Eggplant Parmesan

If for some reason I were to ever become a vegetarian (highly unlikely), I could almost guarantee you that I would be eating eggplant like it was going out of style. This weird looking (reminiscent of Gonzo's nose, actually), difficult to properly cook/prepare, awesome-shade-for-an-accent-wall-colored vegetable is pretty delicious and not as nutritious as I once thought. Well, anything that's dredged in flour, egg, and bread crumbs and then fried automatically loses its nutritional value, but since it's a vegetable after all, it's gotta be the least bit healthy, right?! Of course right. Oh, I forgot to add smothered in cheese and sauce, too. Scratch that healthy part. Let's just call eggplant what it really is: a hearty meat-substitute that is often used as a vehicle for other tasty things like cheese.


Anyway, here is a delicious recipe that I got from the Food Network for Eggplant Parm! Boun Appetito!


2 medium eggplant (I used one), cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds
Kosher salt, as needed
4 cups breadcrumbs (the recipe calls for fresh, but I found that the Italian-style Vigo brand bread crumbs are delicious, too)
Dried oregano
Dried thyme
Black pepper
Vegetable oil
All-purpose flour
6 large eggs, beaten (I used 4 eggs because that's all I had and I didn't feel like going back to the grocery)
5-6 cups marinara sauce (I would have used my homemade sauce but, I was lazy. I used Mama DiSalvo's instead!  You can use whatever your little heart desires.)
2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (or more, if you're like me and you love cheese)
1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

Arrange the eggplant slices on several baking sheets and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt. Set aside to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant, about 1 hour.

Transfer the eggplant to a colander in the sink, and rinse well under cold running water. Transfer eggplant to a work surface and blot very dry with paper towels.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, breadcrumbs, oregano, thyme, and season with pepper.

Place the flour in a medium lipped plate or bowl. In another medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. Dredge an eggplant slice in the flour, then dip it in the egg, and finally dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture. Shake off any excess breading and transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

In a large straight-sided skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat.

Working in small batches, fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt to taste. Repeat with the remaining eggplant.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly brush a 15 x 10- x 2-inch-baking dish with olive oil. Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/3 of the marinara sauce and arrange half of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with another 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter half of the Parmesan and half of the mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with the remaining eggplant, sauce, Parmesan, and mozzarella. Bake until hot and just beginning to brown, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Not so beautiful, but extremely yummy.

The Lamb Shank Redemption

So, this is kind of a heavy dish for the end of May, especially in Florida, but I can tell you right now - it's totally worth it. I had two lamb shanks in my freezer that I didn't roast for Passover, so I decided to cook them up now. I get into these weird purging and organizing moods with my things sometimes, and this includes food. I hate having cluttered space. I'm weird - I know. Anyway, this dish was delicious! Lamb shanks are pretty tough, so cooking them in a crockpot is one of the best ways to tenderize the meat. After 7.5-8ish hours of slow cooking, the meat was literally falling off the shank bone. 


Ingredients
1 sweet onion, sliced and separated into rings
2 lamb shanks
Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
10 whole garlic cloves, large ones cut in half
8 ounces of mushrooms, whole or sliced
1 cup red wine
1/2 cup strong beef broth
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
Dried oregano
Dried basil 
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Ground allspice
1 bay leaf, broken in half
(I hate using exact measurements on spices so, it's up to you to decide what you want.) 


Spread sliced and separated onion rings on bottom of crockpot. Rub lamb shanks with Worcestershire sauce, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.


Heat heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and brown the lamb shanks. Place the shanks, along with any drippings from the skillet, in the crockpot on top of the onions. 

Top with garlic and mushrooms. 


In a bowl, combine red wine, beef broth, oregano, basil, tomatoes, thyme, allspice, and bay leaf. Pour mixture over the lamb shanks.

Cook on low for 8 hours, or until tender. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. 

Mmmmmm. I wish you could smell the awesomeness.

Ex-Girlfriend Quiche

Funny name, right? Well, out of the many things I learned in my relationship with Amanda, I believe the most important thing I took away from it was her fabulous and EASY quiche recipe. So, thanks Amanda!

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
4 eggs, beaten
8 oz. shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar and colby-jack)
10 oz. chopped spinach, well drained
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 pie shell

Add as many other vegetables you'd like. I usually add broccoli, mushrooms, and artichoke hearts.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil.

Saute onions (until soft and translucent) and any other vegetables you're going to add (excluding the spinach).

Whisk together all ingredients, pour into pie shell. Place pie shell onto cookie sheet, cover quiche with foil (sprayed with Pam so it doesn't stick).

Bake in oven for forty-five minutes. Remove cover, and bake for another ten - fifteen minutes, or until the top is golden brown and filling is set.