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Unique Times

Where I share my jewels of wisdom of life

cooking up some fun 
spice up your life with stay open
keeps you on your toes

So I cooked up some fun with all of those eggplants most of which were from my friend/clients garden, not mine, so I only get credit for 1/4 of the growing but all of the cooking.  

I actually love cooking when I have time which is almost never and my son accuses me of being the slowest cooker around but hey, if I had a Sous chef it would be half the time so I just glare and “say role up your sleeves”.  To be fair, he does the dishes every night and between the 3 of us manage to get a healthy meal on the table but it’s pretty basic. 

These eggplants were humming Moussaka to me which is a family favorite since my children love to claim they are 50 % Greek when they are literally an 8th and my husband only a 1/4.  As for me, I’m zilch but I do love the culture and our amazing family that lives in Athens. Maybe I’ll share the pictures of all of us visiting someday. Just talking about it makes me yearn to visit again see them all. Their amazing hospitality and rot gut homemade wine is tucked away as some of my best memories.  

 I looked at all of the recipes I have and went online as well  and settled on the one sitting on my counter in a cookbook my daughter “Narnical” had made me.  Not because it is a family recipe passed down through the ages but because it was one I stumbled on when low fat was a big and turns out is was the easiest and best mind you.

It was such a labor of love and she assembled all of the recipes I made regularly for our family.  I am so grateful because I would have never known where to find the recipe otherwise.  It is the gift that keeps on giving. 

Being that it’s close to the holidays I thought some of you might jump on the train with this idea and gift one of your family members might like and you can find the information of where to order here in the cover below. It was one of the most touching gifts I’ve received and when I opened it and read her inscription, it brought tears to my eyes. 


 I enjoy being mindful when cooking which is why it takes long because I savor the process, the smells, the tastes, the chopping etc. Otherwise in my haste, I burn just about everything. Inevitably burn the boiled beets once a week and the pan gets that chalked black at the bottom of it and I have to take the pan outside so I don’t smoke us out.  The good news with that they taste amazing “smoked”. 

Eggplant is actually easy but time consuming and like lasagne, it takes a few steps in the assembly.  I’ll try to break this down as easy pizzy as I can with pictures and steps.  

It takes a few steps to cut them, salt them to let them sweat and get the bitterness out. Of course you could do that in 10 or 15 minutes but since I’m busy, I cut them the night before, salt them and leave covered in paper towels until the next morning.

If you’re a vegetarian,  double the bulgar and or add  some other grain you like and substitute for turkey or lamb.  

I made this the high fat version because I believe in whole foods which is where we get satiated and there are less additives. I opted for whole yogurt and cheese strictly for the health benefit. In my generation we grew up with low fat everything which was the key to a healthy heart and weight loss until we found out that the real culprit was the sugars raising triglycerides and arterioloscleroses. This article from Chicago Medicine gives you the skinny and sums it up which I find particularly great https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/gastrointestinal-articles/which-are-healthier-low-fat-or-full-fat-foods

COOK ON 450 FOR 30 MINUTES AND ENJOY!

UPDATE ON THE BLIND DATE:

Speaking of results and last weeks blind date set up;  Keith said “There is a lot of daughter trust in mom to go on a blind date set up by the latter. Well done”.  Do visit Keith as he always has such great perspective on life and politics which I glean lot’s of insight. I would comment back, maybe a bit too trusting?!

If you remember correctly, they were going to go out for dinner on Friday.

Thursday came, no call, no text no worries. 

Friday no text no call…..NO FRI-YAY FUNDAY HERE.

WTF I wondered if perhaps things weren’t very clear but as seen on a text all was clear. The fact that there was no word no call no text was pretty bizarre to me to me because I really thought I knew him so this is what’s been driving me a lil cra cra.  The blind date was actually here at our house with the 4 of us so maybe my cooking wasn’t so great after all… hmmmm but they did have a great date the next day alone without the parentals.

