I’m thrilled that so many of my lovely readers are still here :). Every time I get a comment from you it makes me smile and want to blog again. I’ll have to admit that I enjoyed my break from the blog, even though sometimes I felt guilty about neglecting it. I was enjoying my family so much that most of the time I didn’t even think about it. I think I’m ready to start writing again, even if it’s just a few times a week.
Someone brought a huge box of eggplant to church last week. We waited by the box until the crowd thinned so we could take 2 of them without feeling greedy :). I looked up my recipe created this summer for Eggplant bake and cut the cheese in half and added a half cup of parmesan for flavor. It was delicious and only had 300 calories a serving, which is a generous 1/8th of a 9 x 13 pan.
2 eggplant (1 or 1.5 lbs each)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (26 oz)
2 lbs ground beef
2 cups mozarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesean cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
Place ground beef in a large skillet and sprinkle with garlic salt. Cook meat until no longer pink, drain and rinse of excess fat. Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Cook for a few minutes on each side in a hot skillet until lightly browned. Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish. Place 1/2 cup of spaghetti sauce in the bottom of the dish. Cover the sauce completely with eggplant slices. Sprinkle with half the ground beef, half of the cheeses and half the remaining sauce. Repeat the layers once more. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Let stand a few minutes before serving.
We served ours with a huge spinach and romaine tossed salad, green beens, and peaches. If you aren’t watching you carbs, garlic bread would be perfect :).
I’m off to put the children in the tub. It’s Saturday night, whether you need it or not…..
P.S. I did not peel my eggplant. I try not to peel anything if I can help it, because usually there are lots of vitamins in the peeling. When I served the leftovers to my mother for lunch she looked shocked. “You didn’t peel it!?”
“Oops, Was I supposed to?”
Mother: “What did your recipe say?”
Me: “Ooh, recipe, that would have been a good idea…”
I never peel my eggplant (or anything else if I can help it!) especially when I slice it thin for a dish like this!
Hi Angela,
I just love reading all of your wonderful things on here!! Because of you I have stopped buying paper towels and made my own dry laundry soap and am using sponges with the liquid fabric softner and water!! LOVE IT ALL THANK YOU!! Just wondering can I substitute the eggplant by using maybe yellow squash and zuchini (sp?)?
Thanks Christy 🙂 Yes you could use either of those. The summer type squashes are very similar to eggplant.
So, the recipe is for how many servings please as I live alone, well not quite alone, as Jesus is always with me…..but He’s not eating it_lol
He has manna from above……… thanks and God bless you and
those you love……
Lady_bug, this one serves 8. You could cut the recipe in half then freeze 3 portions for a quick meal another time 🙂
I have a great low fat eggplant recipe (at least I think so, my husband is not super excited about it). You slice 1 eggpant (no peeling!) in about 1/2″ slices. Mix 1/2c of fat free mayo (no not try miracle whip, you will regret it) and some minced onion in a small bowl. In another small bowl you mix 1/3c. bread crumbs, 1/3 grated parm cheese and some Italian seasonings. Coat you eggpant slices in the mayo mixture and them bread with the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange on a greased baking sheet and bake at 425 for 12 mins, then flip each slice and bake for another 12mins or until golden.
Glad you’re back! I always enjoy your tips, recipes, and hearing about your life and your family. 🙂
I never peel eggplant either. Frankly, I think the peel is kind of a pretty color and it’s probably good for us for the fiber or vitamins or something, like you mentioned. I feel the same way about most veggies, again, like you mentioned. Take potato peels, for instance…I LOVE ’em in my mashed potatoes.
Hi Angela,
I think this is wonderful recipe and mcuh simplier than how my mom willl prep the eggplant before baking it. Thank you and God Bless.
Alexandra
Hi!
Eggplants are not supposed to get peeled. Neither zucchini
In Greece we use them a lot esp in the summer and this dish is pretty common. As is mousaka of course!
Your life is so full and exciting! Your new house is really cool,
I would have to tell myself to take it one day at a time and stay
in the moment so as to not get overwhelmed! You seem like you
enjoy that challenge though.
Also your recipes and the emphasis on healthy is great!
I was wondering (as we are making a move also soon also)
did you move so your children could go to the school there?
If so, how is that going?
Keep up the good work. I’m sure everyone understands when
you take a break! Take care.
Hi Gayle, Our children were already attending school in the town where we now live–I just had to drive them over. Now our drive is less than half–and they do love their school. Unfortunately it’s not the school in our backyard–that would be so convenient. We elected to send 2 of them to private school when I could no longer handle homeschooling them all. In my mind it was second best to homeschooling–but really they are doing better than they were at home. Since we love the school so much, I’m sending two more kiddoes next year. That means I’ll have to figure out a better business plan so we can afford to do that :).
Angela,
Shirley and I tried your recipe last summer. It was wonderful. So now we will try it the new way. No, eggplant is not to be peeled. Thanks for all your hints and recipes. Loved the house tour, but the sideways views made me nauseus. I think your readers could have gotten the same idea right side up. Nice house. I love your office. Am also glad you are back.
Now this is my kind of Italian! When I was a teenager I used to make meat lasagna with a layer of finely sliced eggplant. It was really good.