When you want to have a quick meal with your family, Pan-Fried Eggplant with Mozzarella and Marinara is definitely the way to go.

It is just so nice with a nice bowl of mixed greens. A pretty balanced meal that my family and I really enjoy at least on a weekly bases.

You really do not need to spend hours in the kitchen to prep and cook a decent dinner. Most of our meals take less than 40 minutes from start to finish, and so many you would just pop in the oven, air fryer or slow cooker then wait until it is complete.

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I don’t know why people complicate cooking. It can be therapeutic as much as economical. For my family of 5 going out is just not economical when I know that I could make far better and healthier for way less money. Wouldn’t you agree?

I am not saying do not go out and support your favorite restaurant or that we never ever go out to eat. What I am saying is that we do not go as often as perhaps average family in the USA. Well, I’m just stating the facts.

Anyhow, if you are vegetarian, or trying to cut down eating meat, these pan-fried eggplant slices are just wonderful.

I have so many amazing vegetarian recipes on my blog. I think you would love them. As much as I love meat, I do crave meatless meals from time to time. Yes, that includes a big beautiful bowl of mixed greens.

If you hate eggplant for whatever reasons, please give this one a try. I think that you will be pleasantly surprised at how tasty this is. My boys are not huge on eggplant either, but they actually dig this one. I don’t know why?

Maybe because they are fried and covered with sauce and tasty cheese. It is a life changer for low carb folks as well.

One cup of eggplants have less ta 5 carbs, so you can dip them in almond flour, for example, instead of breadcrumbs. So many options that we have to create an amazing low carb, tasty meal.

Hey, if you try Pan-Fried Eggplant with Mozzarella and Marinara please tag me on Instagram. @sandraseasycooking #sandraseasycooking. Thank you in advance!

HAPPY COOKING!

Pan-Fried Eggplant with Mozzarella and Marinara

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time to prep Eggplant: 15 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

When you want to have a quick meal to have with your family, Pan-Fried Eggplant with Mozzarella and Marinara

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Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, sliced (you may peel it if you wish)
• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs (almond flour with Italian herbs as a sub)
• 1-2 eggs, mixed or egg sub
• 1/4 cup of oil for frying
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, or fresh slices of mozzarella
• Fresh and dry herbs for garnish
• A good drizzle of olive oil

Instructions

1. Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices then submerges into salted cold water. I added about 1 tablespoon of table salt mixed with 6-8 cups of water. This will help eggplant become more flavorful and it will remove any bitterness. Allow it to soak for approximately 15 minutes.
2. Remove eggplant from the water, then tap dry each slice of eggplant with a paper towel.
3. Heat oil to medium and a plate lined with a paper towel. Keep stove temp on the medium rather than low or high.
4. Meanwhile, add a mixed egg or egg sub into one bowl and breadcrumbs in the other. Read notes about almond flour prep.
5. Dip each slice both sides into egg then into breadcrumbs, then drip carefully into the hot oil. Fry for a minute on each side just to get them to light golden color. Remove and place to a paper towel to soak any additional oil.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a nonstick baking sheet or line it with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
7. Place each pan-fried eggplant onto the baking sheet, and add about tablespoon or two of marinara sauce and sprinkle shredded cheese or one slice of fresh mozzarella. Sprinkle with some black pepper and dried herbs. Drizzle a bit of olive oil.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve over seasoned salad and eat immediately.

Notes

Almond flour breadcrumbs

• Mix 1 cup of Almond flour with 1 teaspoon of blended Italian herbs, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper.
• For a gluten-free option, cornmeal could be used.

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Strawberry Jello Summer Salad is undoubtedly an easy, fabulous and tasty recipe. We enjoy nothing but this incredibly simple and classic dessert all summer long.

I heard that every good Southern lady should know how to properly make delicious jello salad. Well, I must say, yours truly, was not born here in the United States.

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I know that so many of you already know that fact about me. If you have never heard me talk, I do have an accent. It gets thicker when I am tired. I have kids so we are an English speaking family, but they do understand Serbo-Croatian very well too.

Every so often, it gets extremely annoying when people do not even try to understand what I am trying to say. I do not think that I am hard to understand at all.

Needless to say, when people do not even try to understand me, all I desired to do is to turn around and walk away. Also, try really hard not to punch them.

Nevertheless, I have been living in the gorgeous city of Nashville for 21 years, more than half of my life, so I have rightfully earned the privilege to call myself a Southern lady. So, I will bring to the table my version on the most popular Southern Jello Salad.

You could use a large bowl for trifle and create a beautiful dessert centerpiece. Perhaps for a smaller party, you can make individual desserts just by serving them in glasses.

With that being said, my family literally devoured this strawberry jello summer salad. I mean what’s not to like.

We have cream cheese here and whipped topping, luscious strawberries, jello, plus graham crackers with butter. If you are like me, I know every pan corner will be licked clean.

If you make this recipe or if I inspire you to make any of my recipes please tag me on Instagram @sandraseasycooking and use hashtag #sandraseasycooking.

To me, it’s all about sharing food so I would love to share at least a picture of your creation with others. Thank you in advance!

