And the morale of the story is....listen to your kids!

Those of us who are lucky enough to have children know the joy of raising them. We hope to impart wisdom and knowledge and cross our fingers that we did everything right. So it was with pride and amusement  that I took a step back this week and realized the knowledge that I have gained from them.
I am blessed to have 3 wonderful kids. They have taught me skills that are unique to each of them. My son, C, has an extraordinary ability to view things from a different angle. Give him a situation and he usually can pinpoint a different way to look at it. Perhaps it is this unique quality that makes him an awesome photographer.  From him I have learned not to take life too seriously. Oh, and also, how to take a mean eggplant photo. I can stare at the dish, take 100 pictures and not be satisfied. He can pick up the camera and with a click of the shutter take an awesome photo. Today's pictures are courtesy of C. As a matter of fact, if you ever see an extremely good picture on this site....it probably was taken by him.  Feel free to check out his photo website www.flickr.com/photos/thinmints137

From my daughter, S, I have learned to take true joy in the simple things in life. She was absolutely elated that her local produce market reopened on Sundays after a short hiatus. And her whole face lights up with joy when she talks about honey crisp apples! (Do yourself a favor and go buy them. We are talking about huge, sweet, juice running down your arm, apples here people!)

From my son, M, I have learned cooking techniques. He used to be a professional chef, so from him I have learned that it takes a hot pan, a superduper hotpan, to get a nice brown sear on the food without over cooking it. And I have been known to interrupt his day with a questions like, "How do you cook broccoli raab?".

So I dedicate this week's post to my children....who have taught me more than they will ever know!

This is a slimmed down version of eggplant parmigiana. Baking the eggplant gives this dish a crispy texture without the fat that comes from frying.

Eggplant Parmigiana

(http://www.weightwatchers.com/)

1 spray cooking spray

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs, italian style

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

 1 teaspoon italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 medium raw eggplant

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning and garlic powder in a medium size bowl. Set aside. Remove skin from eggplant and trim off ends.  Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch slices.  Dip eggplant first into egg whites and then into bread crumb mixture.  Bake eggplant on nonstick cookie sheet until lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes, flipping once.  Place a layer of eggplant on bottom of prepared baking dish, then add 1/3 of tomato sauce and 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.  Repeat with 2 layers in the same order.  Bake until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling, about 10 minutes more.  Slice into 4 pieces and serve.

Sauteed Yellow Zucchini

No real recipe here, folks. Just get the pan screamin' hot, spritz with cooking spray or add a little bit of oil and saute the veggies with some salt, pepper and garlic powder

To those of my friends and future friends who celebrate the Jewish New Year, I send my and my husband's best wishes for a happy, healthy and joyous new year. May your year be full of welcome surprises, juicy apples,  and wishes fulfilled.

Enjoy! Happy Eating!