Eggplant Parmesan

I'm not a huge fan of Italian food, it's not that I hate it or anything, I just tend to not go out of my way to make or eat it. Eggplant parmesan, however, is a different story, if it's made right, I'm there! I'm not going to lie to you though, making it right is a pain in the behind. If you're up to a little work though, this is a dish that's well worth it.

2 large eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
4 eggs, beaten with 1/4 cup milk
all purpose flour
Italian breadcrumbs
oil for frying
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella
spaghetti sauce (use homemade if you can)

Preheat oven to 350º. Preheat oil in deep fryer or deep frying pan to 350º.

Coat each slice of eggplant in flour, then dip in egg mixture and finally coat in breadcrumbs. Allow slices to sit for 10 minutes or so to set coating. Fry slices 4 or 5 at a time until golden brown on each side, about 3-4 minutes total. Remove eggplant to wire wrack set over paper towels.

Coat the bottom of a 13x9" baking dish with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Then layer in eggplant slices, 1/3 of the parmesan, some more sauce and 1/3 of the mozarella. Repeat layers 2 more times ending with Mozzarella. Bake at 350º for 40 minutes or until casserole is hot all the way through and cheese is slightly browned on top.

Chicken Marsala

I love this recipe. It tastes like it took all day to make, but it's easy enough to throw together for a quick weeknight meal.

1 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
4-6 boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2" thickness
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs butter
8oz package of fresh mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock

In a shallow dish combine flour and salt and pepper to taste.

Add olive oil and butter to a large skillet and melt over medium high heat.

Dredge chicken in flour and brown on both sides in hot oil/butter mixture. Set chicken aside and keep warm. Add mushrooms to pan and saute until soft. Add wine and scrape up any brown bits in the pan, reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half. Add chicken stock and bring back to a simmer. Return chicken to pan, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened.

Spaghetti Sauce

I never had jarred spaghetti sauce when I was a kid. In fact my Dad is somewhat famous in our (rather large) family for his sauce, and my Mom made a pretty darn good version of it too. When I moved out on my own and had to resort to jarred sauces, I was not a happy camper. Eventually I talked my Mom into showing me how to make the "real stuff", and with a few tips from my Dad I was on my way! It does take some work, but the recipe makes a LOT of sauce and freezes very well. We usually eat this for a day or two and then I freeze the rest in quart size ziploc freezer bags for later.

I'm going to warn everyone now, my measurements for this are approximate, so if something looks too much or too little for your taste, just use the amount you prefer. This is one of those recipes that really turns out well in many variations, so don't be afraid to make it your own!

Extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
3-4 Tbs minced garlic
4 6oz cans tomato paste
1 can Campbell's condensed beef broth
28 oz can Progresso tomato puree
28 oz can Progresso crushed tomatoes
1 bottle of red wine (I like Merlot)
2/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsely, chopped (or a few Tbs dried)
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped (or a few Tbs dried)
1 Tbs salt
1 Tbs accent (optional, don't use if you're sensitive to MSG)
3 Tbs dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp onion salt
black pepper to taste
2 tsp sugar
2 handfuls grated Parmesan/Romano cheese blend
few dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 lb beef soup bones
1 package sweet Italian sausage, links cut into 2-3" pieces

Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a 5-6 quart heavy saucepan. Saute onions, peppers and garlic over medium low heat until onions are transluscent. Add tomato paste and beef broth, stirring to mix well. Add tomato puree, crushed tomatoes and wine (yes, the WHOLE bottle, stir all together. Stir in remaining ingredients and allow to simmer covered over low heat for 3 to 4 hours being sure to stir well every 20 to 30 minutes. You can adjust seasonings to taste after 2 hours (give the flavors time to develop). When done, remove the bones and discard, set the sausage pieces aside to serve with your meal.