Baba Ghanoush

Preheat oven to 375°.

Pierce eggplant several times with a fork; place on a foil-lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until tender. Cut eggplant in half. Scoop out pulp; discard skins. Drain eggplant pulp in a colander for 30 minutes.

Place pine nuts, cumin seeds, and garlic in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Add eggplant, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, tahini, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to food processor. Process until smooth. Spoon eggplant mixture into a medium bowl; stir in parsley. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.

Dissatisfied with the baba ghanoush recipes she was finding, Karen Waldman decided to create her own. By combining mayonnaise and tahini, she tinkered, found her perfect combination, and even incorporated it into a Greek-themed Thanksgiving meal. The unique dinner was an instant hit with her family. She plans to explore another cuisine by making this year's holiday menu an Indian feast. "I find this part of cooking, the creativity, very rewarding, especially when it turns out tasty," she says.