It's like comparing apples to...eggplant?

Hi All,
Today is 9/11 and it’s been 8 years since the September 11th bombings. I can’t believe it’s been that long. I still pray that all affected find some level of peace. Because of the date, I started out the day in a rather somber mood, but that was instantly changed when I realized that TODAY IS HONEYCRISP APPLE PICKING DAY! Oh JOY, oh BLESS, oh HAPPINESS;-) I get to pick apples, (physical activity=$0, a bushel of Honeycrisps= $40), see some of my friends (Jackie Yeomans and Kari Yergin, $0) and I get the most delicious apples ever to bless this earth (priceless).

The price of honeycrisps has risen dramatically, but like everything else, it’s affected the law of supply and demand. Demand is great because they are so yummy and supply is limited because they are a relatively new apple. They are still worth the effort and the cost. As I bit into my first honeycrisp of the season, the intense crunch resonated in my ears while the sugar-sweet juice ran down my chin. My husband says I’m the only person he knows that can actually make a mess eating an apple. C’est la vie. While at the orchard, we met a really nice guy, Mike. He was working at the orchard and kept us company while we waited for our tractor ride back to the front of the orchard. He told me he was a single dad and wanted to make Apple pie for his kids. I thought that was just the lovliest thing I’d ever heard. He had never made pie before so I gave him my blog address and encouraged him to make the Paper Bag Apple Pie. I also encouraged him to make applesauce because it’s so easy and his kids are the perfect ages to introduce them to preparing and eating homemade pie and applesauce. (Actually, there is no perfect age, as you well know, but I believe the younger the better;-) The sad thing is I know a lot of great Dads, my own, my father-in-law, my husband, my male friends, but overall, as a generalization, the Dads of our society have dropped the ball when it comes to their kids. This man, Mike, renewed my faith in Fathers and men, in general. So , thank you, Mike for making an already pleasant day, even more so.

While at the orchard, in addition to my new friend, Mike, I ran into my friend, Jackie Yeomans. Jackie and I meet up every year at the orchard on “Honeycrisp-picking Day” unintentionally. We also run into each other unintentionally at church, volunteer work and random activities throughout the school year. Our kids don’t even go to the same schools. Jackie and I have never formally made plans to get together, not for coffee or a Mom’s Night Out, yet I see her quite frequently throughout the year. Lucky me, because she is one of the nicest, most fun people I know and…she’s a vegetarian! (gasp!) A what?! I couldn’t imagine having a friend who doesn’t eat meat…ever. But I make the exception because Jackie is a very nice person, has a great attitude,likes to cook and, in my opinion, is a hearty and rather adventurous eater. (If you have a healthy appetite and aren’t picky, I can forgive a lot;-) While waiting to pick our apples, in the course of our conversation, we started discussing eggplant. I planted 4 eggplants and haven’t gotten a single eggplant yet this summer! It’s just been a lousy summer for them. After discussing my disappointment, Jackie drops a bombshell on me.

“I don’t like eggplant.” She states. In shock, I ask her to repeat what she just said. She does. I still pause because I’ve met a lot of vegetarians in my life, but I’d never met one who didn’t like eggplant. For some vegetarians, they eat it so often, it could be classified as it’s own food group.

Incredulously, I ask, “What about Eggplant Parmesan?” How could anyone not like eggplant parmesan?

“Oh, I like that, but not plain eggplant. I also have a good vegetarian moussaka recipe with eggplant that I like.” Jackie replied. Of course, my dear readers, thinking of you, I have already asked Jackie for her moussaka recipe which I will gladly share on my blog. After asking for her recipe, I offered my Eggplant Parmesan recipe, which she seemed interested in. I say “seemed” because I am very blessed with friends and family, who encourage me with this blog, so I have a healthy self-esteem and assume everyone wants one of my recipes.

Eggplant has no Saturated Fat or Cholesterol. It is a good source of Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese, and Dietary Fiber. I encourage to incorporate it into your current diet. Remember, 5 to 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day! Are you getting yours? To be truthful, vegetarians are some of the healthiest people around and they have a significantly less chance of getting cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But like everyone else, they have to actively make sure they are getting enough iron and complete proteins. Jackie is very responsible when it comes to her health and is blessed with all the attributes I see with most vegetarians: great skin, great hair and healthy physiques. Now, I’m not ready to stop eating meat, but I do try to add vegetables to my diet as often as I can and watch my portion control with meat. Eggplant is one of my favorite ways to add vegetables to my diet. Listed below are some of my suggestions for ways to add eggplant into your diet, but don’t hesitate to be creative on your own. Have a beautiful day and Mangia!

