT-FRITTERS-WITH-SMOKED-MOZZARELLA-239053

crisp eggplant chips

6 tablespoons confectioners sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb thin Asian eggplant (2 inches in diameter; about 2 medium), trimmed
About 3 cups vegetable oil

Special equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer; a deep-fat thermometer; a large sieve

Cooks' notes:
• To take the temperature of a shallow amount of oil with a metal flat-framed deep-fat thermometer, put bulb of thermometer in skillet and turn thermometer facedown, resting other end (not plastic handle) against rim of skillet. Check temperature frequently.
• Chips can be made up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/CRISP-EGGPLANT-CHIPS-235729

There are helpful hints, and beautiful pictures at the links, so go take a look! Seriously yummy.

@Asado - PA isn't half as bad as Utah!

@FFC - ;-D

@KDBlue: There were so many beers that I wanted to try--outside of hitting up various bars, but to have to buy them by the case, instead of at least six-packs, was a bit too much.

This was during Thanksgiving holiday so it was very annoying to have to drive to one place to get beer and then make a 20 minute drive to another place that had a great selection of wines. Then, when the beer distributors were closed, we had to drive to some restaurant to buy a few six packs of crappy beer.

What's funny, or saddening, is that when I talked to a few people that recently transplanted themselves there, they used to just buy a six-pack and live off of that for a couple of days. Now that they have to buy beer by the case, they drink much more.

Anyway, sorry for taking your question off topic.

re: the pizza..
anyone planning on making it soon? I was going to but I just found out that I'm going to be out most of the weekend. If anyone does try it, please post to say how it is :)

I just got No-Roll Pizza Bianca. The only "toppings" on this is olive oil, salt, and rosemary. Sounds like the tomato and parm one might be tastier!