January 2016 Mexican Eggplant Casserole
Last weekends blizzard is mostly cleaned up. I spent my snow day at home, with my casted broken foot, looking through mom's recipe box and remembering all of the great meals she and Nan have cooked over the years. Tonight I decided to make Mexican Eggplant Casserole. I think Nan found it in her Sunset magazine back when they lived on Walsh Road. Can't wait to try it tonight.
Mexican Eggplant Casserole
Green chilies make this dish mild to moderately hot; vary the amount according to your taste.
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds)
About 1/4 cup salted oil
1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 to 1 can (41/1/2 oz) green chilies, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup green onion
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 can drained sliced ripe olives
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Cut unpeeled eggplant into 1/2 inch slices and brush all sides with oil. Arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; bake, uncovered, in a 450 oven until soft, about 20 minutes. In a saucepan, combine tomato sauce, chiles, onion, cumin, garlic salt and olives; simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
Line bottom of shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole with a single layer of eggplant, spoon on about half the sauce, sprinkle with half the cheese; repeat, ending with cheese on top. Bake uncovered in 350 oven about 25 minutes.