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Cheesy Eggplant Casserole

Easy Cheesy Eggplant Casserole combines comfort food with adding veggies to your family’s diet

 

Easy Cheesy Eggplant Casserole combines the hominess of your favorite comfort food, while still adding veggies to your family’s diet. This casserole is so easy to make and your family and friends will love the cheesy goodness. It is the perfect side dish for a family dinner, or take it to a pot luck or covered dish dinner to share with your friends. This is a family favorite around our house and we rarely have left overs. I hope you enjoy this comforting casserole as much as we do.

 

Cheesy Eggplant Casserole
 
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Easy Cheesy Eggplant Casserole combines comfort food with adding veggies to your family’s diet
Author:
Recipe type: Vegetables & Sides
Cuisine: American
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 medium eggplants, peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup milk
  • ½ cup butter (1 stick)
  • 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, melted
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
  1. Boil cubed eggplant for about 25 minutes. The eggplant will be tender, but not mushy.
  2. While eggplant is boiling combine milk, butter and cheddar cheese in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until cheese is almost completely melted.
  3. Drain eggplant and spread evenly in a 2 quart casserole dish. Pour cheddar cheese sauce over eggplant.
  4. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese, and then sprinkle with panko bread crumbs.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes until mozzarella cheese is melted and top is golden brown.

Easy Cheesy Eggplant Casserole combines comfort food with adding veggies to your family’s diet

Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole)

Moussaka - Greek Eggplant Casserole

 

I absolutely love Greek food and Moussaka is the perfect go to comfort food. Moussaka is a Greek Eggplant Casserole that is traditionally made with ground lamb or beef, but soy crumbles can also be used for a vegetarian alternative. Since it does take a bit more time to prepare than most of my go to dinner dishes, I don’t make it as often as I’d like, but thoroughly indulge when I do.

 

Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole)
 
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Moussaka is a Greek Eggplant Casserole, and perfect for comfort food. It is traditionally made with ground lamb or beef, but soy crumbles can also be used for a vegetarian alternative.
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 6
Ingredients
For Eggplant:
  • 3 medium sized Eggplant
  • ¾ cup Olive Oil

For Meat Sauce (or Vegetarian Option):
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil
  • 1 large Onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
  • 1½ pounds Ground Lamb or Beef (or 1 package frozen Soy Crumbles)
  • 3 Tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 T. Tomato Paste
  • 1 t. dried Oregano ( or 2 t. fresh Oregano)
  • ¼ t. ground Allspice
  • Pinch ground Cinnamon
  • ½ cup Dry Red Wine
  • Salt and Pepper, to taste

For Bechamel Sauce:
  • 4 T. Butter
  • 6 T. Flour
  • 2 cups Milk
  • Pinch ground Nutmeg
  • ⅔ cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 t. Salt
  • White Pepper, to taste

  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated (for Moussaka assembly)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Peel and slice eggplant into ½ inch slices. Brush both sides of the eggplant slices with olive oil, and bake in a single layer for 10 minutes on each side. They will be golden browned. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  3. For meat sauce, heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic cook about 15 minutes or until translucent; add and ground meat (or Frozen Soy Crumbles) to the pan and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the meat is browned or the Soy Crumbles have thawn completely. Add the remaining meat sauce ingredients, and cook for about 20 minutes, or until moisture has evaporated. Set this mixture aside.
  4. For Bechamel sauce, melt butter under low heat in a medium saute pan, add flour and cook for about 1 - 2 minutes. This will be a white sauce, so don't allow it to brown at this point. Slowly whisk in milk. Continue stiring until mixture is thickened and smooth, about an additional 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese. Set sauce aside.
  5. To assemble moussaka, place one layer of eggplant slices on bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, overlapping slices. Spread the eggplant with ⅓ of the meat sauce, then sprinkle with ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese. Add two more layers of eggplant, meat sauce, and cheese. Cover the layers with the Bechamel sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
  6. Bake Moussake for about 1 hour, or until mixture is bubbly and golden browned on top. Let sit for about 20 minutes after removing from oven, cut and serve.

Moussaka (Greek Eggplant Casserole) is traditionally made with ground lamb or beef, but soy crumbles can also be used for a vegetarian alternative.

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Spanakopita (Greek Spinach and Cheese Casserole)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 large Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
3 T. Olive Oil
2 pounds Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed
2 Eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Ricotta Cheese
1 cup Feta Cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Dried Parsley (or 1/2 cup Fresh Parsley)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 cup Olive Oil
8 sheets Filo Dough

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat 3 Tablespoons olive oil  in a large skillet, add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, but not browned.
  3. Drain thawed spinach, then to pan with onions and garlic. Combine ingredients and cook until moisture is removed, about 5 minutes.
  4. Allow mixture to cool.
  5. Combine eggs, ricotta cheese, feta cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add the cooled spinach mixture, and stir to combine.
  6. Oil bottom and sides of a 9 inch baking dish.
  7. Place one layer of phyllo dough in pan, brush oil on phyllo with a pastry brush. Add 3 more layers of phyllo dough, brushing each with oil after they are added. The phyllo will hang off the edge of your pan on 2 sides.
  8. Add the spinach mixture to the baking dish.
  9. Layer the 4 remaining phyllo sheets to the dish, brushing each layer with oil after it is added.
  10. Fold the phyllo dough that has been hanging over the edge of the pan to the top of the Spanakopita. Brush top with remaining oil.
  11. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.
  12. Cut into squares and serve warm.