Vegetable Chicken Bake

394.  This recipe is a Keto friendly version of lasagna, though, without the noodles.

 It is layered with vegetables and meat of your choice.
 I have used chicken, ground beef and Italian sausage crumbled and adapted them to the recipe.

And if pasta is welcome, it pairs perfectly with any type of pasta noodle.

"Italian food is all about ingredients and it's not fussy and it's not fancy."

~  Wolfgang Puck

Pan Fried Eggplant

228. This summer my eggplants are growing so beautifully with the great rainfall, hot sunny days and warm nights.

I chose two beautiful little eggplants and decided to prepare them for dinner. I was craving eggplant because I saw the new winner of Food Network Star make an Eggplant Parm Sandwich for one of his challenges. While watching, I picked up a few great hints and wanted to try them.

Now, my favorite wasn't chosen but I'm ok with the winner, Jeff Mauro. He's likable and grew on me while I watched this final show. I'm even happier that Penny didn't make it to the end...'nuf said!

Jeff peeled his eggplant and salted the rounds before deep frying. I rarely do this because I personally like the skin and density of the eggplant.

But I was surprised how nicely the salt drew out bitterness and ultimately brought the sweetness out of the eggplant. I also used panko bread crumbs to coat the rounds.

The end result was beautiful. Eggplant was tender and the crust was crispy.

I paired it with pasta and homemade sauce.

So enjoyable!

Pan Fried Eggplant

2 small or 1 large eggplant, peel and slice, lay out on rack and sprinkle both sides with salt

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup flour

1/4 garlic salt

kosher salt

pepper

1 egg

water

flour

oil

Mix panko crumbs, flour, garlic salt, salt and pepper. In separate bowl mix together egg and water and beat till blended. With a paper towel, lightly press the eggplant to absorb liquid on the eggplant. Dip each round in flour, then in egg mixture, then in panko crumb mixture and place in hot oiled pan. Saute' each side till toasted brown then flip and continue. Remove to paper towel and keep hot in the oven till you serve.

Each slice was tasty and tender.

You could make a parmesan and layer the rounds in a casserole dish then cover with tomato sauce and cheese. Bake in the oven 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. When I do this, I do not pan fry the eggplant till tender but allow the oven to complete the cooking process.

"Mauro may pronounce 'Illinois' with an 's', but that doesn't make him less of a Chicagoan."

~Examiner.com

What Does Busy Look Like?

39.  Today is a busy day...I have a boat load of laundry, letters to write, the beds to change, dinner to cook.  So sitting and "blogging" is out of the question...or is it.  I decided today my post would be one, written an hour or so at a time.  You will have to keep checking back to see what busy really looks like...in my life...

So this is my laundry pile...what!!!!!

 

You have got to be kidding me!  Where did all of this come from???  

I need my sister Esther to help me...she loves to do laundry. 

Esther, where are you when I need you?  And I thought I was on vacation

this week!

So... the sorting begins...and, done!

Now, I'm off to wash the dog!  and change the beds...wait, that

means more laundry.  I know, stop complaining and get to work!

Thank you Lord for my work and piles of laundry because you 

give strength to the weak. amen!

Well...the frig needed to be cleaned, so that's what I tackled next...

...and just when I started, my dear honey brought home groceries.

So...bags were everywhere...everything from the fridge was on the

counter, and my honey decided to start a pot of sauce all at the same

time...ok, we can do this!   

Finally, the fridge was done and everything clean and organized!

And here is the pot of sauce...it smells so good.  I'll have to post my

honey's recipe...it's a family recipe.  His mom was such a great cook!

While I was cleaning out the fridge, I found an eggplant stuffed in the 

back...so, how about eggplant parmigiana with that wonderful sauce?

Sounds like a plan.  So I put the next load of wash in and started on 

the eggplant.  I'm popping it into the oven right now!  

So dinner was done and we sat down to a yummy meal...

Eggplant parm, pasta, sausage and yummy sauce.

And the laundry...it always gets done...tommorrow.

"Housework is something you do

 that nobody notices 

until you don't do it.  ~ Author Unknown