Meatless Monday- Uncharted Territory

This week's Meatless Monday meal is Eggplant Parmesan. I say it's uncharted territory for 2 reasons- I have never made it before, and up until last night, I would have said that I didn't like eggplant. Well, was I ever wrong! I loved this recipe and so did the hubs. And by the way, I must say that those of you who think your husbands would not go for the meatless idea, you should just try it. And this recipe would be a great one to start with. It was so hearty, filling, and delicious that you won't miss the meat...I promise!

Baked Eggplant Parmesan
(Everyday Food)

((I halved this recipe))

2 large eggs
3/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus 2 tablespoons for topping
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 large eggplants (2 1/2 pounds total), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
6 cups Chunky Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray; set aside. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 tablespoons water. In another bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 3/4 cup Parmesan, oregano, and basil; season with salt and pepper.
2.Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture, letting excess drip off, then dredge in breadcrumb mixture, coating well; place on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown on bottom, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn slices; continue baking until browned on other side, 20 to 25 minutes more. Remove from oven; raise oven heat to 400 degrees.
3.Spread 2 cups sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant in dish; cover with 2 cups sauce, then 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat with remaining eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella; sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Additional Comments:

• Brinley tasted the baked eggplant without the sauce and cheese and loved it. I plan to do the same method with zuchinni and squash.
• Even though I think you should try the meatless version, you could easily use this same recipe using chicken breasts instead of eggplant.
• I made my own version of chunky tomato sauce by sauteing onions, garlic, and dried italian seasoning in a large skillet, adding some mushrooms and a can of diced tomatoes, then adding a large can of spaghetti sauce. Its alot cheaper, it has tomatoes as the first ingredient, and it's lower in sugar than some jarred sauces. It was really good!