What's Cookin'

Chehalem Mountain artist, Debra Nelson's favorite recipe for Eggplant Lasagna.  This lasagna replaces the pasta with eggplant - a great option for those avoiding flour.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil for brushing
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 large eggplants, peeled, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 48 oz chunky tomato sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Oil 2 baking sheets with 1 tsp olive oil
2. Whisk eggs and water together in a shallow dish
3. Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt and pepper in a separate shallow dish
4. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture
5. Press slices into the bread crumbs and tap off excess.  Arrange slices on the prepared baking sheets.
6. Bake eggplant slices in the preheated oven until tops are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.  Flip eggplant and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
7. Remove eggplant from oven and increase temperature to 400 degrees.
8. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and stir in ground beef.  Season beef with salt and pepper.
9. Cook and stir until beef is crumbly and evenly browned about 10 minutes.  Drain fat.
10. Stir tomato sauce into ground beef and bring to a simmer and set sauce aside.
11. Oil a 9x13 baking dish with olive oil
12. Place a third of the eggplant slices on the bottom of the dish
13. Ladle a third of the meat sauce over the eggplant layer
14. Sprinkle a third of the mozzarella cheese over the sauce layer.
15. Repeat layering two more times, ending with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
16. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes
17. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly prior to serving

Serve with a simple salad, crusty garlic bread and Chianti - salut!

what's cookin'

These Yummy Lemon Bars were brought to the kickoff meeting of the Chehalem Mountain Artists
 at Kris Paul's home

Yummy Lemon Bars

Vicki Joslyn

Makes about two dozen 1-1/2 to 2-inch squares

The Crust

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar -- plus extra for garnishing

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) at very cool room temperature, cut into 1” pieces

Lemon Filling

4 large eggs -- beaten lightly

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons finely grated zest

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup half and half or whole milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

NOTE: The lemon filling must be added to a warm crust. The 30-minute chilling and 20-minute baking of the crust should allow plenty of time to prepare the filling. Any leftover bars can be sealed in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to two days.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line a 9x13 inch metal pan with foil. Spray the foil with cooking spray and set aside.

Crust:

1. Pulse flour, powdered sugar, cornstarch, and salt in food processor. Add butter and process to blend, 8 to 10 seconds, then pulse until coarse.

2. Pour what will seem like a very dry mixture into lined pan and press over pan bottom and up sides about ½”.

3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. While it chills, you can make the filling.

4. Bake the pre-chilled crust for 18-20 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned.

Filling:

1. Lightly whisk the eggs, sugar, and flour together in a bowl. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, half and half, and salt and mix well.

2. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Stir filling again, then pour filling over the warm crust.

3. Bake for 20 minutes or until filling no longer appears wet and shaky.

4. Set on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Lift from pan, place on cutting board, and cut into bars wiping knife or pizza cutter clean between cuts, as needed.

5. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.