I have been busy making some new dishes.  What I haven’t been busy doing is posting them on here.  Well, that is changing today.

Right now, as I type, I am eating left over Ratatouille that I made the other night.  It was (and still is) delicious.  This was the first time we had ever had this French dish.  My husband and I loved it, one of the girls liked it and the other….well, she is not a fan of eggplant, so she ate it, but I think she would be happy if I never made it again.  That isn’t going to happen though.  I loved it.

So, here is my version of

Ratatouille

• 2 T. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 eggplant, cut into ½ inch cubes
• salt to taste
• fresh basil, oregano, parsley, and rosemary, chopped
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 1 large onion, sliced into rings
• 2 C. sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 or 2 T. dried bell pepper
• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. (175º C.). Coat bottom and sides of a 1 ½ quart casserole dish with 1 T. olive oil.
2. Heat remaining oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Sauté garlic and onion until lightly browned.  Mix in fresh herbs.  Just use as much or as little as you want.  Yes, it’s vague.  I know, but it’s a personal taste thing.  Add eggplant and dried bell pepper.  Sauté until eggplant is soft, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt to taste.
3. Spread eggplant mixture evenly across bottom of prepared casserole dish.  Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of Parmesan cheese.  Spread zucchini in an even layer over top.  Lightly salt and sprinkle with a little more cheese.  Continue layering in this fashion, with mushrooms and then tomatoes, covering each layer with a sprinkling of salt and cheese.
4. Bake for 45 minutes.