Vegetable Paella and Baked Creamed Spinach

Ingredients

Paella

• 1 eggplant, cut into thick chunks
• 5 tsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 yellow pepper, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced
• 1 green pepper, sliced
• 3 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup risotto rice (can also use jasmine or basmati)
• 2 1/4 cup stock/water
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes (can also use a can of diced tomatoes)
• 14 oz garbanzo beans
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 4 oz green beans
• salt and pepper

Baked Creamed Spinach

• 20 oz spinach (two 10 oz bags)
• 2 tsp butter
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup goat cheese
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 3 gloves garlic, minced

Cooking

Paella

1. Steep the rice in 1/4 cup hot water. sprinkle the eggplant with salt and let drain in a colander for 20 - 30 minutes, then drain. in a large paella pan or deep sided frying pan, heat oil and fry the onion, garlic and peppers and eggplant for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. sprinkle in the paprika and stir some more.
2. mix in the rice, then pour in the stock, tomatoes, and seasoning. bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered and agitating the pan from time to time.
3. stir in the mushrooms, green beans, garbanzo beans (with 3 tsp of their liquid/soaking water). continue to cook for 10 more minutes.

Baked Cream Spinach

1. in a pan, add in 1 tsp. butter. pour in the spinach and garlic cook until wilted and soft. don't let spinach cool down too much.
2. in a large mixing bowl, add in the ricotta and goat cheese. pour the spinach into the bowl. add in the salt and white pepper and mix well. coat a baking dish with the rest of the butter. take spinach-cheese mixture and scoop/spread it into the baking dish.
3. (optional) drizzle over some olive oil on the top before baking. heat oven to 350F and place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until creamy looking and a little bubbling.

bon appetit