Kathy's ratatouille "recipe" or prep instructions

[Clipper]

Kit asked me to post this after I posted about Kathy making a batch of ratatouille the other day. She doesn't always include the same vegetables but it always is a wide variety and very nutritious.

She made it the other day with a surplus of tomatoes from the garden that were ripening faster than we could use them. She roasted green bell peppers and red sweet peppers in the air fryer oven, peeled them and cut them in bite size pieces. She sprays a casserole with olive oil spray, then she puts a bit of olive oil in a skillet and adds a couple cloves of fresh minced garlic. When the garlic started to brown she added fresh parsley and thick sliced or diced zucchini. When it is softened she layers it in the bottom of the casserole, then she added a couple of cups of sliced fresh button mushrooms in the next layer, then the summer squash, followed by the roasted peppers and sliced or chopped fresh tomatoes. She sprinkles each layer with freshly grated parmesan cheese as she builds it in the casserole. When she has all the layer in, she puts one more good layer of parm on top and puts it in the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes. If you like it a little bit spicy, you can add a little bit of red pepper flakes when you are cooking the garlic or you can sprinkle a little bit on the tomato layer.

Sometimes she starts the first layer with egg plant that is cooked with the garlic and parsley but this time she didn't have an eggplant. My favorite ingredients are lots of roasted peppers and plenty of mushrooms.

[BHU]

That looks delicious. I'll have to try that. But I'll need some fresh parsley as the rabbits cleaned me out in the garden.

[Deleted]

I layer mine up with first onions, then garlic, then celery, then zucchini, then small potatoes and then Italian flat green beans then a lot of basil then I pour a small can or two of tomato sauce and enough water to just reach the top of all the veggies. Salt and pepper. Cover then bring to boil reduce and simmer till done.

[Clipper]

It sounds great PB. I will have to have her add some Italian style flat green beans the next time she makes it. I love them. I am not crazy about other green beans but the flat ones in a can I like done with a little garlic and some bacon or diced ham.

Just about any recipe that uses a wide variety of fresh seasonal vegetables is good. When my kids were young and still at home, we used to have lots of BIG zukes that were too big to just slice and fry so we would peel them, seed them, and dice them up with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and celery and cook it up like a soup. The kids loved it and ate it like a soup with crackers. Even the one that hardly like any veggies loved the stuff.

[Clipper]

Aug 27, 2020 18:57:34 GMT -5 BHU said:

That looks delicious. I'll have to try that. But I'll need some fresh parsley as the rabbits cleaned me out in the garden.

We have our backyard fenced for the dog, but last year the rabbits were still getting into the garden. This year, on the advice of a friend, I surrounded the garden with the orange vinyl safety fencing that comes in 100 foot long by 4 foot high rolls from Lowes. I guess it is used on construction sites and work areas. I didn't drive any serious posts. I just used the tobacco stakes (tomato stakes) every 8 feet, and tied the fencing to the stakes with zip ties from Harbor Freight. Used tobacco stakes are available on internet marketplace sites every spring. They are hardwood inch or inch and a half stakes about 4 feet long. I I cut the fencing in half and used 2 foot high sections and have plenty left over. Using the wooden stakes I can simply pull the stakes, roll up the fencing so I can till the area and use it from year to year. The roll cost me about 30 bucks and the tobacco stakes were 50 for $10.

www.uline.com/Product/Detail/S-14713G/Traffic-Safety/Safety-Fence-Standard-4-x-100-Green?pricode=WB3138&utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=pla&utm_term=S-14713G&utm_campaign=Safety%2BSupplies&utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=pla&utm_term=S-14713G&utm_campaign=Safety%2BSupplies&msclkid=77c564ba170e15ffd8273bf2e1ea9fd0&gclid=CMeor-HxvesCFdCZgQodiHwGNg&gclsrc=ds

So far, no critters or damage to the garden and it keeps the curious dog from wandering into the garden, getting her feet muddy, and bringing it back into the house.

(I plan to use some of that to fence along 10 or 12 foot section of the seeded area between the house and driveway where they dug for the sewer line replacement. When my neighbor comes over he has a habit of cutting across that section of lawn instead of walking up the driveway.) For 30 bucks I will get a lot of use out of that cheap vinyl for many years to come.

[kit]

Some very good ideas. Thanks, guys. Ratatouille is very nutritious and individual preferences make each one delicious. Summer is the best time to make it with a multitude of fresh, local vegetables here in upstate NY. I'm looking forward to visiting the Farmers Market on Saturday.

[Clipper]

I love the stuff. I like ANY combo of fresh vegetables, especially when they are in season locally and can be bought fresh from the farm. I like them steamed, quickly stir fried in a pan with a couple tbsp. of olive oil, or roasted in the air fryer oven. One night last week I cooked fresh carrots, fresh parsnips, cut into sticks, and some brussels sprouts (halved). I spritz the veggies with an olive oil cooking spray, put them on the racks and cook them at 350 until they reach the desire doneness. Sometimes when I do cauliflower, broccoli florets or brussels sprouts I toss them in little bit a bottled Teriyaki sauce for extra flavor.

[dicklaurey]

....and now, moving from healthy food to comfort food: We have had to put off the yearly, family bbq for three weeks now due to the virus and work schedules, but, tomorrow is the big day. All are strictly committed to face masks and social distancing, but, there will be water balloons, bean bag tossing, and, catching up on family chatter. Same menu as most years- 9 racks of baby backs (pork ribs, of course), a token healthy salad, potato salad, bbq'd baked beans, corn on the cob, hot (hopefully) corn bread with some jalapeno pieces mixed in, various cold drinks, and cake/ice cream in honor of those celebrating birthdays around that time. (How's that for a run-on sentence.) I am experimenting with different rubs and sauces on the ribs this year. I hope that they don't bomb out! It should be a quality time, it usually is, but, as we are all aware, this year is different, for many reasons. Everyone helps with cleanup, so, that makes things easier on our tired, old bones! Hope that all you out there in Clipperland stay safe and healthy, and, enjoy the rest of the summer.

[Clipper]

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend. The barbecue sounds awesome Dick. We have Kathy's nephew and his girlfriend here for a week, and it is a real joy to have family visit since we had to cancel our NY vacation in July. We will probably cook out a couple of times this week. They brought Italian sausage and kielbasa from Meelan's Mkt in Clark Mills. We had spaghetti with sausage and meatballs for supper tonight. He also brought us two packages of venison steaks and a quart of real maple syrup.

[kit]

To back up a little, last night my neighbor Jan made her ratatouille with fresh zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, onions, and cherry tomatoes and it was delicious. She always puts in some hot Italian sausage which we both love. She's made it twice so far and I'm sure she's going to make it at least once more before the snow flies.