Your Place or Mine?

Well I had a much different dinner planned, but because I forgot that the short ribs need to marinate for a minimum of 6 hours I had to go to plan B. I originally had planned this meal for tonight but like they say, "everything happens for a reason!". It turns out that a winter storm headed this way overnight. We are having a very cold, wet day today so it will be a great day to warm the house with the 3-4 hours needed for the short ribs.

But plan B was a delicious decision...

Eggplant Portabella Stack 

Eggplant Portabella Stack

You will need:

(makes 2 stacks)

1 small sized Eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/4" slices (you will need 4 total slices)

 2 cups of Panko Breadcrumbs (I used Ian's brand)

2 eggs, beaten

4 medium-large Portabella mushroom caps, wipe with damp paper towel

1- 8 oz. ball of fresh mozzarella cheese (you can find this in the gourmet cheese section of your grocery store), sliced into 1/4" slices (use the smaller end pieces for each top)

2 cups of your favorite tomato sauce or your own (I used Paul Newman brand) 

4 Fresh Asparagus Spears (cook all at once and serve with another dish) 

Parmesan Cheese, grated

salt/pepper

What to do: 

1.  Preheat oven to 350

2. Lightly salt and pepper eggplant slices, dip in beaten egg and then cover with breadcrumbs. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray, lay slices on cookie sheet, spray top of slices with cooking spray. Bake in oven at 350 for 15 mins, turning slices halfway. Set aside but leave oven on.

3.  On another baking sheet, lay mushroom caps and asparagus spears in a single layer. Drizzle olive oil on vegetables and coat evenly, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables in oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Set aside. Leave oven on.

4.  In a oven safe casserole dish, arrange stacks. Line bottom of dish with tomato sauce.  Stack in this order: eggplant, mushroom cap, slice of cheese, sauce, then repeat.        

5.  Place two asparagus spears on top of each stack, crisscrossed.

6.  Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese   

Bake at 350 for 20 mins.      

Enjoy!

Gratefully,

Deborah...xxoo