Vegetarian Delight

Wow. What a whirlwind our life has become. Two weeks ago we flew to Austin, had 5 grueling days of 13 interviews eating only hotel food and granola bars for every meal . My husband has since flown to Houston, Syracuse, Charlotte, back to Houston, and Atlanta. We still have Kansas City & Denver to go. While he is has been wining and dining with CEOs and oil company execs, I have been presiding over state play-off basketball games and trying to subdue my daddy-gone deranged dog into submission all the while completing a resignation from my current job, house hunting in 5 different cities and explaining to people for the millionth time that YES. I DID QUIT MY JOB PRIOR TO MY HUSBAND LINING ONE UP. Less than a month from now we will be located somewhere new with a fantastic job away from military life but boy, is this difficult to fathom at this point.
In the middle of all this chaos I still try to maintain sanity via cooking a fresh and comforting meal. Even if my job, house, friends, location, and coworkers are changing my dinner habits don't have to. From previous posts you may realize that my husband aspires to be muscle-clad like Arnold so vegetarian meals are often ruled out. I have finally stumbled upon a recipe that is as satisfying and filling as it is delicious. This Eggplant Parmesan Stacks are packed full of flavor in every single bite. They are an absolute must try. Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
adapted from Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals

1 can (16 oz) roasted tomatoes
2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch thick slices
Salt
2 tblsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tblsp prepared pesto
1 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Salt & pepper to taste


1. Salt eggplant and drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile heat roasted tomatoes and garlic over medium heat, breaking up with a spoon until a "sauce" consistency is reached (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in pesto, salt & pepper.
3. While the sauce is cooking prepare a 3 step battering station. Step 1: Dredge in flour. Step 2: Dip in eggs. Step 3 dip in breadcrumbs.
4. Heat 2 tblsp of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook eggplant for 3-4 minutes each side. Drain the eggplant on a cooling rack and repeat until all eggplant is cooked. Sprinkle cooked eggplant with a little salt.
5. Assemble your stacks: Place a layer of eggplant, a spoonful of sauce and a small spoonful of each mozzarella and parmesan. Repeat until each stack has 2-3 eggplant slices.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.


Serves 4