Luby's Baked Eggplant Casserole

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 medium eggplant (peeled and diced)
• 0.5 (10 7/8 ounce) can cream of chicken soup or 0.5 (10 7/8 ounce) can 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)

Recipe

• 1 bake mexican cornbread per packet directions. cut into halves after baking as you will only use 1/2 (approx 8x4x1").
• 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).
• 3 dice eggplant, onion, and tomato into 1/4-1/2" pieces.
• 4 add first onion to skillet and saute about 5 minutes on med-low. add eggplant, tomato, salt, pepper, garlic powder, corn, margarine and saute another 5-7 minutes. everything is now becoming transparent and starting to mesh together nicely.
• 5 add chicken or celery soup, mix in, then add american cheese and stir until cheese has fully melted into mixture.
• 6 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.
• 7 bake at 350°f 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.