Eggplant Lasagna

My kids will tolerate eggplant.  They don't love it and you certainly won't hear them begging for it, but they will eat a piece or two if properly presented.  The is problem I love eggplant and am always looking for ways to have it without having a lot of "whine" with it.  And while I don't like hiding food and tricking them it is necessary to be creative at times.

I was watching Food Network one Saturday morning and Rachel Ray was making an eggplant lasagna, but she wasn't making it using thinly sliced eggplant.  She was making it with baked and pureed eggplant.  It was one of those moments duh moments for me, how had this never occurred to me.  Pureed eggplant and ricotta cheese have a very similar consistency.  Mix them together and you can easily fool even those with the biggest aversion to this yummy, yet under appreciated veggie.

Eggplant Lasagna (ziplist)

• 
  

  Ingredients 

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 5-6 large tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/2 cup basil
  • 2 cloves roasted garlic
  • 2 pints ricotta
  • 1 cup Parmigiana-Reggiano
  • 1 egg
  • 24 oz fresh or jarred marinara sauce
  • 1 box lasagna noodles (prepared to boxed instructions)
  • 3 cups shredded mozzarella
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

• Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. Slice eggplant in half lengthwise. Brush each side with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes or until soft.
3. Place tomato slice on baking sheet lightly drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven to cool, set aside.
4. Once eggplant has cooled slightly scoop out fleshy inside. Place in bowl of food processor with basil and garlic. Pulse 3-4 times to puree. Add egg, ricotta and 1/2 cup Parmigiana cheeses, salt and pepper to taste. Pulse an additional 3-4 times.
5. In a 13x9 baking pan, pour in a 1/4 of the sauce. Add a layer of noodles, a layer of the ricotta cheese eggplant mixture, and a layer of tomatoes. Top the four layers with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layering process 2 times. Finish with a layer of sauce topped with generous topping of mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmigiana.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until cheese has melted. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!!

Back to School

School starts on Tuesday and we are all set.  School supplies have been purchased and put in the backpack, first day of school outfit has been chosen and most importantly the after school snack is all set.

I have been hungry for Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip cookies for about two weeks.  So, while everyone was out of the house I took the opportunity to do some baking all by myself - it has been awhile since I have done any cooking without my helpers and it was a very nice treat.  This is a back of the bag recipe and it is just wonderful.  It is one of my favorite recipes and a cookie I never tire of.  It is a large recipe and I certainly don't need 4 dozen cookies around the house, so I baked off two dozen - sending a dozen down the street to the kids and Dads who were splitting wood  from trees that fell during Irene.  The remaining two dozen I froze.

I love having frozen cookies in the freezer.  There is nothing better than being able to bake off one or two cookies without having to deal with the prep and cleanup.  Having an assortment of flavors is especially nice, just set aside a half dozen or dozen each time you make cookies and everybody can have their favorite, a freshly baked cookie for all!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip (Printer Ready ) From Hershey's

2 c. All-purpose Flour
¾ c. Hershey’s Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
½ tsp. Salt
1 ¼ (2 ½ sticks)  Butter, softened
2 c. Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
1 ⅔ c. (10 oz.) Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside
In large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until pale in color and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined.  Add vanilla extract.  Slowly add flour mixture.  When mixture is almost combined add peanut butter chips,  gently mix until chips are evenly distributed.  
Using a cookie scooper, scoop cookies onto tray, spaceing cookies about 1” apart.  Bake 8-10 minutes.  

*If freezing, scoop cookies as directed.  Place onto parchment lined cookie sheet, cookies can be placed closely together.  Place in freezer until frozen then transfer to zip-lock bag.