Today was a busy but good day in the garden.  I got everything fertilized (the Miracle Gro blue stuff!), and all of the dwarf tomatoes tied up....quite a lot of sweaty work in the intense heat.  But it is done, and I am satisfied that a task I don't particularly enjoy is complete (for a few weeks, anyway).


It was also a good day for eggplant - we picked a perfect New York Improved, the perfect Eggplant Parmesan variety.  So, without further delay, here are some pictures....and then, a rather unusual recipe for MY version of (healthier) Eggplant Parmesan.


Below, top row, from left:  Apple Green, Batu, Casper.
Next row-  Casper, purple stem; Neon, New York Improved (which we ate tonight)
Next row - New York Improved purplish stem, Orient Express F2 with purple stem, Ripples
Next row - Rosita

Now for the recipe - this is Eggplant/Summer Squash Parmesan, the healthy way (a perfect use for those summer squash that you don't notice until they are huge!)


First, make a good rich tomato sauce - we had a bag of roasted sauce in the freezer which we used tonight.  


Now, get the eggplant and squash ready:


Slice an overgrown summer squash into 1/4 inch slices - at least 3 inches in diameter.
Peel a large ripe eggplant and cut into 1/4 inch slices.


For one recipe, we used enough of each to fit onto a 9X12 inch cookie sheet - one for each.


Beat an egg with 1/4 cup milk - have some seasoned bread crumbs ready.  Dip the squash and eggplant slices into the egg/milk, then coast with crumbs - place on a greased cookie sheet, spray with olive oil.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 min, until crisp.


In a 9X12 inch brownie pan, cover the bottom with hot tomato sauce, then put the eggplant slices on top.  Cover with 1/4 lb shredded Mozarella and some fresh grated Parmesan, then put the layer of the breaded squash slices.  Cover with sauce, then 1/4 lb shredded mozarella and more grated parmesan.  


Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min, until bubbly and the cheese is melted - put under the broiler for 2 minutes to brown.


Serve over the pasta of your choice, sauced with the tomato sauce.  


This also freezes very well.....and you save all of the calories of the typical deep frying of the eggplant!  We added squash tonight just to see how it would turn out, and it was great!  (plus a really good use for those two squash that got too big)

Today was cool enough to spend an hour with my voice recorder really looking at how things are doing.  In general, it is shaping up to be a good year.  Considering how many tomato plants I have, and how humid and hot it has been, very few plants look to be in trouble.  


The eggplant and peppers will be spectacular this year, and we will have enough tomatoes to get a good amount of seed saved and conclusions drawn from my various projects.  We've really enjoyed the recent explosion of summer squash, and the bush beans should start really coming in once the most recently planted rows get a few weeks under their foliage.


So here is a quickie recipe for something easy to make when the squash start coming in!


Early Summer Pasta

• Put 4 tbsp of olive oil into a large deep non-stick pan and heat over medium-high.
• Chop the following: 1 large sweet onion, 2 sweet peppers (red, yellow or orange), and 4 cloves of garlic.  Place into the hot oil - add 2 tsp salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and 1 tsp of red pepper flakes.  Stir for 5-10 minutes, or until the veggies are softening and getting limp.
• Get some water boiling in a medium pot and cook some pasta (we use linguine or spaghetti) until al dente, about 8-10 min.
• Thinly slice 4 medium summer squash into slices.   Place into the onion/pepper mix and continue to saute over medium high heat, stirring frequently.
• Tear the leaves off of a few sprigs of basil, and drain a 22 ounce jar of tomatoes.
• About 3 min before the squash and pasta are done, add the basil and tomatoes and stir well.
• Drain the pasta and combine with the veggies -stir well until mixed - serve with grated Parmesan Reggiano.

We used our own squash, canned tomatoes from last year, garlic and basil, and red pepper flakes we made from all of our hots last year that we dried and coarsely ground up.  


It takes about 15-20 minutes from thinking about it until serving, so is a perfect, light and tasty dish for early summer evenings.  Of course, once our own pepper, tomatoes and eggplant come along, it will only get better!