I truly enjoy cooking -- the thrill of a creation, the aromas, and a (hopefully) delectable final product! But, nowadays, adding in the school factor (read: long days, late-night study sessions, countless exams, and two bleary-eyed and sleep-deprived students) can sometimes make cooking more of a pain than pleasure. So, as we stroll through the grocery aisles, we do our best to seek out anything healthy, quick and satisfying ('cause I do have to feed a 6'4" inch bottomless pit husband, ya know ;-) I certainly don't cook every night, especially on nights we go to the gym. But, rest assured, if I'm cooking during the week, it has gotta be quick.
The other day, in the frozen foods section, the hubs found breaded eggplant. I was skeptical at first, but as I glanced over the nutrition facts ... SCORE! It was rather good for us. And, the box was huge. DOUBLE SCORE!
So, what did I do with it? I made eggplant marinara (courtesy of the recipe on the side of the box). And, after all of ten minutes or less, I had this baby in the oven.
First, I took a casserole dish and sprayed it with cooking spray. Then I spread one layer of marinara on the bottom. I used Classico Cabernet Marinara.
Then, I spread a layer of eggplant on top, along with a moderate amount of low fat mozzarella and fresh Parmesan.
Next, I repeated steps 1 and 2 (another layer of marinara followed by eggplant and cheese). I also sprinkled a small helping of italian seasoning across the top layer.
I then covered the dish with aluminum foil and stuck it in the oven for 35 minutes at 375 degrees. I uncovered it for the last five minutes, then took it out of the oven and let it stand for about ten minutes. Here is the final product:
Top it off with a colorful spinach salad and your beverage of choice, and it's done!
Most importantly, this dinner received rave reviews from the hubs (who, thankfully, is easy to please) and he wasn't even scrounging around later on for something more to fill his belly! I have a feeling this meal will definitely become more regular around here!
Happy (healthy and quick) cooking to you!
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