Plan "B" when plan "A" fails, Seasoned Eggplant Stuffed Shells

Grandma Marie called them Poor Man Meatballs and I loved them the first time I had them around 1973. She would put her sauce on them and serve with pasta and I was in heaven. I have made them many times before but this time I thought I would get a little modern and use the food processor on the eggplant mixture. Big fat mistake on my part. The mixture came out way to runny and even with the addition of more bread crumbs it still would not come together. Grandma Marie always used her hands and maybe a fork to mash the eggplant. Back to basics for me, next time, because this time I didn't want to not use the eggplant mixture it smelled to good. So I thought, hmmm I think I have a few leftover large shells in the fridge and I did so why not stuff them with this runny eggplant mixture and put some sauce on top and cheese and maybe save dinner.

It worked!!

1 medium eggplant cut in half

1or 2 heads of garlic, tops cut off

1 onion cut in half

1 tomato cup in half

Olive Oil to drizzle

1/2 cup bread crumbs

salt and pepper

1 egg

2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped fine

Pasta Sauce

Large pasta Shells, I used just what I had left over in this bag about 15. Some fell apart.

Parmesan cheese

Mozzarella cheese

Drizzle the olive oil on the pan and lay the veggies on top and drizzle again with the oil. Cook for about 40 or until the veggies brown on the bottom.

Let cool and scoop out the egg plant squeeze out the garlic and wiz in the food processor for just a few pulses, don't get it to mushy. Mix in the bread crumbs salt and pepper. Add the parsley and egg.

Cook the shells until almost done, they will finish cooking in the oven. Stuff them.

Lay some sauce in a 8x8 dish and add the stuffed shells to the dish and cover with more sauce add the cheese bake for 40-45 minutes or until a bit golden on top and serve.