Monday, April 19, 2010

Italian Veggie Bake. Colorful, crisp, delicious recipe for vegetables!

Over the weekend we participated in an Italian-themed Progressive dinner with friends and neighbors.  It gave me a chance to make one of my FAVORITE vegetable dishes.  I have made it several times, and it always dissappears!  It smells SO good when you are making it...

Italian Veggie Bake by Kraft (Photo by Kraft)

1/3 Cup Kraft House Italian Dressing (I used Zesty Italian which is also good)
1 large onion, chopped
1 small eggplant, cubed
1 medium zucchini, cubed
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 pkg (6 oz) sliced mushrooms
1 can (14 1/2 oz) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, drained, cut up
1/3 cup Kraft Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

HEAT dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook 5 min. or until tender. Add eggplant; cook and stir 5 min. Add zucchini, pepper and mushrooms; cook and stir 5 min.

ADD tomatoes, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer 15 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture into casserole dish; sprinkle with cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Bake 25 to 30 min. or until heated through.

This last time I made it, I used a large eggplant, two zucchinis, and 8 oz of sliced mushrooms (I know what you're thinking...REBEL!)  with a little extra Italian dressing.  I did notice that 15 minutes of simmering may have been a tad too long - the veggies got just a little over-cooked (but still yummy!).  Also, if you have it, Pecorino cheese would be a tasty alternative to Parmesan.

My mom has also adapted this recipe for almost any vegetable that she has around.  I'm sure you could use yellow squash, red onions, portobello mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, etc. with equally delicious results!

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