Summer Produce + Butter = Good Times

When I was growing up, my mom always had a giant garden full of produce. Which meant we ate delicious vegetables and a LOT of frozen sweet corn throughout the fall and winter.  She still has a giant garden, but I can no longer walk outside, grab a tomato off of the vine, and eat it like an apple.

I do, however, have friends who have gardens, and they give me stuff, so tonight's dinner was an altered version of my mom's Fried Eggplant. I don't think she ever used an actual recipe, and neither did I. Measurements are not approximate because I didn't measure a darn thing.

 I feel like when she made this when we were kids, it was a side dish. But it is wicked hot in Iowa this weekend and I didn't feel like making anything else, so it is also filling enough to be your Saturday night dinner.

This is Bob's Red Mill 1 for 1 Flour Mix. I can't have his regular GF flour because it has
garbanzo bean flour in it, but this one is safe.

Ingredients:
Eggplant
GF flour (maybe a cup or so)
Paprika to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Red pepper flakes
Coconut milk (in the refrigerated section-NOT from the can)
2 T (ish) Chili infused olive oil
1/4 c butter

Directions
1. Trim the rind/skin off of the eggplant and slice it into thin pieces
2. Mix the flour and spices (or a combination of your favorite spices) together in one bowl and pour about a cup of milk into the second bowl.
3. Heat the olive oil and the butter in a skillet
4. Dredge the eggplant slices first in the milk and then in the flour mix and place carefully in the skillet.
5. Pan fry the eggplant for about 4 minutes on each side or until brown and crisp on both sides.
6. Place slices on plate covered in paper towels until you're done and eat while still hot.

I didn't eat all of it, so placed the others in the freezer to reheat later-maybe tomorrow for breakfast... I would not recommend reheating in the microwave-reheat in the oven for ideal crispness.

This is where the magic happens.

This morning I was watching a cooking show that Valerie Bertinelli has (I guess?) and she suggested using one hand for dry dredging and one hand for wet dredging so both hands don't get disgusting, and I thought 'Genius!', so now I'm passing on that suggestion.

Halfway done

 It's so good when it hits your lips!

This would also be good as Eggplant Parmesan if you switch up the seasonings for Italian seasonings and crush up Rice Chex as your breading.  Just a suggestion :) Homemade tomato sauce, lactose free mozzarella and gluten free pasta and it's Italian Night. Just add red wine.

First batch done!