Just another Manic Monday

Good news.  Mom slept peacefully throughout the night.  I think maybe this cold is licked  Yay!!!

I have been sitting here with my coffee watching a blue heron fish my front pond.  Doesn't sound very manic,  maybe today will be a Mellow Monday.

This morning I am going to meet with my niece, Amanda, and gift her the car that Tingting has been using since Chuck joined the navy.  Tingting is working now and is buying a new car and my niece needs one badly.  My brother, her father, took his life this past December (thinking about him makes it a Mournful Monday).  It has been a very hard time for all of us in our family but it has been especially hard for his children of whom Amanda is the youngest.  Amanda has stepped up to the plate, gotten a job and is taking care of her mother and one of her brothers both of whom are disabled.  This is a big responsibility for a 21 year old and we are very proud of her.  I am sure that her father is smiling down upon her.  I am very pleased that I can help out a little bit.

My CSA has been giving me tons of eggplant so for dinner tonight we will be having Eggplant Parmesan with Pasta Marinara.  After all it is Meatless Monday. There are just all kinds of M words to go along with Monday!!  It is also Yoga night here so I guess we could say it is Mantra Monday.  I host it here in our house and Kim does a wonderful job instructing us.

I slice 2 med eggplant into approx. 1/4" rounds.

Place them in a colander, sprinkle with salt and place in sink for 15 min. or so.

Meanwhile set up your dredging station.  First bowl has flour seasoned with salt and pepper, middle bowl has 2 eggs, beaten, and last bowl has Italian flavored bread crumbs combined with 1 T. melted butter.  The butter helps the crust to brown nicely in the oven without having to fry the eggplant.

Dredge rounds first in flour, dip rounds into egg covering both sides and then dredge in crumbs. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake until brown and tender.

Enjoy....it is an Mmmmm, Mmmmm Good Monday!

Eggplant Parmesan

2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced into 1/4" rounds

1 c. flour

2 eggs

1 c. Italian flavored bread crumbs

1 T. butter

1 large ball fresh Mozzarella or 1 bag shredded Mozzarella

Place eggplant rounds in colander and sprinkle with salt.  Leave set for 15 min. then rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Place flour seasoned with salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.

Place eggs, beaten with a fork, in a shallow bowl.

Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl, melt 1 T. butter and pour over crumbs, combine with a fork until all crumbs are moistened.

Dredge eggplant rounds in the flour on both sides, then dip in egg on both sides and lastly dredge in crumbs covering both sides.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a 350* oven for 20-30 min, until eggplant is tender. 

Cover each round with Mozzarella cheese and place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly. 

Note: If you are not serving the eggplant with Pasta in Marinara you may want to remove the eggplant from the baking sheet once it is browned (approx. 15 min.) and transfer it to a 9x13 pan in which you have poured a cup of Marinara on the bottom.  You will then top the eggplant with another cup of Marinara and the cheese and continue baking until tender.  Print Recipe