Eggplant Parmesan

This is the first time we have had eggplant parmesan so we have nothing to compare to. The site we found this recipe on had 550 thumbs up so we thought it warranted a try. Once again, my meat loving husband thought it was great enough to go back for seconds. We modified the recipe from the original recipe to meet our tastes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 C egg beaters or 2 eggs
  
• 2-2/3 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
  
• 4 cups spaghetti sauce, divided
• 1 (16 ounce) package mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided we used Smart Balance
  
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
  

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sweat the 1/4" slices by sprinkling with sea salt and letting sit for 30 min. Rinse, pat dry with paper towel (get good & dry)
2. Dip eggplant slices in egg, then in bread crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 6-7 minutes on each side. While eggplant is baking saute onions and mushrooms. Stir sauted vegetables into the spaghetti sauce.
   
3. In a 9x13 inch baking dish spread spaghetti sauce to cover the bottom. Place a layer of eggplant slices in the sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Repeat with remaining ingredients, ending with the cheeses. Sprinkle basil on top.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown.

For a healthier alternative to saute onions and mushrooms, heat up a little wine or vegetable broth in a fry pan and saute the vegetables until done.