Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomato Tian with Roasted Chicken and Potatoes
Last year for Auntie Kelly's birthday, I gave her a subscription to Cooking Light magazine. The June 2010 issue featured an interesting recipe that we wanted to try: Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomato Tian. FYI: a tian is a baked, layered vegetable dish. It could be eaten as a vegetarian entree, but we cut the ingredients in half and made it as a side. Roasted chicken and potatoes completed the meal.
Neither of us really knew what to expect from the eggplant as we've both only ever had it fried. Bad bad. While Kelly tended to her beloved chicken and potatoes, I assembled the Tian. After slicing the eggplant and zucchini, I had to roast them in the oven for about 15 minutes -- I think because these take longer to cook than tomatoes. After those softened, it was time to layer:
Between layering half of the vegetables, you sprinkle the top with a little salt, pepper, and olive oil. To complete the tian, you must have breadcrumbs (or, in our case, a roll that has been destroyed in a food processor), herbs, and cheese. I mixed those ingredients in a bowl and sprinkled them on top of the vegetables.
The final step before baking is to sprinkle the bowl with just a little bit of chicken broth to soften the bread crumbs during the baking process. This also adds flavor to the dish.
Here it is after baking:
And Kelly's roasted chicken:
And potatoes:
Everything on the plate!
The chicken was really moist and the tian was a success. A tian is a really cool concept because you get the chewy veggies with the crispy crust, and the ooey gooey cheese throughout! Such a good combination!
And now, for the super high quality video that I promised: How to Carve a Chicken
Yes, we are a very strange family, but we always have an awesome time together. Especially when food is involved!
Questions for you lovely readers: 1) Do you prefer a balanced meal that has a meat, veggie, and carb? Or do you just like throwing stuff together on a plate and calling it a meal?
2) What are your food/kitchen/restaurant pet peeves?
I'll be gone for a few days because this weekend my best friend, Nicole, is getting married!!
1. i do like balanced meals.. but i also love the idea of just throwing it all together.. actually i think i like both... a balanced meal that is mixed all together sporadically ;)
2. restaurant pet peeve is totally any time i hear people talk too loud, or i hear bathroom talk/personal matters lol, or if someone blows their nose into a napkin and u can hear all the snot EEK! gross!
I can't watch the video :( But the meal looks fantastic- especially those veggies (YUM!) Love a good veggie bake. I like both random meals and complete meals. Kind of depends on my mood. Have fun this weekend
Have fun at the wedding!! This realy looks good. Not a very good excuse, but my meals are really determined by how much time I have in the evening. If I'm short on time, I totally throw random things together.
Those veggies look awesome! Actually, that entire dinner looks awesome. I have to at least have some protein in my meals or else they don't keep me full for very long. That's so exciting your friend is getting married this weekend! Have fun!!
1. i like to throw a whole bunch of everything onto a plate and call it a meal. it's the one time in my life i'm disorganized. ;) 2. pet peeves: -food: that all tomato sauces either have chunks of tomatoes or onions in them :( -kitchen: when things take too long to bake! i want them NOW! -restaurant: poor service, long waits, when what you order isn't as good as you'd hoped
I think I prefer the balanced meal but I usually end up throwing stuff together based on my "mood". I guess this isn't a good thing since it's more mentally satisfying than physically satisfying. I'll have to work on that : P My pet peeve at restaurants is when they forget to give me place settings!!
I grew up on balanced meals but since I stopped eating meat I've been leaning more towards big mixtures of stuff on a plate. It usually does contain a grain, protein, and veggie though!
Pet peeve at restaurants: the waiters not refilling your water glass through the entire meal!
I'm a zoner. So my meals never really have a starch. My carbs are typically veggies and fruits. And as for pet peeves...grilling food to death, and dry chicken. Sometimes these things go hand in hand. Your veggie dish looks delish!! I love oven baked veggies!
This looks so delicious!!! AND I LOVE THE BLOG LAYOUT!! I have been gone for so long :(. I like balanced meals but often tend to throw together big messy dishes with a base of lettuce and a little bit of everything in my fridge. I think those messy dishes are fine sometimes but often I think I eat more and random things and am never quite satisfied the way a real dinner makes me feel.
My meals never have a meat, because I'm a vegetarian :) But I do try to include a protein source, produce and a healthy fat at every meal!! And I get SUPER peeved when my recipes don't turn out the way I'd hoped- I'm a perfectionist, and I have high expectations for my culinary concoctions!
wow that chicken look like it came out perfectly!! to me, a meal just has to be half veggies (except for breakfast). Meat is not required, but enjoyed :)
Well Well Well, someones been busy blogging! The new layout is beautiful and your recent blogs are brilliant! I am a throw it on a plate kind of girl. I do try and have my dinner with protein AND veggies but sometimes a good PBJ works best.
thats one sexy chicken! haha LOOKS DELICIOUS!!!