We had met in person with my husband and son before and he gifted us some of our coffee and he and I had countless conversations and texts in (I thought we were friends). I have his hunting license and all his pertinent information.  Plus, I helped get his coffee in two of our local markets which was big time.   We talked about having him teach some classes at my business because he’s a triathlete etc.

So I’m on the investigative path and so far I’ve come up with zippo of people that I know who most likely would have heard of him since they are in the biking world but so far no one knows of him. It’s a little odd when you think you know someone and  then they just go MIA. He said he supposed to be in a survivor movie to see who survives so we’re just wondering could he have been dropped off in the middle of the desert and picked up that night?  I will defer to our friend Anna at Blessed with a Star on the forehead who has lots of experience to get her expertise if you haven’t read her read her or know her do she’s always entertaining and we’ve become quite good friends.  We’re not as nice as she is when she gave the one guy the benefit of the doubt and called every local hospital to see if he was ok.  

I do have a warrant out for his arrest though hahahaha.   🤣

I went into the stores where I got his coffee and am still waiting to hear back from my friend who owns the market on her take. I’m wondering if he was eaten by a mountain lion while trying to catch a coyote in which case I would forgive him.

I apologized profusely to my daughter for thinking that I actually knew this guy and putting her through this at all and she was unscathed and said “it’s so odd but I certainly wasn’t gonna call him and it’s better to know now and move on”. Now this sounds like Anna and a girl that knows something about some men that I don’t know.

plucked like a chicken 
a deer in the headlights
This girl is smarter than you know
lips promise 
lingering  treasures 
but none that deliver 
arrows straight to the heart

blood flows 
but no love lost
this girl is smarter than you know

I think I’ll put my matchmaking on hold at the moment being at the one couple I fixed up last 13 years and split up this past year and now this. But don’t worry my eyes are always open and I’ve got my air gun in my pocket this time for safe keeping so I’m smarter this time next year. 

On a fun note, my book arrived from Gabriella and I think I might have something for her poetry contest but I do need a lesson in metaphor’s and deciphering but I’m going to try my luck. The good news is I’m learning a new form of poetry. The bad is that I’m not sure I can match hers. 🤣❣️ You can to and have 2 more days to enter so there’s so good news here. Visit her at Short Prose for the deets on entering.

Have a great weekend and be like the animal and remember to use your instincts like they do and sometimes you just have to run and never look back.

Blessings of Love Always

💖

Cindy

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gabychops
1 year ago

You have wonderful daughter, Cindy!

Joanna

SamSahana
1 year ago

Your lasagne looks scrumptious! Trust me, eggplant is a real saviour for vegetarians 🥺 We call it brinjal in India. It can especially save a bland, lifeless dish.

katiemiafrederick
1 year ago

SMiLes Dear Cindy The EggPlant Recipe
Looks Delicious Will Have to Ask my Wife

How to Exactly Assemble it

As All i’ve Really Done

Is Oatmeal With

The Ingredients

Pre-Pared

Just Add Water
Microwave Then
Butter hehe And Actually
i’ve Only Shopped Once in
31 Years When She Had
A Virus The Winn Dixie Customer

Service Associates Volunteered to
Help me Find the Lipton Soup As All
i Use Stores for is the 15,400 Miles of
Public Dance in 8 Years And Of Course

The Wife Just Dragged me Along With Her
Behind the Buggy Before That For the Rest
of the Decades Then… Anyway Dating was

Hard Enough in the 80’s Without Today’s Swipe
Left And Right Business i Don’t Buy my Groceries

Online And

Thank God

i Didn’t Have
to Swipe for
my Wife Online…

Always like to Touch
What i Buy And Smell
It A Bit First Hehe With SMiLes…

As It’s True There is So Much Attraction
In Smell And There is No Sniff And Scratch

