Random Recipes 15.02

I suppose I'll qualify this by saying that random recipes is different from haute cuisine in that random recipes will pertain to everyday type dishes, and haute cuisine will be more elaborate or unique or aesthetic.  So, without further ado...

We got a box of miscellaneous produce recently, including eggplants, cucumbers, tomatoes, and a bunch of summer squash.  Tons of other things, but this is what we did with them...

1) Cucumber sandwiches:  8oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1 tbsp chopped dill, garlic and onion powder.  Mix, spread on bread, place a single slice of cucumber on each piece, garnish with more cream cheese mixture and a sprig of dill, and dust with paprika.

2) Bruschetta: Diced tomatoes (cored, seeded), diced basil, olive oil/salt/pepper to taste - serve on slices of baguettes

3) Eggplant Parmesan: 2 eggplants, sliced, coated with skim milk and then bread crumbs (2 cups, mixed with  ~1 tsp of oregano, thyme, basil), baked on greased/sprayed cooking sheets for 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees.  Remove from oven.  In a 9x13 baking pan, put a layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of eggplants, then a layer of sauce, then a layer of mozzarella cheese, then repeat eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella cheese until using up the ingredients - then add a layer of grated parmesan on top, about 1/8 cup.  Bake at 375 for 40 minutes until bubbling and browned.

4) Herbed Summer Squash and Potato Torte with Parmesan: Mix 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup Asiago), plus 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, onion and garlic powder (1/2 tsp each), 3/4 tsp white pepper, and 2 tbsp flour.  Slice a bunch of potatoes (about 2 pounds) and summer squash (about same amount) into 1/8 inch slices.  Butter the bottom of the pan, you can use pie tins or anything really, and start with a layer of potato, then squash, then drizzle a little olive oil and add a thin layer of the cheese mixture.  Repeat again, potato-squash-cheese.  Finish with a layer of potato on top, press down to compact a bit, then add a final layer of cheese.  Bake for 40-70 minutes, cover first with tin foil then remove halfway through.  Bake until potatoes are tender and cheese on top is sufficiently crisp/browned.