Finally Friends with Eggplant

It's been a long battle growing up...  My mom would often cook an Indian eggplant dish called "baingan ka bharta" which is essentially just a spiced mashed eggplant dish.  Everyone else in the family loves the dish, but I could never get myself to eat it.  I would always just pick around it, and end up getting away with eating leftovers or mom would make something else.  So, when I got an eggplant in my weekly food box from Home Grown Organics I was a little more than bummed.  Although it was a beautiful eggplant, I just did not want to eat it, and didn't know what I was going to do with it. 

Although, not willing to be a waster - and resolved that I could find at least ONE way to eat the veggie that I would enjoy, I scoured the internet for eggplant recipes and stumbled across Eggplant Parmasean!!!  Yummmo!!!

Now, Jon is used to a "meat and potatoes" diet... if it doesn't have meat, it's not dinner.  Hehe...  So, I did add shredded baked chicken to this recipe, but it was delicious!!  I almost always love italian but Jon doesn't normally.  This he LOVED though.  It's a great meal for kids too - cause it's a yummy way to sneak in loads of veggies!!  Enjoy!!  

Ingredients

* 1 large eggplant, thinly sliced
* Handful of mushrooms
* 1 zucchini
* 2 - 3 eggs, beaten
* 4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
* 6 cups spaghetti sauce
* 2 - 3 Cloves of Garlic  (Okay - We're freaks about our garlic... so I actually used 6 cloves...)
* 1 package Kraft 4 Cheese Italiano (my choice)  - OR
                          * 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
                          * 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese divided
                          * 1/2 cup emental cheese, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
* Optional - 2 Cooked Shredded Chicken Breasts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Warm spaghetti sauce in a sauce pan.  Mix in chopped mushrooms, zucchini and minced garlic cloves. (And any other veggies you want to sneak in...hehe) 
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs.  (This was SO fun!!!)  Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.
3. In a 9x13 inch glass baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with chicken if using, and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat layers with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses on top. Sprinkle basil on top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Delish!  Enjoy!!!