1/4 lb. Italian sausage

6 slices bacon

1 medium onion or 3 shallots, diced

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 cup olive oil

1 medium eggplant, peeled, 1-inch dice

1/2 jar Classico Italian sausage pasta sauce

2-3 medium tomatoes, 1/2-inch dice

4-6 white mushrooms, large dice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon fennel seed

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Fry Italian sausage thoroughly, set aside, small dice when cooled.

Fry bacon until crisp, remove to cool then crumble into pieces. In the remaining bacon grease saute onion or shallots, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic for additional 30 seconds to one minute, remove from heat and drain.

In a large pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and rapidly stir to infuse oil into eggplant. (If necessary, add more olive oil to pan.) Reduce heat to medium and continue to "stir-fry" the eggplant and oil for 2-3 minutes. Add sausage, pasta sauce, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion and garlic, and seasonings. Bring to bubbling then top with bacon pieces and Parmesan cheese. Simmer for 25 minutes, serve.

Notebook...

Preparing Italian sausage for this recipe is made easier if you freeze, then dice the sausage while frozen. The cubes brown faster and more evenly than when cooking the whole sausage.

Remember, fresh herbs will make this (and any) dish better tasting. Just triple the measurement of the dried herb when using fresh.