AHHHHHHH – Luby’s Baked Egglant Casserole

My girls have a problem with cafeteria food….they think they hate it…but in fact they really love it.  Our family joke is eating at Luby’s!  I mention it and they scream NOOOOOOO…not because it is not good…it just isn’t what they think they want.  But each time we eat there, they enjoy and love it! And what’s not to love.  It’s home cooking…cafeteria style. 

One of my favorite cookbooks is their Anniversary cookbook from a few years back.  It has my favorites in it like their liver. Yes…I said it….liver.  One of my crowning achievements was when my oldest daughter actually ordered it at Lubys one day for herself.  I thought…I have done it…raised a child who has ‘educated taste’ as my grandfather would say.  I make it two ways at home; Luby’s way and my mom’s way.  Once I when making it for dinner my daughters best friend ate dinner with us.  Her mom said, “She won’t eat your liver.”  But she did and loved it. Even asking for second when her parents walked in the house to pick her up.  I told her I was so glad she enjoyed dinner and NOT TO EVER tell anyone she didn’t like LIVER!  Her mouth dropped and she again told me how much she liked it.  Score one for liver lovers everywhere!

The Eggplant casserole is another ‘educated taste’ to try at home with your family.  It’s rich in flavor and takes a little effort to make, but so worth the results.  Your kids will eat what you offer them.  Offer them variety by introducing them to…dare I say it…like spinach, eggplant, squash, and okra…and even liver.  Promise I will share my liver recipe soon!  But until then…enjoy the recipe below that I got off of Recipe Zaar.  It’s a great site and thank you to Blis who found this recipe!  It’s an oldie but goodie! And perfect at holidays or just when you are cooking all the eggplant you grew in from your garden!

Get cooking!

Alise

Luby's Baked Eggplant Casserole

 By: ~Bliss~ from Recipe Zaar
Oct 13, 2007

Recipe #258845 | 1½ hours | 30 min prep    

SERVES 8 -10

·                                 1 medium eggplant (Peeled and diced)

·                                 1/2 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup or cream of celery soup

·                                 1 cup whole kernel corn

·                                 1 medium yellow onion (diced)

·                                 1 large fresh tomato (diced)

·                                 1 cup bacon, small Pieces

·                                 1/4 cup margarine

·                                 1/2 teaspoon salt

·                                 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

·                                 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

·                                 4 ounces shredded American cheese (about 4 slices)

·                                 1 (16 ounce) packet Mexican cornbread mix

·                                 shredded cheddar cheese (to garnish)

Directions:

Bake Mexican cornbread per packet directions. Cut into halves after baking as you will only use 1/2.  Note: If you know how to make Mexican cornbread from scratch, it's better than the individual packets, but the packets will do.

 

Slice bacon into small 1/8-1/4" pieces and fry in a deep skillet until almost done (brown but not crispy). Dice eggplant, onion, and tomato into 1/4-1/2" pieces. Add first onion to skillet and cook about 5 minutes on med-low. Add eggplant, tomato, salt, pepper, garlic powder, corn, margarine and cook another 5-7 minutes. Everything is now becoming transparent and starting to mesh together nicely. Add chicken or celery soup, mix in, then add American cheese and stir until cheese has fully melted into mixture.

 

Take half the cornbread you baked, crumble it, and stir into the mixture. Pour into 9x3" round casserole dish or comparable square one and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until internal temperature is 165°F Remove foil and cover with shredded cheddar for final 10 minutes of baking. Do not let cheddar turn dark.