Foodie Friday

I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but hubby & I have never eaten eggplant before.  And since we never have, neither have our girls.  So when I found this recipe for Eggplant Parmesan I was a little hesitant to make it because of the main ingredient.  But I am trying to be more adventurous & make new things, so I gave it a go!

Today's recipe is Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

3 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced **I only ended up using two**

2 eggs, beaten

4 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs **I only used about 2 cups**

6 cups spaghetti sauce, divided

1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

{Don't mind the already peeled (1) eggplant}

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

* Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes on each side.

* In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.

* Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

The Final Verdict: Excellent!  Hubby & I kept looking at each other to see who would take the first bite (I did), and after we took our bites we both shook our head in agreement that this Eggplant Parmesan was quite tasty!  We didn't tell the girls that it was eggplant they were eating because we knew for a fact then they would not eat it.  So Ashby thought she was eating 'torini' (tortellini) and Kennedy thought it was lasagna.  Ha!  Call me a bad mommy, but it worked!  Ashby devoured hers & asked for seconds, and Kennedy said it was okay (which is pretty good for someone who doesn't like much).  I have no idea if my eggplants were exceptionally big or what, but I only ended up using 2 of them for the recipe.  If you plan on making this recipe (which I recommend that you do) and your eggplants are a big size, just buy 2.  Overall, we really enjoyed the meal & this recipe will definitely be in our meal rotation from here on out.

And Marc & I are happy to say that we now have eaten eggplant...and actually like it!