1 eggplant, washed and sliced into 8 1/2 inch slices
2 cups mozzarella-parmesan cheese blend
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, seasoned with garlic powder
salt & pepper
1 cup olive oil
2 cups spaghetti sauce
cooked pasta

6-8 servings

40 minutes 10 mins prep

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix egg and milk together in bowl, blend. Heat olive oil in med frying pan. Dip eggplant slices into egg/milk mixture. Dip eggplant into breadcrumbs. Place 4 slices at a time into olive oil in frying pan.

Fry eggplant on each side until golden brown (you want them crispy, not mushy). Remove eggplant from skillet and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat dipping and frying process with other eggplant slices.
Place 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce into 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Place eggplant into bottom of cassserole. Pour spaghetti sauce over top of eggplant. Sprinkle mozzarella/parmesan cheese over top of spaghetti sauce.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serve over pasta if desired.

Posted by Jen :: 9:30 PM :: 1 comments

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Thursday, May 18, 2006 Another Phyllo Invention

I'm finding phyllo so delicious and easy to work with so I'm just making up any recipe I can to use it. :) I made this one two weeks ago and it's now one of Jordan's favorite meals.

2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 red pepper
1/2 can mushroom soup
1 small onion, diced
1/4 c. milk
1 tbsp. thyme
2 cloves minced garlic
1/3 c. shredded mozza
S & P to taste
10 sheets phyllo pastry
Olive oil or melted butter

Saute onion in olive oil. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add diced red pepper and cooked diced chicken. Once red peppers are tender, add 1/2 can mushroom soup, thyme and milk. S & P to taste.

I made this in long, thin rolls. Layer 5 sheets of phyllo pastry, brushing each layer with olive oil or melted butter. Pour 1/2 of mixture down one side of the phyllo pastry. Top with 1/2 the shredded cheese and roll into log. Repeat for second roll. Top both with olive oil or melted butter.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Best served warm, rather than hot.

Posted by Jen :: 8:27 PM :: 1 comments

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Jen's Spanakopita

I made this for supper tonight. I've never made it before so I just made it up as I went along. It turned out deliciously!!

5 sheets of phyllo, cut in half (10 pieces)
1 pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
1/2 c. crumbled feta
2 eggs
1 tbsp. thyme
1 tbsp. minced garlic
S & P to taste
1 can of mushroom pieces, drained
1/3 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
Olive oil or melted butter

Preheat oven to 350.

Sautee red onion until tender. Add garlic. Remove from heat.

Combine feta, eggs, S & P and thyme. Mix well. Add mushrooms, garlic and onion and spinach, with as little excess moisture as possible. Add parmesan cheese and mix.

Lightly grease bottom and sides of 8" x 8" baking pan. Lay one piece of phyllo down. Brush with olive oil or melted butter. Repeat 5 times. After 5 sheets, fill the pan with spinach & feta mixture. Top with shredded mozza. Do 4 more layers of phyllo, remembering to brush the top with olive oil as well.

Bake for 20-25 mins. at 350. So flaky and delicious! Really easy too.

Posted by Jen :: 8:19 PM :: 0 comments

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Saturday, May 06, 2006 Basic Marinara

Good to have on hand in the freezer. So good with the Shrimp Parmigana recipe below.

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes in juice
1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and cook for 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes with juice, the tomato puree, and parsley. Stir to blend and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.

Posted by Jen :: 2:52 PM :: 0 comments

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Emeril's Shrimp Parmigana

I made this a few weeks ago and it was seriously to die for. Jordan especially loved it.

1 pound spaghetti, cooked until dente and covered to keep warm
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Essence, recipe follows
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiana-Reggiano
1 1/4 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry
Vegetable oil, for frying (about 2 cups)
1 (25-ounce) jar marinara sauce (recommended: Emeril's Homestyle Marinara sauce)
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish


In a shallow bowl, combine the flour with 1 tablespoon of the Essence, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. In a second bowl, beat the eggs with the water. In another bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the Parmigiana, remaining tablespoon Essence, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
Add enough vegetable oil to come halfway up the sides of a medium pot and heat to 360 degrees F. Preheat the oven to broil.

Meanwhile, 1 at a time, dredge the shrimp first in the flour, then in the egg wash, and then in the seasoned bread crumbs, tossing to coat evening and shaking to remove any excess. Place on a plate until ready to cook.

Add the shrimp in batches to the hot oil, turning occasionally, and cook until golden brown and the shrimp float to the top, about 2 minutes. Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Transfer the shrimp to a lightly greased baking dish. Spoon about 1 3/4 cups of the marinara sauce over the shrimp and sprinkle the mozzarella over the top. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss the spaghetti with the remaining marinara sauce and warm gently.
To serve, spoon the spaghetti into a large serving bowl and using a spatula, transfer the shrimp to the top. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Posted by Jen :: 2:49 PM :: 0 comments

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