Homemade Eggplant Parmesan

If you ever thought having a delicious, homemade meal was something you just don't have time to do, think again.

Cooking at home means getting your husband and children involved. The kids can use a food chopper(thank you Pampered Chef) to chop the onions and garlic, while Dad supervises for safety's sake. While they do this, you can chop fresh tomatoes and basil for a great homemade sauce. Cooking should be a family endeavor, not relegated to whoever pulls the short straw.

My husband and I both enjoy cooking, and sometimes we step on each others feet in the kitchen, but we wouldn't have it any other way. We've learned to delegate a little better to minimize the bruised toes, and egos! He's more the chef, and I am more the baker, but together we have grown by leaps and bounds in our cooking ability.

Here's a simple eggplant parmesan recipe to get you started:

4 medium sized japanese eggplants, these long thin eggplants are not as bitter and don't require as much prep time as the big round ones do.

3/4c bread crumbs

1 tbs granulated or powdered garlic - granulated will give you more punch

1 tsp salt

vegetable oil(for frying eggplant)

2 pint jars of whole tomatoes(if you don't can your own, 2 16oz cans will do)

6 cloves fresh sliced garlic

1/2c finely chopped onions, about 1/8" pieces

6 tbs fresh chopped basil

1 tbs your favorite italian seasoning

salt to taste

olive oil

freshly grated parmesan cheese

sliced provolone cheese

Instructions:

Spread paper towels on a cookie sheet. Slice the eggplant into medallions about 3/4" thick, and lay them out on the paper towel covered cookie sheet. Salt the eggplant well on both sides and let it sit for about 10 minutes(the kids can help with this).

While the eggplant is sitting, heat a medium sized pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil and add the onions after the oil is heated. You do not want to fry the onions, so keep the heat at medium to medium-low. You want to sweat the onions until they are translucent, then add the garlic and cook for just a minute before you add the tomatoes. As everything cooks, use a wooden spoon or the equivalent to break up the tomatoes. Add italian seasoning. Let this cook over low heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently, while you turn your attention back to the eggplant.

Rinse the salt off of the eggplant, but don't dry it. Get your bread crumbs prepped on a flat plate, and mix in the granulated or powdered garlic and salt. Again, this is something the kids can help with.

Heat a medium sized frying pan over medium high heat, and add the vegetable oil. You'll need enough oil to cover the eggplant medallions, but don't fill the pan more than about 1/3 full because it can boil over. This oil needs to be pretty hot, you want to see the eggplant drop down into the oil when it's added, then float back up. If the oil is too hot, the bread crumbs will be knocked off the eggplant.

Dip each eggplant in the bread crumb mixture, knocking off the excess. Into the hot oil they go, cooking until they are golden brown. About 1 minute per side.

Turn on broiler.

Check on your tomato sauce, add the basil and season with salt to taste. Before you say it...but salt's bad for you...remember that salt is a flavor enhancer, and used judiciously is an absolute necessity.

Lay out your fried eggplant on an oven-safe serving plate, pour the tomato sauce over them. Then lay the sliced provolone cheese over the top, and cover generously with fresh parmesan cheese.

Broil until the cheese is melted and the parmesan is just starting to turn a tiny bit gold.

Serve with toasted french bread and a nice steak. Serves four, and only takes about 35 minutes to make.

See? I told you it wasn't so hard, and it can be fun getting everyone in there together.