Eggplant Parm

Claire sent me this link:
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/eggplant_parmesan/
And these modifications:
1. add on top of the eggplant/ tomato mixture blobs of ricotta/leftover beaten egg mixture...just add dolops of this cheese before you put slices of mozerella on it.

2. instead of basil leaves---put the basil in the cuisinart with 5 tablespoons olive oil, a handful of walnuts and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese to make a pesto. Instead of laying leaves of basil on the eggplant--just put a small teaspoon (dolop) on each of the eggplant rounds.

3. Use all of the shredded mozerella in addition to the 2 packages of fresh (slice thinly) mozerella to spread on the eggplant.

4. taste the tomato sauce--if you don't like it as is..then mix it with one of the jars of tomato marinara sauce we have in the bottom of the pantry for a thicker/better flavor...
 
 
I'd say it was pretty good. The tomato sauce is thinner than when Claire has made this in the past and that is sort of dissapointing, I'd recomend draining the tomato cans, adding more garlic to the tomato sauce. Claire wanted large dollops of the ricotta on the eggplant slices, and that might be alright, but its already a pretty cheesy recipe.
 
Cooking while managing Owen is a whole different ballgame, I have always disliked the hecticness of cooking, and although the recipe ends up being comlicated, there are plenty of points where you can stop and play with the kid, take care of some other pressing matter, stuff like that. i.e. take a break after any of the frying rounds, or after starting the draining process on the eggplant. Owen also has come to like playing with the dials on the stove, scary for sure, so supervision in the kitchen is important, but it is surprising when your frying pan suddenly isn't as hot as it used to be and you didn't see him do it. The eggplant can also splatter oil when you first toss them into the frying pan, which made me very wary for Owen being nearby.