My Version of:Lydia Bastianich Eggplant and Turkey meatballs

Happy Saturday Morning Everyone,
Way down here in South Georgia it is already very hot at 4am! Yes, up very early this morning....as the "old folks" use to say, "I am down in the back"! Now, I don't know if that is just a southern slang or if that phrase is used everywhere, but my back is out! From a bad wreck years ago, to several falls, I have suffered from herniated disc in the cervical and lumbar region of my back.....okay, enough of that....let me tell you about this awesome and easy recipe. 
I love watching Lydia on her cooking show....she seems so down home in an "Italian way" and watching her the other day she cooked this great recipe. So, my version is prepared this way...I put about 1/4 cup of olive oil in bottom of frying pan and then diced up a large onions....salt and pepper added and then covered the pan. I peeled a medium to large eggplant and diced it and added to pan. I then put a spoonful of fresh garlic, and added oregano, and other spices. Now at this point, let me say that Lydia had added yellow squash and zucchini, but, I didn't have any.

I let the eggplant and onions stew down, then i added 1 can of diced and stewed tomatoes....also, let me say, i should have added another can and that would have made more liquid in the sauce. As, you will see in one of the pics, once I added the meatballs, there wasn't much sauce. Now, on to the meatballs....easy peasy....1lb of ground turkey....3/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs, 1 egg, and some Italian seasoning to taste. You do not cook the meatballs before placing them in eggplant mixture.....after the sauce has cooked down some you then add the meatballs and cover. They will cook slowly in the sauce and be so tender....now, for pics:

 This was served over fettuccine noodles and was delicious! This recipe was actually very easy to make and I shared with 2 of my neighbors and they loved it....so, give it a try!
Blessings,
Deborah