Movie Star Dinner

I don't know if it's because of the movie or not but anytime I mention that I am making ratatouille for dinner, my daughter is thrilled! What's not to be thrilled about? It's a great way to use up and serve a bunch of different veggies that you might have lying around. It requires very little effort and it's pretty healthy. To top off the list, it tastes good!

There are many different variations and methods but my version is quite simple. The especially exciting aspect of the one I made this week was that it featured the lone eggplant that I was able to harvest from our garden this year! I am pretty sure it will be the only one because that plant was small.

Isn't it cute?!

The list of ingredients isn't long and you can easily change it up. Sometimes I don't have eggplant so I just put extra squash or zucchini. If I'm really bored, I'll layer each piece but this last casserole was just tossed together. No one noticed that anything was different so next time I need to kill some time, maybe I'll just read a magazine.

This pan is a 2.75 liter capacity, just so you have an idea.

Ratatouille (much more fun to say if you roll the r and really emphasize the t's. :-D)

*Any combination of 4-5 medium eggplants, zucchinis and squash sliced into medallions.

*One medium sliced onion (or two small), chopped.

Mix them all up coat with a drizzle of olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss in some fresh or dried thyme (about 1.5 tsp) Top it off with homemade breadcrumbs and fresh parmesan cheese. If you want to get the breadcrumbs dark like the picture, give it a spritz of cooking spray.

Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes.

This is optional but sometimes I will heat up a small can of tomato sauce and add a splash of heavy cream. I put a ladle full on a plate and then spoon the ratatouille on top. It makes for a more satisfying main course. My family (2 adults and 1 child) will demolish the entire thing in one sitting.