Eggplant and tomato dishes have found their way into world cuisines: ratatouille and tian in France; caponata from Sicily; Middle Eastern eggplant, tomato and chickpea casserole; among so many others.

In this recipe, Maya Kaimal, the doyenne of fine prepared Indian foods in the U.S., adds layers of flavor with Indian spices. Slices of fried eggplant are folded into a spicy tomato sauce. Use a nonstick skillet to minimize the amount of oil needed for frying.

You don’t have to wait until tomato season to enjoy this recipe. You can use canned tomatoes, and fresh in the summer. (We use diced canned San Marzano tomatoes in the off season.)

Find more of Maya’s authentic recipes at MayaKaimal.com.

RECIPE: EGGPLANT & TOMATOES WITH INDIAN SPICES

Use a heart-healthy oil (coconut oil, olive oil, Malaysian palm oil) and this is a “good for you” way to eat your veggies. Prep time is 40 minutes.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
For The Spice Mixture

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*You can substitute a standard Italian eggplant, cut into ¾-inch chunks.
 
Preparation

1. HEAT 2 to 3 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add enough eggplant to cover the pan in a single layer. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, adding more oil as needed for each batch to prevent sticking.

Top: Eggplant in a spicy tomato sauce. Photo courtesy Maya Kaimal. Center: Brown mustard seeds from Maille. Bottom: Fennel seeds from SilkRoadSpices.ca.

3. ADD the reserved eggplant and stir very gently to combine with the tomato mixture. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the eggplant is cooked through, adding water in small amounts if the mixture becomes too dry. Taste and add salt as desired.

[1] Frito Chili Pie from Frito-Lay.

[2] Country Living Magazine suggests making individual servings in Mason jars (photo © Country Living Magazine).

[3] RealMomKitchen.com made the prettiest version (photo © Real Mom Kitchen).

[4] In Pillsbury’s elegant version, the chili pie is baked as a casserole. Here’s the recipe (photo © Pillsbury).

Back in 2012, Fritos set the Guinness World Record for the largest-ever Frito Chili Pie: 1,300 pounds of Fritos, chili and cheese. For February 28th, National Chili Day, consider recreating the recipe, scaled down here to human size.

The date varies by year. National Chili Day was founded by Rich Kelly of Arlington, Virginia in 2006. You can enjoy your favorite chili recipe, but we’re taking it one step further, turning the traditional ingredients of a bowl of chili into a “pie.”

Prep time for this Easy Frito Chili Pie is just 5 minutes. It’s comfort food you can make during the commercial breaks during tonight’s Oscars.

If you want to make your own chili, great; but you’ll be spending more than 5 minutes. Here’s a delicious from-scratch recipe from Pillsbury (photo #4).

A bonus for corn chip lovers: There’s also a National Tortilla Chip Day on February 24th; National Corn Chip Day is January 29th. Here’s the difference between tortilla chips and corn chips.

> Fritos History

 
 
RECIPE: EASY FRITO CHILI PIE

If you want to make Frito Chili Pie from scratch, here’s a great recipe from Pillsbury.

Ingredients For 4 Servings

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F.

2. SPREAD the corn chips evenly over the bottom of an oven-safe serving dish or pie plate (preferably glass). Heat the chili and pour it evenly over corn chips.

3. SPRINKLE the cheese over the top and pop the pie into the oven to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven, add the garnishes and serve immediately with a serving spoon. Give soup spoons to the participants as well as forks.
 
Want a vegetarian or vegan recipe? Use all-bean chili, or try this recipe, which substitutes tofu for the beef.

 
FRITO CHILI PIE HISTORY

The Fritos brand was born in 1932 when Elmer Doolin of San Antonio, Texas purchased a corn chips recipe from a local producer. He made the first Fritos brand chips in his mother’s kitchen.

The popularity of the corn chips snack was catapulted in 1961, when Doolin joined forces with H.W. Lay & Company to create Frito-Lay.

To help sell more product, Doolin’s mother, Daisy Dean Doolin, created recipes using Fritos as a recipe ingredient. She created the now-famous Fritos Chili Pie.