Online Yet Hehe…

And Would i Have Ever Let my
Mother Find a Blind
Date for me: No…

Rather Use
my Own
Eyes too HAha..;)

katiemiafrederick
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Hehe Cindy i Mentioned
The Surprise Eggplant
Dish to my Wife She Said
That’s Funny
And My Sister
Said i’d Have to
Learn How to Turn
The Stove on Actually

When Young
Pleased i Would
Have Been to Have
Any Arranged Date

Like Stoves Nothing
i was Accustomed to

HAha i
Do Love
Eggplant
Will try to
Talk my

Wife into it😊🙌😜

katiemiafrederick
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Hehe Cindy
You Gave my
Wife And

Sister
A Great
Recipe

For A
Laugh Too🙌☺️🏝

katiemiafrederick
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

🤗🙌❤️

katiemiafrederick
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

🌈🏝☺️

katiemiafrederick
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

☺️

GraceoftheSun
1 year ago

Happy Friyay Cindy!! The eggplant lasagna looks scrumptious… yum. Now I’m craving some…lol. I just loved your daughters outlook on the blind date situation, she seems to have a very good head on her shoulders, good for her! ❤️❤️❤️

GraceoftheSun
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

My pleasure.💕❤️💕

Suma Reddy
1 year ago

Though I couldn’t read the entire post clearly, I loved the cooking humour 😅 just to say hi n happy weekend dear Queen, take care 😇❤

Suma Reddy
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Yo my dear Queen miss you during my break but will try to read you. Take care 🤗❤ 😘😘🙏🙏

Timothy Price
Timothy Price
1 year ago

That was a bit blinding on the date. The Moussaka looks delish. When I prepare eggplant for dishes, I grill it over an open flame. It gets a nice smokey flavor and the grill marks make it look good, also.

Timothy Price
Timothy Price
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Brush the eggplant with olive oil so it doesn’t stick to the grill. I usually cut them about 1/2 inch thick for grilling.

Timothy Price
Timothy Price
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

When we make ratatouille we grill all the veggies first.

msjadeli
1 year ago

That recipe looks SO good! I usually make parmigiana with eggplant but this would be a great change.

msjadeli
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

🙂

A Star on the Forehead
1 year ago

HI Cindy,
I hate when that happens, when people don’t give us the courtesy of an explanation. Why leave us wondering? But in such cases I like to say a prayer of thanks to my guardian angels That is probably them hard at work, removing something from my life that it was not going to be good for me.
As the eternal hopeful, that I am, I am still holding out hope that he has a very good explanation. After all, he is not only blindsiding your daughter but the entire family. Also, the business contact he had in you. So it is hard to believe that someone would do that.
Was he too fearful to disappoint you? Were you already moving too fast, planning a wedding, and scared the poor guy away? lol just kidding of course.
I am glad that your daughter is not too hurt or disappointed.
Perhaps instead of a WP dating site, we should start a WP Investigative Agency to tract down all those ghosts.
On a more tasty note, that eggplant looks delicious. Eggplant is one of my favorite things ever. I do like bulgur and mint (as in another favorite: kibeh), I am not sure about the allspice, I would probably would remove or put very little.
Wishing you a blessed weekend! ♥♥
and thank you for the fun friendship! 🙂

A Star on the Forehead
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

I am here, anytime you needs my two cents about dating, especially absurd situations.
I knew you were already thinking venues and florists lol
I understand when you said if it was up to you, you have reached out. Sometime I will discuss a situation with my sister and her suggestion is to just reach out and ask. Sometimes it seems like a no brainer, but it is not that simple. I often already have a feeling that I am being rejected, or being spared future heartache, so I rather leave it alone and move on.
To me it always boils down to: “If a man wants you, there is nothing that will keep him away. If he doesn’t want you, nothing can make him stay”
More and more I am learning to live and move on with not knowing the whys. I just have faith that whatever happens is for my betterment.
Many more escapades to come!! ❤❤

Laleh Chini
1 year ago

My daughter in law loves eggplants, thanks.🌷

Laleh Chini
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

❤️

Laleh Chini
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

She truly is, my own by heart.❤️

Laleh Chini
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Exactly.❤️

Laleh Chini
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

🌺🌺🌺

Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet
1 year ago

Cindy, you made me hungry for Moussaka! There is a Greek restaurant near here that I have been wanting to try…<3 I know from experience working with eggplants that making this recipe is very labor- intensive!

