As we face these ridiculously cold days of winter in Chicago land some of you have asked me for some yummy meals to enjoy and help keep warm. I am so happy to share these recipes to help warm your hearts and your tummies!
First I want to share a classic comfort meal. This meal will warm you and make you feel so great and bring you back to a happy place with every bite. It is a simple, yet it does take a little time and effort. Not much though and trust me, it will all be worth it.
[lt_recipe name=”Eggplant Parmesan” summary=”This is a classic recipe that will warm your tummy and your heart. Everyone in our house loves it, even my 18 month old baby girl. Your family will not miss this meat here at all and it is perfect for these cold winter days! Enjoy!” total_time=”1H30M” print=”yes” ingredients=”2 large eggplant;3 cups breadcrumbs, I used Italian seasoned, but you can use plain and season how you like;1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided;2 eggs, beaten;5 cups homemade marinara sauce, my recipe for my marinara is in the recipe section;8oz shredded mozzarella cheese, whole milk melts the best for this, but you can use part skim;1/2 lb penne pasta, I use spaghetti sometimes too, use your families favorite type of pasta here;3-4 tablespoons olive oil;1-2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped(optional)” ]Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. ;;In a large pan, heat the olive oil so that it is ready to go when your eggplant is breaded and ready. Keep an eye that it does not begin to smoke too much, but you want the eggplant to fry in the oil or it will soak up too much of the oil and become greasy.;;Slice your eggplant about 1/4 in think. You want to get a crisp texture on the outside, but have the inside be soft and almost creamy. So, you don’t want your eggplant too thick. Also, you don’t want it too thin or it will just fall apart and become mushy.;;Combine 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan cheese with the breadcrumbs in a shallow, wide dish. Have your beaten eggs in another shallow, wide dish.;;Once your eggplant is cut and your breadcrumb mixture and eggs are ready you are set to go.;;Dredge your eggplant in the eggs and then in the breadcrumbs. They should be lightly coated with the breading, not caked on.;;Once you have all of your eggplant breaded, begin to fry it in the olive oil in batches. It is important that you do not crowd the pan during this process as you will want a nice crisp coating on the eggplant before baking it with the sauce and cheese. As you remove the eggplant from the frying pan, place on a paper towel lined pan to soak up any additional grease. Do not stack on top of each other or your eggplant will get soggy. Ass they cool, remove from the lined pan and place onto another pan to make room for the ones coming out of the oil.;;Once all of your eggplant is cooked, you can begin assembling your dish for the oven. Place about a 1/2 a cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of your baking dish. I love the disposable aluminum baking dishes for things like this. Place a single layer of your eggplant on the marinara sauce. Top the layer of eggplant with a sprinkle of your grated Parmesan and then another 1/2 cup of sauce and leave the edges exposed with no sauce. Then top that layer of sauce with another layer of your eggplant and repeat with cheese and sauce until your eggplant has all been used or with at least one more layer. Keeping those edges exposed helps give you a nice texture difference in this dish. It will keep the edges crisp and the center will become softer and creamier. ;;Top the final layer with sauce and the shredded mozzarella cheese and if you have any Parmesan cheese left. Place that in the oven, uncovered for about 20-30 minutes until the top in bubbling and lightly browned.;;Meanwhile, boil your water for pasta and cook according to the package instructions for al dente pasta. Heat the remaining sauce and toss with the cooked pasta to serve alongside your eggplant.;;Let your eggplant set for about 5-10 minutes before cutting into it or the cheese and middle layers will slide. Serve your eggplant with your pasta marinara and garnish with the chopped fresh basil.;;;;[/lt_recipe]
Later in the evening, maybe after you have come back in from shoveling or after you come in from letting the kiddos get some time in the snow, you have to try this hot cocoa recipe. Yes, you can make Swiss Miss and it is quick and I still love it. Yet, this cocoa recipe is just crazy rich and delicious and you deserve something really decadent on these really cold days. Especially if you just shoveled the whole drive way!! So, make this recipe as a special treat. And if you add some whipped cream and maybe even a little liqueurs, you can have this as your dessert!
[lt_recipe name=”Hot Cocoa” summary=”This recipe will warm you to the core and it is great for kids and parents alike. And if you want to spike it, it will warm you even more! ” total_time=”10M” print=”yes” ingredients=”2 c. whole milk;1/4 c. granulated sugar;2 tbsp. cocoa powder;1 cup chopped semi sweet chocolate, use a good quality chocolate ;1 tsp. vanilla, I love Mexican vanilla in this;Whipped cream,(optional);Chocolate shavings,(optional)” ]In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring milk to simmer. Whisk in sugar and cocoa powder and stir until no lumps remain. ;;Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla and cook, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is completely melted. Turn off heat.;;Pour hot chocolate into mugs, then top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.;;Add your favorite liqueur in for the adult version! Enjoy! [/lt_recipe]
I hope these recipes help warm your heart, soul and tummy on these cold winter days! Enjoy!!
