Eggplant Parmesan

Once again, got the recipe from Southern Living cookbook.

Sauce- which I made the night before

Ingredients

• 2 small onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 (12-ounce) cans tomato paste
• 8 cups water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

This makes 12 cups of sauce. The recipe only calls for 3 cups of sauce. However, when serving the dish, it needed extra sauce to go with the spaghetti so I was glad I had extra sauce on hand. I froze the sauce that I did not need.

Preparation for the Sauce

Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in diced tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often, 2 hours. Divide into recipe portions; set aside 3 cups for Eggplant Parmesan, and freeze remaining portions.

2 hours.....now you see why I did it the night before............

Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 cups Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 large eggplants, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 3 cups Pasta Sauce

Preparation

Whisk together eggs and 3 tablespoons water until blended.

Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

Dip eggplant slices into egg mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

Cook eggplant, in 3 batches, in 1 tablespoon hot oil (per batch) in a large skillet over medium heat 4 minutes on each side or until tender.

Arrange one-third of eggplant in a single layer in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Spoon 3 cups Pasta Sauce over top.

Bake, covered, at 375° for 35 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake 10 more minutes or until cheese melts.

Great served over spaghetti!

Things I did differently/learned: Heat needs to be on about 4 so that the eggplant doesn't burn. You need more olive oil than 3 TBSP. 3 cups of sauce is not enough. This dish makes a lot. Next time, I might cut everything in half, including the sauce. 1 eggplant would have been plenty with a smaller size glass pan. I also learned how to cut eggplant. Apparently, you peel it just like a potato. Also, I cut the eggplant about an hour before I started cooking and poured salt all over the pieces. I let it sit for an hour, rinsed and drained it, and patted it dry. Apparently eggplant can get soggy when its cooked, and I heard this would help it to be not soggy.

I have never had Eggplant Parmesan before and I really enjoyed it!
Below is not my eggplant parmesan. I got it from the internet. I did not take a picture of mine, but wanted to include a picture!


This sounds like a lot, but if you do the sauce the night before, it helps and it really doesn't take all that long and its tastes great!

Dying after doing this......

20 minutes and I'm dying.....................

Turtle Dessert

Got this recipe from the Southern Living cookbook that I purchased this weekend. I made it tonight, and plan on trying it tomorrow night. I will let you know how it tastes, but I am sure it will be delicious!!

I am also making Eggplant Parmesan from the cookbook. I made the sauce tonight and will make the rest of it on Tuesday night. I will share that recipe once I make everything!

Turtle Dessert Recipe

Ingredients

17 ice cream sandwiches
1 (12.25 oz) jar caramel topping
1-1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
1 (12 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
3/4 cup hot fudge topping, heated

Directions

Place 8-1/2 ice cream sandwiches in a 13x9 inch pan.
Spread evenly with caramel topping and sprinkle with 1 cup pecans.
Top with 2 cups whipped topping and remaining ice cream sandwiches.
Spread remaining whipped topping evenly over sandwiches.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup pecans.
Cover and freeze at least 2 hours.
Let stand 5 minutes before serving; cut into squares. Drizzle with fudge topping

Things I would do differently:
Buy an extra jar of caramel and put another layer of caramel
Put more nuts

INSANE

Mexico’s health secretary said the swine flu epidemic in his country “is in its declining phase,” even as the disease extended its reach through Europe and Latin America with at least five countries reporting new cases Sunday.

The death toll in Mexico remains at 19, and the number of confirmed cases has increased slightly, from 473 to 506, including the dead, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova said. He said “evolution of the epidemic is in its declining phase.”

Source

Maybe the media will now stop panicking! Granted 19 people died, but they may it sound like sooo much worse!

Indeed, seasonal influenza annually kills about 36,000 people in the United States, about 150 a day. Since January 2009, 13,000 people have died of complications from the flu, according to the CDC, and no week between Jan. 1 and April 18 has seen fewer than 800 flu-related deaths.

In contrast, there’s been one swine flu death in the United States — the toddler who died at Texas Children’s Hospital on Monday — and doctors don’t know if he acquired the virus in Mexico or Brownsville, where his family had flown to visit relatives. Most U.S. victims haven’t needed hospitalization.

Source

So because of this one death in the US, schools all over Texas are being canceled and will be forced to go to school in the summer. Why didnt we cancel schools due to the 36,000 people dying because of the regular flu!!

INSANE!!!!!!!

Boy or Girl??

Cy-Fair officials initially said they plan to reopen Yeager on Monday, pending approval from health leaders. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said today schools should remain shut for 14 days after a confirmed case, and HISD and Episcopal High School already said they would comply.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6399725.html

PLEASE do not let anyone from Westwood get swine flu!!!!! I do not want to be shut down for 14 days!!!!

This is out of control!!!

On a side note, after reading Angie's blog and all of the amazing things going on in her life and her sad story of Audrey, I just signed up at Compassion to sponsor a child. I will find out in 15 days if I got a boy or a girl and what country! She is currently in India visiting the kids at Compassion and seeing what goes on and the great things they are able to do for the kids.

Last night, I went to the Kitchen Konnections event. There was about 30 women from HFBC, mostly older women. We had a great time and a great dinner. I learned a few recipes which I will share later.

Tonight, I am going to dinner with some friends and then bowling! I am absolutely not the best bowler. Guess we will see how it goes.......

Here is a stolen picture from Michal's engagement party! More pics here

Beth Moore

Beth Moore Bible study in Houston again!! It's a long time away but I just found it tonight. So excited!!

http://www.lproof.org/Houston_Connection.aspx


I also am going to a "Dine and Design" class this week at a home of one of the women from Houston's First Baptist Church. Apparently we are going to learn a few recipes and some decorating tips from an interior designer.

Another vacation

No work today! Major flooding in the Houston area



Below is where I would be driving to go to school....


Wes and I both took the day off yesterday to get our passports and pick up our Texas LSU license plates.


We had planned on getting Texas drivers licenses as well, but didn't realize that they take away your birth certificate when you get passport. Therefore, the licenses will have to wait another month or 2, maybe until July.

I had a great weekend in Louisiana. I went to the festival with my brother and his girlfriend, Camille. They find out the sex of the baby on May 27. Saturday morning, I got to meet up with Kristin and see Owen. We went to lunch at Cafe Roma. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures the whole weekend!

Shortly after lunch, I went to Baton Rouge and did some shopping before heading to Michal and Mike's engagement party. The engagement party was lots of fun, but once again, I didn't take a single picture! We went to the Bulldog afterwards. Sunday morning I got up around 8:30 and headed back to Houston to spend the rest of the day with Wes.