Eggplant and Beef Casserole

A family friend, Glen, frequently shares his recipes via email. While I am not technically on the recipient list, my mother always forwards them to me per my request because he definitely has some great ones. From the recipes I've seen so far, I can confidently say that this is a house at which I would like to be a dinner guest for sure! :-) He has been gracious enough to allow me to "borrow" some of them to share on my blog. I just made the following recipe and will share more in the future. The only modification that I made was to use grass-fed ground sirloin instead of the ground chuck. I served it with a Pinot Noir. Also, I apologize for the unappealing picture but I promise it tasted delicious! It's the perfect dish for a potluck!


Eggplant and Beef Casserole (courtesy of Glen)

 Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees


1 large eggplant, peeled and diced (unpeeled works well also)
½ cup oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 lb ground chuck
2 cups diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup sharp cheese, grated
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs


In a large skillet, sauté eggplant, onion, pepper, ground meat and garlic in the oil for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
Drain off any excess liquid.
Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook additional 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently until eggplant is soft.
Pour batter into a greased/buttered 2 quart casserole dish.
Cover with the cheese and then cover cheese with the breadcrumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes or until mixture is bubbling.