Inventing meals

A shopping failure this week led to a new recipe -- created on-the-spot and with what we had.

In my mind, I had planned make-your-own salad night with lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, and chicken one night and French toast with berries and maple syrup the next. But then, I forgot to buy chicken and eggs at the farmer's market on Tuesday. A busy work week meant I might not do anymore local food shopping until the weekend. We were feeling a little stuck.

What I did have was lots of fresh vegetables: in addition the salad components, I had summer squash, eggplant (breaded and fried), and onion. They say necessity is the mother of invention. I created a vegetable terrine.

Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of a lasagne pan.
Make a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes. Salt lightly.
Add a layer of thinly sliced summer squash. Drip a little more oil around.
Another layer of tomatoes.
Lay the breaded eggplant on top.
Put a layer of thinly sliced onions next.
Then another layer of tomatoes. Salt and pepper.
Finish by sprinkling grated cheese all over the top.

Bake in 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes.

It was good the next day as a sandwich filling as well. The hubby says its a keeper.