Two years ago we recommended Modern Oats, a packaging concept that places elegantly-flavored, gluten-free* oatmeal in stylish grab-and-go cups.

All you have to do is add hot water to cover the oats in the coated paper cup. Put the lid back on, wait a few minutes and enjoy. No added sweetener, milk or microwave is required. The colorful designs give a boost to starting the day.

Success has enabled the brand to expand the number of flavors to 10. The lineup now includes:

Cheerful packaging adds to the enjoyment of these delicious flavored oatmeal cups. Photo courtesy Modern Oats.

Coconut Almond, one of 10 flavors. Photo courtesy Modern Oats.

MODERN OATS ARE GOOD OATS

The rolled oats in the containers are grown by family farmers in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. They are minimally processed by steaming and flaking; you look into the carton and see what looks like “real oats,” instead of the small particles familiar to consumers of instant oatmeal.

Not surprisingly, the oat flakes provide a textural differences that deliver a more solid bite (and, the company says, optimal absorption of nutrients).

Modern Oats are produced in a 100% gluten free facility and are Certified Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Halal, Kosher, Vegan and 100% Whole Grain. (Whew: There’s no more room left on the carton for any more certifications).

Bonus: Oats are the only major grain proven to help blood cholesterol†.

If you can’t find the cups locally (here’s the store locator), buy them on the Modern Oats website.

There’s a four-flavor gift-boxed set; an assortment of flavors makes a nice Easter gift for the nutritionally-focused.
 
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*To be certified gluten-free, they must be processed in a facility that does not also process grains with gluten. In the milling and processing process, oats are susceptible to cross-contamination; so not all oatmeal and other oat products are gluten free.

†Eating three grams of soluble fiber from oats each day, as part of a diet that’s low in fat and cholesterol, has been shown to lower blood cholesterol. This may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Top Chef Sylvain Harribey of the Sofitel New York shares this tip:

When you cook, don’t overcrowd the pan with the ingredients. In a packed pan, foods end up steaming rather than caramelizing. This adds cooking time and subtracts taste.

All ingredients should fit comfortably in one layer. Either use a pan that’s big enough for the job, or cook in batches as necessary.

Need more tips? Head to YouTube and search for basic cooking lessons or specific techniques.
 
SECOND TIP: USE THE RIGHT PAN

[2] February 27th is National Strawberry Day, March 21st is National California Strawberry Day, and May is National Strawberry Month (photo © California Strawberry Commission).

[3] September 28th is National Strawberry Cream Pie Day. Here’s the recipe (photo © Delicious | Australia).

[4] January 15th is National Strawberry Ice Cream Day (photo © McConnells Ice Cream).

[5] May 16th is National Strawberry Milkshake Day (photo © Arrabawn-Dairies | Facebook).

And we have lots of strawberry recipes below, from cocktails and salads to (of course) desserts. There are too many to eat in one day, so plan ahead.
 
 
STRAWBERRY HOLIDAYS

You can use all of our strawberry recipes below for these strawberry celebrations:

 
Have we forgotten one? Let us know!
 
 
RECIPE: STRAWBERRY THYME ICE CUBES

To start the celebration, here’s a fun and tasty recipe from Shari’s Berries: Strawberry Thyme Ice Cubes.

Use them in cocktails, iced tea, punch bowls, sparkling water, water pitchers, or soft drinks like Ginger Ale, 7-Up, and Fresca.

Ingredients

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*The larger the cubes, the more slowly they melt.

†The number will vary based on the size of strawberries available, and how many ice cubes you’d like to make.
 
Preparation

1. MUDDLE the strawberries with a mortar and pestle. Distribute evenly so each section of the ice cube tray is filled 2/3 with muddled berries. Each cube requires 2-3 berries.

2. FILL the ice cube sections the rest of the way with water, and top with a sprig of fresh thyme. Freeze 4-5 hours.
 
 
25+ MORE STRAWBERRY RECIPES

Beverages & Cocktails

 
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Desserts

 
First Courses & Mains

 
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