Stacy’s Lower-fat, Easy Eggplant Parmigiana

1 one-pound eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼ in. slices
½ teaspoon salt
2 Cups or Tomato-Herb Sauce. (Recipe at bottom).
1 Cup plain bread crumbs
1 ¼ Cups shredded light Mozzerella cheese

1.Set the eggplant in a single layer on a paper towel and sprinkle with the salt, cover with more paper towel. Let stand 30 minutes, then pat dry with paper towel.

2.Preheat overn to 350 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets and an 8 inch square baking dish with olive oil cooking spray (or any non-fat cooking spray that is unflavored). Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake until tender, 15-20 minutes.

3.Spread ¼ of the Tomato sauce in the baking dish. Top with some of the eggplant slices in a single layer, slightly overlapping. Sprinkle with one-third of the bread crumbs, one-fourth of the cheese and another one-fourth of the sauce. Repeat the layers finishing with the cheese. Cover with foil and bake until heated through and bubbling, 30-40 minutes. Remove foil; increase the oven temperature to 400 degree and bake until top is slightly crisp, about 15 minutes longer. Serve hot or warm.

Tomato-Herb Sauce
4 teaspoon olive oil
35 ounces diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan, when hot add garlic. Saute until garlic turns golden. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Simmer until reduced to about 2 cups, about 15 minutes.

SPICY LAMB AND EGGPLANT LASAGNA

30 slices of eggplant (1/4-inch thick), about 3 pounds
3 cups flour
3 eggs beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
3 cups fine dried bread crumbs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 recipe of Spicy Lamb Sauce, recipe follows
1 pound Feta cheese, crumbled
2 cups Bechamel Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a deep-dish (11 by 14) lasagna pan. Season the eggplant slices, flour, egg wash and bread crumbs with salt and pepper. Dredge the eggplant in the flour. Dip each eggplant in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the eggplant in the bread crumbs, coating completely. In two large pans, over medium heat, add 1/2 cup of the oil to each pan. When the oil is hot, pan-fry the eggplant for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Fry the eggplant in batches. (You can use one frying pan, but it will take longer. Also, to lower the fat, you can use the preparation explained in the Eggplant Parmesan recipe. Then assemble as listed below.)

To assemble, spread 2 cups of the sauce over the bottom of the pan. Crumble 1/3 of the cheese over the sauce. Lay 10 slices of the eggplant over the cheese. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. Spread the Béchamel Sauce over the top and bake for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with parsley.
Yield: 12 to 16 servings

BECHAMEL SAUCE:

1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 1/2 cups milk

In a saucepan combine oil and flour, stirring it to a smooth paste. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 4 minutes, without letting the roux brown. Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. If sauce has any lumps, strain it before using. (You can also use a handheld immersion blender to remove any lumps.)

SPICY LAMB SAUCE:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground lamb
Salt
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 cups finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 (28-ounce) can of peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
3 cups beef stock or water
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large nonreactive saucepan, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the meat and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Brown the meat for 4 to 6 minutes. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the tomato paste with the water and add to the tomatoes. Add the thyme, bay leaves, oregano, basil and red pepper. Mix well. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and add more liquid if needed. During the last 30 minutes or cooking, re-season with salt and pepper and stir in the cheese. Remove from the heat and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Grilled Eggplant Panini

Ingredients
•2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
•2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
•8 1/2-inch slices eggplant, (about 1 small)
•1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
•8 slices whole-grain country bread
•8 thin slices fresh mozzarella cheese
•1/3 cup sliced jarred roasted red peppers
•4 thin slices red onion

Directions-Preheat grill to medium-high.

•Combine mayonnaise and basil in a small bowl. Using 1 tablespoon oil, lightly brush both sides of eggplant and sprinkle each slice with garlic salt. With the remaining 1tablespoon oil, brush one side of each slice of bread.

•Grill the eggplant for 6 minutes, turn with a spatula, top with cheese, and continue grilling until the cheese is melted and the eggplant is tender, about 4 minutes more. Toast the bread on the grill, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

•To assemble sandwiches: Spread basil mayonnaise on four slices of bread. Top with the cheesy eggplant, red peppers, onion and the remaining slices of bread. Cut in half and serve warm.