Now that's some eatin!!!.....

Allright...what goes through your mind when someone says - Eggplant lasagna...or Zucchini Lasagna? If you are like me, it might be something like this, "hey, if I am going to pack on the carbs with that kind of pasta, I am going to throw in some real food!...meat...sausage..."

Here is the thing that I didn't know - and, while I may not be the brightest bulb in the lamp, I know there is someone out there amongst my massive readership that didn't know this either...

You replace the pasta....not the meat!!! - "what? Huh? Nutter, you nutter, what the heck are you talking about?"

Wow...you guys are a bit blunt but I like your spunk! - I was kicking around this weekend and somehow I come across The Victory Garden on the tube. Here is this Chef Boy-ar-dee fellow hanging outside with Gardner Green Jeans. They are picking vegetables and herbs. Now, this has my interest because, as all of you faithful readers know, I have this big garden going on this year for the first time in my life.

Chef Boy-ar-dee decides he is going to take eggplant and make eggplant lasagna - and I start going, "oh boy, when is he going to start throwing in the tofu as well?" But, because a mind is like a parachute....it works best when it is open....I decide to check it out.

The chef then takes the eggplant - and cuts it in long wide strips!!! He's not replacing the meat...he's replacing the noodles. All of a sudden, Einstein that I am, say, "hey, if he does this with eggplant, I can do this with a few of those 3 pound zucchinis that are taking over my backyard."

And I would say that within one hour - I went from couch potatoe to stuffing my gullet with the outcome that you see pictured above. I didn't even right down any instructions. Here is what you do:

Get yourself:
-some eggplant or huge zucchini (no, those little ones that look like a pickles brother won't work).
-sea salt
-pepper
-2 lbs of mozzarella (you won't use it all but you don't want to run short)
-a couple of jars of your favorite spag sauce (or make your own if you dig your own mix)
-a handful of fresh basil
-fresh parmesean

Slice the eggplant/zucchini into thin (but not razor or paper thin...they have to hold up) wide strips
Paint them with olive oil and dust them with pepper and sea salt
Grill them in a frying pan (a grill pan would be optimal...I don't own one...yet...I used a griddle)
Line the bottom of your casserole dish with your "noodles" (no need to oil the dish......the water in the plants
will keep them from sticking)
By this time, you will have been heating your spag sauce WITH the freshly cut,chopped basil leaves
Spread the spag sauce all over the "noodles"
Throw on a layer of mozzarella
(I did meatless but, if you wanted meat, you probably would have browned it and thrown it into your spag sauce by now)
Put on another layer of those grilled "noodles"
Do the spag sauce again
Do the mozzarella again
Once satisfied with your "layers" , throw some parmesean over the top
Stick it into the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes (it doesn't take long because everything is already hot)

Wait for your friends to come into the kitchen so you can pull out your bubbling masterpiece
Let it cool so it sets.......don't eat too much.......it gets even better as a leftover!!!!

I know...it sounds complicated - but.....shhhhh...I'll let you on to a little secret....promise not to tell?

I AM NOT A COOK

As said...shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh - I don't want to get the word out. You just have to put together a few signature dishes that look and taste impressive. This little baby qualifies. And, by taking out the pasta, you really cut down on that carb factor. This one is a winner!!!!!