Have a great weekend! <3

Jeff Flesch
1 year ago

What a lovely post on this beautiful Friday, dearest Cindy. The eggplant looks amazing, and I totally get being mindful in the kitchen. I’ll burn things up too without it. I much enjoyed the poems, as I did the reference to the air gun your carrying. 🤣😃 Seriously smiling big time, like I always am after reading you. Love and hugs. ❤️🥰🤗❤️

Jeff Flesch
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Hahaha. And, that you wrote fellow burner will keep me laughing all night. 😂 Aww, thank you, and, your welcome, always, it’s always my pleasure to read you, dearest Cindy. Indeed, about the eggplant. 😋 Takk soon. 😘

salsaworldtraveler
1 year ago

The eggplant looks delicious and I’m not a vegetarian. That is a shame abut the blind date. Probably for the best though. Happy Friday!!!

Ingrid
1 year ago

What a beautiful idea of your daughter to gift you a book of family recipes! My youngest bought a home made recipe book home from nursery at the end of term 😍 I feel I must have missed a post because I don’t know about the blind date, so I will check back…if I did, my apologies: PMDD brain 🤯

Daphny Aqua
1 year ago

Ohh Cindy the food looks amazing, I just had my breakfast but seeing that makes me hungry again 😋😅 The arrest warrant though sounds exactly like my mom would do 🤣

Daphny Aqua
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Do share your recipe’s oneday 🙏😊
I’m sure she’ll love you as well, I will 👍😅😂 big hug to you as well 🥰❣️

Daphny Aqua
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Ohh got too focused on the food didn’t see the recipe 😅 Hopefully I can 🤞😊

Nawazish
1 year ago

This is interesting. Blind date turned out a failure!🤣

Nawazish
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Hahaha! Shouldn’t I?🤭🤭

mysteriousalien2
1 year ago

I am coming over to eat with you and your family!😌❣️

mysteriousalien2
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Definitely! So that I can look presentable enough.😂😉

mysteriousalien2
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

I am sure then! 😉😂

Navin
1 year ago

The food looks amazing….so if you could send some food over here, that’ll be great 😉…enjoy your weekend, Cindy ❤️

Navin
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

💫❤️🤗🥰✨

KK
KK
1 year ago

I really liked the blind date and your eggplant recipe. Your daughter is wonderful, just like you. Enjoy the weekend, Cindy. Happy Friyay 🎉🎉💐💖

Keith
1 year ago

Cindy, thanks for the shout out. You are a gem. I think it is a new mother-daughter bonding exercise when you both feel jilted by the same unresponsive blind date for your daughter. It will give you a nice laugh down the road, however, her next response to a future blind date request will likely be “Mom, thanks but no thanks.”

Speaking of blind dates, your story made me reflect on some of mine before I found the one, which was not a blind date, by the way. My favorite story is when a friend failed to tell me she set me up with a female minister. While I am religious, I must confess I was not ready to think even one iota of carnal knowledge with someone who could forgive me of my sins. We did have a nice lunch date, though.

Keith

Keith
Reply to  Keith
1 year ago

PS – I forgot to add the blind date was at a Greek restaurant know for its Moussaka. That is a true story.

