Eggplant Sandwiches

I LOVE eggplant! I can't wait for summer because I'm going to try to grow it in the garden this year! I saw this recipe in Rachael Ray's magazine, and knew I had to try it. These sandwiches are super easy to make and were really good. You could add some chicken to change it up, but honestly these sandwiches don't need it. Kevin didn't even miss the meat, so that's saying something! Sorry about the quality of the photos - my camera battery was dead, so I used my phone.

Here is what you will need:

One 16 ounce loaf of frozen garlic bread

Two tablespoons EVOO

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 large eggplant (or a few small ones that equal about 1/2 pound), cubed

Small container mushrooms, coarsely chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

3/4 cup white wine

Two teaspoons oregano (fresh or dried)

One 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes

Sliced provolone cheese

The first thing you need to do is chop the onion, eggplant and mushrooms.

Bake the garlic bread according to the directions on the package. While it's cooking, heat the EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute about five minutes. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, about seven minutes or so. Stir in the mushrooms and cook an additional five minutes, until mushrooms just begin to brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the white wine and cook, stirring up any browned bits, until the liquid has evaporated, about two minutes. Add the oregano and the tomatoes with juice. Use a spoon or spatula to coarsely chop the tomatoes. (I didn't think that one can was enough when I was cooking, so I added another 1/2 can of diced tomatoes). Simmer about five minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Cut each half of the garlic bread in half, so you have four slices. Use a slotted spoon to drain the mixture and then place on top of each garlic bread slice. Top with sliced provolone cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese is melted.
This is not something we could eat with our hands, so a fork and knife is required!