Lesson that Sally learned from Rachael Ray:
When making a stew with eggplants, add and saute the other veggies first and then put the eggplant on top. This way, the other veggies share the oil and then emit their own liquids to cook the eggplant. If you add the eggplant first, it soaks up all the oil and you end up having to use a lot more oil.
I wish I had known this when I cooked eggplant a few weeks ago… it was like a sponge for oil!
Jane's Lessons Learned 
Please share the eggplant recipe! mmmm!
Gale, this is the recipe Rachael Ray was making, though even she neglects to add this important tip! Maybe to make you watch her show, where she says it out loud? 🙂
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/eggplant-stew-with-honey-and-golden-raisin-polenta-recipe/index.html
I was just sauteing some Japanese eggplant with oil and garlic and eating it with jasmine rice, tofu, and mango pickle, but this tip still would have helped.