Baked Eggplant Sandwiches

About a week ago I went to another local farmstand and in their surplus bin they had 6 sweet green peppers (made wonderful pepper and cheese sandwiches for 2 nights of dinners) and one good size eggplant for only $2. I decided to bread eggplant slices and bake them until crispy and serve them in a sandwich with slices of crusty italian bread, ranch dressing, tomato slices and lettuce. I actually ran out of room on my baking sheets so I had to freeze the remainder of the eggplant and hopefully one night soon I will be able to roast it with some other veggies and add it to couscous for a quick side dish. Here's my recipe for the baked eggplant:

Ingredients
1 egg
1 egg white
1 3/4-1 lb eggplant, cut into slices
1/2 cup finely crushed italian & whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Step 1 - Spray baking sheet(s) with cooking spray
Step 2 - Whisk together egg and egg white
Step 3 - Combine breadcrumbs with grated cheese
Step 4 - Dip each eggplant slice in egg and then breading mixture, place in single layer on baking sheets
Step 5 - Spray the tops of each eggplant with cooking spray
Step 6 - Bake eggplant for 15 minutes and then turn each slice over and bake an additional 5 minutes or until crispy and golden brown

Fresh from the Farmers Market

I made this recipe about a week ago after stopping by my local farmers market - there's nothing like fresh veggies and fruit from area farmers. I altered the recipe slightly from the one provided by Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Fresh Beans with Basil and Pasta

Ingredients
Serves 2-3

1/3 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1 lb green or yellow beans, trimmed
1 small boiling onion, sliced
3 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
pasta of your choice

Step 1 - Heat dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add in beans and onions, cover. Cook for 5 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender.
Step 2 - While beans are cooking, begin cooking your pasta
Step 3 - When done, mix pasta with beans. Top with basil and cook for an additional minute, covered. Serve warm.