Coco: Jake and I accidentally received 2 free eggplants in our last grocery trip and this is the recipe we decided on since we have never cooked eggplant before. It was delicious and we can’t wait to try these again!

Add a Pinch | October 2016 by Robyn Stone

Ingredients

• 1 pound eggplant peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Arrange eggplant cubes in a single layer on a paper towel lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the eggplant cubes with 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and allow to rest for about 15 – 20 minutes until moisture beads on the eggplant. Pat dry with paper towels. Remove the paper towel from underneath the eggplant and preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Drizzle the olive oil over the eggplant and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Toss to make sure that the eggplant is coated completely.

Roast the eggplant until just fork tender, about 25 minutes.

Coco: I became a fan of this recipe when I needed to bring something to a Thanksgiving pot luck in an organization I was a part of in college. This turned out AMAZING! And I went on to make it for my parents for Thanksgiving that year! Watching the cranberries pop is such a treat and kids love to watch it.

Savory Sweet Life | April 2011 by Alice Currah

Ingredients

• 12 oz bag fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup orange juice
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• Optional: 2 oz gold rum

Preparation

Place all the ingredients in a sauce pan and cook on medium-high for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid has reduced – stirring occasionally.

You’ll hear the cranberries popping – don’t worry, that’s what you want them to do.

Remove from heat and serve.

Cranberry sauce can be made days ahead and brought to room temperature or slightly heated before serving.

Coco: This dip is another one of those things I made one time for friends that ended up being huge hit, despite a bit of skepticism at first! It looks very interesting but it tastes even better! We were pretty bummed when it was all gone that night. Just waiting for another chance to make it at a party!

The Pioneer Woman | December 2010

Ingredients

• 1 can (14-ounce) Can Black-eyed Peas
• 1/4 whole Onion, Chopped Fine
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• 8 slices Jarred Jalapenos
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 3 Tablespoons Salsa
•  Hot Sauce, to taste
•  Salt And Black Pepper To Taste

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain black-eyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.

Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine.

Spread into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips!

*Note: if you have them available, you can use the canned black-eyed peas and jalapenos (they’re canned together.) If you do this, you can omit the extra jalapenos.