Tasty Tuesday ... Eggplant & Confidence

What could EGGPLANT possibly have to do with CONFIDENCE? Stay with me .... since we're beginning a focus on REAL CONFIDENCE, I had to share Eggplant Parmesan for Tasty Tuesday. I also think it will be fun to share what the Lord taught me about CONFIDENCE throughout July by taking through "my travels" of the month. It's like a post card tour with a purpose. ;)

I never had any desire to eat eggplant, let alone cook it or (far worse) serve it to people at my table. It's so .... dark and shiny, like something you would play with at the beach. :) But ... then I went to Athens, Greece to be with two families we partner with in ministry. We saw their ministry at the Cosmovision Center, but we also enjoyed them personally. They were truly used by the Lord to teach me about CONFIDENCE (they don't even know this), and it first shows in Eggplant Parmesan. First I'll show you how I made it last night, and then I'll tell you what it could possibly have to do with CONFIDENCE.

I bought one eggplant at the farmer's market and one at the grocery store. Looked the same, but the one from the market actually had a tougher skin. Hmm?

I peeled the dark skin off and cut them into fairly thick slabs. Then I dipped each slab individually into beaten egg and then Italian bread crumbs.

While I did that, I heated a non-stick pan with olive oil in it. I laid the eggplant in a single layer in the pan and let them brown until slightly crispy on each side, about 3-4 minutes.

I then laid all of the browned eggplant in a glass 9x11 dish that I had sprayed with cooking spray. I spread spaghetti sauce (Hunt's 4 Cheese) over them, and then I added another layer of browned eggplant and sauce.

Finally, I covered the whole thing with mozzarella cheese and them shredded Parmesan cheese. I baked it in a 350 degree oven for about 50 minutes, until it was slightly browned.

My family loved it (ok - most of them), and the neighbors across the street did too. :) I was shocked. But I only made it because of Mary Romeos. Each night in Greece we ate dinner LATE, when it was dark and breezy, usually on the balcony of the Romeos' home. Family is so important in Greek culture. Mary served a beautiful Eggplant Parmesan our first night; it was so beautiful and aromatic (and we were guests), so we tried it.

We loved it, and Mary told me the easy steps to putting one together. Mary's example and her personal explanation encouraged and equipped me to try something new and step out of my food comfort zone. But it isn't "just about eggplant." It's about women teaching other women and sowing healthy confidence into our lives and homes.

The Lord highlighted this truth from His Word: older women teaching younger women about the things of life and family, building a healthy confidence in being more of the women God wants us to be. That was the CONFIDENCE of Cosmovision. You can read the Biblical principle in Titus 2:3-5 here. But if you make a batch of Eggplant Parmesan, I guarantee you'll remember it better. ;)

Thanks to Jen and Lisa for hosting Tasty Tuesday and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!