*WARNING* -May be habit forming
Ok, so I'll admit.
I don't know much about eggplant.
When the hubs and I were at Sprouts last week
I wanted to buy an eggplant to broaden our veggie horizons.
I found an amazing recipe on Pinterest
(you can find the original recipe HERE)
and I wanted to try it out.
Neither one of us knew how
to pick a good eggplant.
So the hubs asked 2 different guys in the produce dept
and neither one had the answer.
So my brilliant hubby pulled out his iPhone
and found the answer on eHow.
So apparently they should be dark purple
very shiny and give to gentle pressure.
When they become dull, they are no longer good.
So, now on to my modified version of this fantastic recipe!
If you make it once,
you'll make it again :)
Eggplant Pizza Casserole
2 - med eggplants
1 lb - Organic grass fed ground beef
1 - 13.66oz can Organic Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk
2 - 15.5 oz jars Pizza Sauce (check ingredients - I buy Fresh & Easy brand)
3 Tbs - minced chives
3 Tbs - minced parsley
1 Tbs - dried thyme
1 - 2 tsp potato starch or arrowroot starch*
Olive oil
Brown the ground beef in a pan, drain fat and add salt to taste. Set aside. Slice eggplant into 1/4" thick discs. (I like them thin but you could go thicker) Brush both sides with olive oil and brown them in a hot pan. Set aside. Simmer the coconut milk over medium high heat in a small saucepan until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. *(If not thick enough, add 1 - 2 tsp starch to thicken) Add chives, parsley and thyme. Next take your browned eggplant and place a single layer in the bottom of a 9" by 11" pan sprayed with olive oil. Spoon some of the pizza sauce over the eggplant and a layer of ground beef. Repeat until you have used up all the eggplant, sauce and beef. (about 3 layers) Pour the herb cream sauce over the top and bake at 375 for 25 - 30 minutes. Let it rest a few minutes before serving. This is seriously so delish!!! I couldn't wait for lunch the next day to eat the left-overs! Then I doubled the recipe and made it again for Sunday lunch after church. Everyone loved it!
