Recipe for Mediterranean Vegetable Pitas

• 5 Pita pockets, cut in half
• 3/4 cup Eggplant, diced
• 1/4 cup Onion, sliced thinly
• 5 Sweet peppers, sliced thinly
• 2 small Zuchini, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried Herb of choice (sage, rosemary, or Italian blend, for example)
• 1 Small tomato, cut into wedges
• 5 (heaping) Tablespoons Hummus

Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onions, stirring until slightly softened. Add eggplant, zucchini, and peppers. When vegetables are starting to brown, season with herbs. Toast pita pockets if desired. Spread with hummus. Fill with vegetables. Garnish with tomatoes. (Although there's nothing that says you can't cook the tomatoes, too. As they cook down, they'll make a yummy sauce for the veggies.) Another idea, my father asked for his sandwich to be served with balsamic vinegar.

Recipe for Olive Oil Dip

• 1/2 cup quality olive oil
• 1 very large clove fresh garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup fresh Parmesan-Reggiano, finely shredded

Combine ingredients in order. Serve in individual containers as shown above or in a lovely bowl to be passed around the table.

Recommended serving suggestion: rosemary olive oil bread.

Recipe for Pizza Patate

• 1 pizza dough recipe
• 1 medium baking potato
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 long sprig rosemary, leaves peeled off
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. salt

With a mandolin or other shredding device, thinly slice the potato. I like to leave the skin on for color. My four-sided shredder has a long slit that slices the potato perfectly. Immediately put the slices in a bowl of water so they do not brown. When pizza is ready to assemble, brush dough with olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt. Dry the slices of potato and layer them on dough. Next, spread onions out on pizza. Sprinkle with remaining olive oil and salt. Finish by spreading rosemary leaves around. Finish baking.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

From watching Marsha Bloom

• Select equal portions of fresh sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, and beets.
• Cut the brussel sprouts in half, peel the potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces, cut beets as well.
• Place top rack in oven just above center and the second rack a notch or two below for space to get a second pan in and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Grease jelly roll pans with a light coat of spray. (Marsha had only two pans, and cooked the brussel sprouts first. Again, this is the beauty of a vegetable for a large group that doesn't have to be served hot.)
• Spread each vegetable individually and evenly over pan.
• Sprinkle olive oil semi-generously (although excess will not hurt) over the vegetable.
• Sprinkle fresh ground black pepper and salt evenly over vegetables.
• Top with three cloves each pan of chopped fresh garlic.
• Chop fresh rosemary (about 3 long sprigs per pan) and sprinkle around pan.
• Place pans in oven until bottom of vegetables are golden brown. The time varies depending on the veggie.
• Serve divided, but in the same bowl.