Strawberry Jello Summer Salad

Yield: Serves 8

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Chill Time: 6 hours

Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes

Strawberry Jello Summer Salad is undoubtedly an easy, fabulous and tasty recipe. We enjoy nothing but this incredibly simple and classic dessert.

Print

Ingredients

• TOPPING
• 2 packages (8.5g - 4-serving size each) Jell-O™ strawberry-flavored gelatin ( used sugar-free)
• 1 3/4 cups (14 oz/412ml) Boiling water
• 1 box (16 oz/500 ) strawberries, plus for serving
• CRUST
• 10 graham crackers, crushed
• 1/4 cup (55g) unsalted butter, melted
• FILLING
• 1 container (8 oz/226g) Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed
• 1 package (8 oz/226g) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar (I used Truvia )
• 1 tablespoon (13g) vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in sliced strawberries; refrigerate until partially set, about 45 minutes
2. Heat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, mix ingredients for CRUST. Press into ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake 7-10 minutes. Cool it completely.
3. In a medium bowl, beat ingredients for FILLING with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over crust. Make sure it goes to the very end sealing the edges so the topping doesn't leak though. It is okay if it does but for the perfect separation of each layer it is the best if you seal it. Cover and refrigerate until cool and gelatin topping in the bowl is partially set.
4. Carefully spoon gelatin TOPPING over filling. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or until firm. I like adding more fresh strawberries when I serve this dessert.

Notes

You may add other fruit such as pineapple or peaches. Possibilities are endless.

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One of my favorite ways to enjoy stress-free, delicious lunch us by making this amazing, Colorful Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing.

Photo-shoots require some serious brainstorming. I know many photographers that go through Pinterest for example and see what theme would be the best for that particular photo-shoot.

To explain even further, Pinterest is amazing for real. You can make your own secret board. Such as, set the colors, props and what theme is the best, how to set up, inspo pics, so you can see exactly what colors go together or what theme goes perfectly with your dish.

For me personally, I plan all that in my head. Sometimes I need a couple of hours of brainstorming and sometimes I take 5 days until I am completely satisfied.

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Yes, I do search for inspo pictures online sometimes when I hit the brick wall, and that is okay. You get inspired, and then you translate that inspo pic, a piece of art into your own creation.

You must always add your own twist even if you find a picture that is perfect and you would love to recreate it.

On the other note, My BLOG is back, baby! Yes!!!! After 3 weeks of going back and forth, I am finally back. It was HELL, to say the least.

I was so stressed that I could not even sleep more than 2 to 3 hours a day. I am so thankful for my little team, the new host who guided me through and of course for your tremendous patience.

Thanks so all your support!!!

My heart is pounding with the excitement that I will be able to continue sharing recipes, and that the website will be much faster for you guys.

The hard part is not over! I still have to go through many recipes and adjust pictures, reshoot and correct to match this theme of the website.

It is lots of work, but so worth it. I lost many recipes in the process, around 200, but I will not stress anymore because I have decided to repost them with new pictures and updated recipes. Sounds like a good plan, right?

You may also like:

• Mediterranean Pasta Salad
• Creamy Summer Pasta Salad
• Greek Pasta Salad

Okay to cut the story short, I really hope you guys make this recipe and please don’t be shy.

If you make Colorful Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing, tag me on Instagram. @sandraseasycooking and use hashtags #sandraseasycooking I would love to see your creations!!!

HAPPY COOKING!!! XO

Colorful Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing

Yield: SERVES 6

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Easy and tasty pasta salad

Print

Ingredients

• 1 lb 5 Color Pasta Any pasta would be okay; farfalle, rigatoni, campanelle, rotini, 3 color pasta, etc.
• 2 cups Broccoli Slaw
• 1/2 cup Red Cabbage also known as purple cabbage
• 1/4-1/2 lb Cherry Tomatoes sliced in half
• 1 medium Zucchini sliced
• 1 cup Black Olives *optional
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• Pasta Vinaigrette Dressing
• 2 teaspoons Stone Ground Mustard Seeds 1 tsp. Substitute with Stone Ground Mustard or 1½ tsp. dry mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Pink Salt or to taste
• 2 Garlic cloves lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade and chopped
• 2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Italian Herbs Blend
• 1/4 teaspoon ground Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup Olive oil

Instructions

1. Boil a large pot of water and add a generous amount of salt, add pasta and cook according to the package. I like pasta for salads to have a bit of bite so "al dente" is perfect. After the pasta is cooked, drain and run cold water over it. Shake colander and allow pasta to cool down. This is only if you going to use pasta for the pasta salad.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the Pasta Vinaigrette Dressing. Add salt to taste. I always start with 1/2 teaspoon. Mix it and set aside. 
3. Now add to the pasta broccoli slaw, halved tomatoes, sliced red cabbage, zucchini, black olives. 
4. Add about 1 tablespoon of dressing in the pasta then stir, add the rest of the ingredients and add dressing, a tablespoon at the time until you reach taste that you want.
5. Stir well, and serve. Leftovers place in the airtight container and keep refrigerated.

Notes

The best way to mix homemade dressing is a glass jar with fitted lid. Not only that you can shake it to combine the ingredients, but also if you don't use it all you can save it for the next time.

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