Keith
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Cindy, you did try. Kudos for that. I think people who date and marry ministers probably meet them before they get further down that path. The key to my story is I was unaware. So after she asked and I shared what I did for a living, I asked her what she did. When she said she was a minister I think I did a double take. Truth be told, she was very pleasant and charming, but our chemistry was lacking even before the big reveal of her calling. Keith

Patricia Furstenberg
1 year ago

We love eggplants over here, although we call them brinjal.

In Romania we make brinjal salad – roast the brinjal (preferably above low flames) , let it cool, peel the burned skin, let the bitter juiced drain, remove the seeds (if any), chop the cooked flesh till it becomes a paste, add a bit of salt and a bit of oil. You cna also ass finely chopped onion… Chill. Serve on toast with sliced tomato. Yum 🙂

Marsha
1 year ago

Great detailed post on eggplants. I never knew about salt.

Michele Lee
1 year ago

Looks delicious! I love eggplants, especially when they are fresh from the garden. That is true of any veggie. 💚 Enjoy!

akshita1776
1 year ago

I am soooo hungry now!! The delicious pics + dinner time here😋

Nancy Richy
1 year ago

Keep on cooking and stay out of the match-making business! LOL!! I need to try this recipe – my husband’s favorite! Happy weekend! 💕

Lisa at Micro of the Macro
1 year ago

I’m sure your dish turned out amazing! Looking forward to cooking together! (And I hope you find that no-good son of a *%$#@ . . . 🤣) Happy Saturday, dear one! 🌞

Muse in making
1 year ago

It looks yummy, surely will try cooking it at home! Also, you have a lovely daughter! God bless her!❤️😃

ben Alexander
1 year ago

bummer about the blind date!

but I do love me some eggplants and moussaka is my MIL’s specialty – yum yum!

<3
David

Samreen Asad
1 year ago

Wow, the Moussaka looks so scrumptious Cindy😋😍💖 Your daughter is such wonderful dear, just like you🤗❤️❤️ ✨ May God always bless her and all of you 😊💖😊💖💖💖 Happy weekend dear🌹🌹🌹

Samreen Asad
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

You are always sooo welcome dear🤗🤗🤗 Oh I will tell him surely🙂😊 Take care, Happy week ahead💕💖💖🌹🌹

Samreen Asad
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Thanks dear🤗🤗🌹🌹💖💖 Ashok Uncle says hi with and hugs😊😊😊

Carol anne
1 year ago

that recipe sounds delicious! And wow! Your daughters gift to you is awesome! Bet you were so glad to have the recipe right there when you needed it!

Athira
1 year ago

I like eggplants recipes…really yummy..
I missed you so much Cindy..Where are you dear?

Gabriela Marie Milton
1 year ago

Oh, my Goodness, I missed the Friday fun. But here I am staring at delicious food. I need to get cooking.

Thank you so much for featuring a picture of my book Cindy. It humbles me beyond words.

May you have the most beautiful Sunday ever.
Love and big hugs.
xoxoxo

Gabriela Marie Milton
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Haha. You are a gem Cindy. You really are. Love you.
xoxo

Gabriela Marie Milton
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

❤️🌸🌹❤️🌸🌹

Gabriela Marie Milton
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Wonderful. Cindy stop being nervous. Go ahead and read and enjoy!

Gabriela Marie Milton
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Hon, you are so sweet. I thank from the bottom of my heart but I am not getting rich on a poetry book even if I keep the money (meaning my part after the publisher takes his). I am putting the money back into the community: poetry prizes and donations to various causes.
This is about you having fun, and feeling good. This is about you spreading love. This is about you being great!
xoxo

Gabriela Marie Milton
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

You are sweet. Thank you!!!!

