Eggplant Casserole

I really didn't mean to turn my blog into a recipe blog, but lately I've been cooking more than I used to.  A few weeks ago I began subscribing to a weekly organic food box.  A young family near here has started an organic produce farm.  Freedom Foods Indiana offers a wide variety of vegetables and you can subscribe for weekly boxes.  They have small to large boxes and their prices are very reasonable.  I just get the small box and it's 50.00 a month.  That comes down to about 12.00 a week for a decent size box of organic veggies for this size. 


As a result, I'm getting some vegetables that I'm not used to cooking and it's been fun finding ways to use them.  I've been getting at least one eggplant a week.  I'm not a fan of eggplant parmesan, so started looking for other recipes.  I have a cookbook that I received for Christmas a couple years after we got married called The American Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook. (thank you Frank and Karen for giving me this way back when)   It's a wonderful book and I believe you can still get used copies of it on Amazon for a reasonable price.  I found this following recipe in their using Eggplant.  It will also help use up an excess of tomatoes and peppers.

1 eggplant, peeled and cubed

3 TB butter
3 TB flour
2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh if possible.  I've used fresh and canned)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 green or red or yellow pepper (whatever you have)
1 TB brown sugar

Grated cheese (recipe does not specify.  I've used both cheddar and muenster)
Cracker crumbs.

Grease a casserole dish.  Place cubed eggplant in a pan with water and bring to a boil.  Boil for 10 minutes then drain.  Place in the prepared dish.

In a saucepan, heat the butter and stir in the flour.  Add the tomatoes, onion, green pepper and sugar.  Cook until the sauce thickens.  Pour over eggplant.  Top with grated cheese and then cracker crumbs to cover.  I just used saltines, but other crackers I'm sure can be used.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and a tad browned.

I sometimes use a larger casserole dish and add some cooked chicken in with the eggplant.  I did that today.  This picture shows the chicken on top of the eggplant and tomatoe mixture.

This is the casserole before it goes into the oven.  I was a little lazy tonight and didn't crush up the crackers as much as I usually do.  I also did not shred the cheese.  I had a block of cheese so just sliced some thin pieces and put that on top.

And this is the finished casserole. Very colorful and very tasty.  Great way to use eggplant.  I have two heads of cabbage in the fridge, so Friday I'm going to try Cabbage Rolls in the crockpot.