ReplyDelete1. i do like balanced meals.. but i also love the idea of just throwing it all together.. actually i think i like both... a balanced meal that is mixed all together sporadically ;)
2. restaurant pet peeve is totally any time i hear people talk too loud, or i hear bathroom talk/personal matters lol, or if someone blows their nose into a napkin and u can hear all the snot EEK! gross!
Tian is my sister's Chinese name! I dont eat very often. Veggies veggies veggies for me please. Preferably grilled or roasted! :)
ReplyDeleteThat looks so yummy!!! I hate it when you they don't keep your water full!!!!!!
ReplyDeletethat chicken looks so good! love the new blog! xx
ReplyDeleteI can't watch the video :( But the meal looks fantastic- especially those veggies (YUM!) Love a good veggie bake. I like both random meals and complete meals. Kind of depends on my mood. Have fun this weekend
ReplyDeleteHave fun at the wedding!! This realy looks good. Not a very good excuse, but my meals are really determined by how much time I have in the evening. If I'm short on time, I totally throw random things together.
ReplyDeleteThat tian looks like a great way to take a veggie side and kick it up a notch!
ReplyDelete1. I almost ALWAYS make sure my meals have a protein, veggie and carb in them. Otherwise I just don't feel as satisfied.
2. I hate when restaurants overcook meat
Have fun at your friend's wedding!! :)
Those veggies look awesome! Actually, that entire dinner looks awesome. I have to at least have some protein in my meals or else they don't keep me full for very long. That's so exciting your friend is getting married this weekend! Have fun!!
ReplyDeleteThe video isnt working. Thank goodness!
ReplyDeleteKelly
love the new layout!!! :)
ReplyDelete1. i like to throw a whole bunch of everything onto a plate and call it a meal. it's the one time in my life i'm disorganized. ;)
2. pet peeves:
-food: that all tomato sauces either have chunks of tomatoes or onions in them :(
-kitchen: when things take too long to bake! i want them NOW!
-restaurant: poor service, long waits, when what you order isn't as good as you'd hoped
have fun at nikki's wedding this weekend! xoxo.
I think I prefer the balanced meal but I usually end up throwing stuff together based on my "mood". I guess this isn't a good thing since it's more mentally satisfying than physically satisfying. I'll have to work on that : P My pet peeve at restaurants is when they forget to give me place settings!!
ReplyDeleteI saw this recipe in Cooking Light and bookmarked it too...Glad to hear it's yummy!
ReplyDeleteI definitely prefer balanced meals, but I don't worry if a few meals here and there don't contain certain food groups...That's what snacks are for!
Biggest restaurant pet peeve: LOOOONG waits...I end up eating the entire bread basket when it takes two hours for the food to arrive at the table. :-p
I grew up on balanced meals but since I stopped eating meat I've been leaning more towards big mixtures of stuff on a plate. It usually does contain a grain, protein, and veggie though!
ReplyDeletePet peeve at restaurants: the waiters not refilling your water glass through the entire meal!
I used to date a chef who used to say that you can tell how clean the kitchen is by seeing how clean the bathroom is.
ReplyDeleteHe said that if they didn't have time to clean the bathroom they certainly weren't cleaning the food-prep area!
Now everytime I go to a new restaurant, I check out their potty!!
You had me with the title of this post! Drool!
ReplyDeleteI'm a zoner. So my meals never really have a starch. My carbs are typically veggies and fruits. And as for pet peeves...grilling food to death, and dry chicken. Sometimes these things go hand in hand. Your veggie dish looks delish!! I love oven baked veggies!
ReplyDeleteMmmmm....looks like a great meal! I prefer to have at least a protein and veggies and sometimes throw rice, potatoes or pasta in there as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd weddings are so much fun--have a fabulous time!!
This looks so delicious!!! AND I LOVE THE BLOG LAYOUT!! I have been gone for so long :(. I like balanced meals but often tend to throw together big messy dishes with a base of lettuce and a little bit of everything in my fridge. I think those messy dishes are fine sometimes but often I think I eat more and random things and am never quite satisfied the way a real dinner makes me feel.
ReplyDeleteMy meals never have a meat, because I'm a vegetarian :) But I do try to include a protein source, produce and a healthy fat at every meal!! And I get SUPER peeved when my recipes don't turn out the way I'd hoped- I'm a perfectionist, and I have high expectations for my culinary concoctions!
ReplyDeletewow that chicken look like it came out perfectly!! to me, a meal just has to be half veggies (except for breakfast). Meat is not required, but enjoyed :)
ReplyDeleteWell Well Well, someones been busy blogging! The new layout is beautiful and your recent blogs are brilliant! I am a throw it on a plate kind of girl. I do try and have my dinner with protein AND veggies but sometimes a good PBJ works best.
ReplyDelete