Gabriela Marie Milton
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Thank you hon. Enjoy the rest of your day 🌹

boundlessblessingsblog
1 year ago

The egg-plant recipe looks yummy and delicious, surely will try cooking it at home step by step from your awesome post, Cindy. You have a lovely daughter, God bless her and happy Friday hope you had a nice weekend. Great post.

boundlessblessingsblog
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Always welcome dear Cindy will surely try your recipe and give you a feedback. Take care and stay safe ❤️❤️❤️

boundlessblessingsblog
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Blessings to you too 😊😊😊❤️❤️❤️

D. Wallace Peach
1 year ago

I love eggplant, Cindy, and your recipe looks delicious. My go to recipes are eggplant parmesan and eggplant pizza! Yum. Sorry to hear that the blind date didn’t happen, but I love your daughter’s attitude… whatever. That’s a healthy approach if I ever heard one. And I enjoyed Gabriela’s book. She’s such a talented poet. Happy Reading!

Prior...
1 year ago

Hi Cindy
I am in agreement on Whole Foods and rich ingredients to satisfy and fortify us humans

And so kind of you to keep your eyes open just in case a match was to be made –

trackback
1 year ago

[…] By Cindy Georgakas: Being silent is the loudest message. […]

trackback
1 year ago

[…] By Cindy Georgakas: the perils of an evil heart […]

~M
~M
1 year ago

I’m just now trying to catch up on my reading and found your Friday post. Your eggplant recipe looks and sounds delish. That’s too bad about the blind date, but I love your daughter’s take on it. Smart girl. 😉

~M
~M
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Sometimes things just aren’t meant to be. 😉Hope your week is starting off on the right foot. 🙂🌷🌈☀️💫

~M
~M
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Oh no… hang on to something. 😉 And thanks, I feel very unmotivated. Lol…

Pooja G
1 year ago

Ooh this looks like a great recipe- I’ll try a vegan version at some point because I just love eggplants! It sucks that the guy ghosted your daughter but I think whatever happens tends to happen for a reason. There’s probably someone way better for her out there.

jonicaggiano
1 year ago

Hi Cindy it is nice of you to share that wonderful recipe. We both love that dish and I love the pictures. Yummy. You are sweet to give him (the date) the benefit of the doubt and let’s hope he is ok. It amazes me that you have time to cook at all and yet it sounds like you do every night. I am glad you have help. Have fun reading Button’s book. You will fall in love with the pages. Sending you bunches of love and hugs, my friend who is not so far away. I wish I could get a trigger massage from you. I would be a client and of course your friend if I was there in CA. Love you sweetie. Have a great week. Joni xoxoxoxo

jonicaggiano
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

Hi Cindy that is a dish I might seriously try. Egg plant parmigiana is my husband’s favorite and one of mine but he and I would love this dish. We had a great massage therapist until her husband had to move and she joined him. I bet you give an amazing massage with all your impressive training. Sending big hugs 🤗 and lots of love ❤️ 🤗❤️💕🦋Joni

jonicaggiano
Reply to  Cindy Georgakas
1 year ago

I know kind of fattening but so good. I think it is fine for a special occasion. Sending my love in big beautiful baskets. ❤️❤️❤️🤗🤗🤗🦋Joni

Ranjana
1 year ago

Hi Cindy I am from India and I love a spicy eggplant. Probably very different from what you cooked. I started learning cooking during lockdown last year. I also started slow and I love the art of cutting vegetables. But after cutting vegetables, I speed up in cooking. My mom loves meals cooked by me coz I change the spices every time. Even with the same recipe I change something that surprises her and she enjoys the meal. I have figured that even when the ingredients are same, my food still tastes different than my moms.

Asif Balouch
1 year ago

I think this is the best I’ve seen till till now. You’re amazing!

My Rollercoaster Journey
1 year ago

Wow that sounds odd, him going on one date then disappearing like that. The recipe looks nice. I’m not a big fan of eggplant or cooking. I do cook but I’m not keen on trying new recipes. Looks delicious though.

My Rollercoaster Journey
1 year ago

And what your daughter wrote for you in the cookbook was so heartfelt. Us moms live for those moments, right?

trackback
1 year ago

[…] Source: Cooking up some fun on Fri-Yay Funday❣️ […]