RAT-A-TAT-TOOEY

In the hot days of summer, ratatouille is the perfect vehicle for all those bountiful farm fresh vegetables – eggplant, yellow and green squash, onions, peppers, garlic, as well as tomatoes. Oooh, don’t forget the mushrooms…This does require a fair amount of stovetop cooking, but you can do it in advance and serve it cold, which is absolutely sensational!

Jump to Sue’s Ratatouille

I have a distinct way of making ratatouille, which I think brings out the best in all the vegetables. I use two different pans. First, I get the chopped onions softening in a largish (8 quart) stockpot, while I sauté each kind of vegetable separately in a nonstick pan. As they're finished, I add them to the onions. I add a hit of garlic and as little oil as possible (maybe 1 1/2 teaspoons) to each vegetable and I season as I go.

 

To minimize the amount of oil, here's a trick:

Frozen Yogurt Bark Isn't Just For Babies

 

I first became familiar with yogurt bark through a baby I know. It’s a cool treat for all those baby-led weaning kids, but it’s great for anyone else too!

It’s basically a spread-out bed of yogurt topped with fruit and anything else you can think of and then frozen. For babies? Use just fruit. For non-babies? The sky’s the limit! The biggest challenge is to find a baking sheet that will fit in your freezer, but once you’ve done that, it’s smooth sailing.

Jump to Non-Baby Frozen Yogurt Bark

I started with 2 cups of 5% Greek yogurt. The first time you make it, PLEASE don’t use non-fat yogurt. Experience it being really good, before you strip away the flavor and rich feel that the 5% yogurt gives it. (My baby friend actually uses 10% Greek yogurt, which I couldn’t bring myself to do…) Also – and don't do this for babies - I stirred in some honey AND drizzled more over the final product just before freezing.

Sloppy Joe’s and Fun Things To Go On Top Plus No More Hacking (not the computer kind)

 

You might need an indoor recipe to go along with your July 4th barbecue. Maybe your grill will be full of other things or there’s a toxic haze over your backyard…whatever it is, this is a great addition to any barbecue or really any summer dinner. This is a recipe I first came across EONS AGO in the cookbook that came with my very first microwave. (I think from the 1980’s.😱)

Jump to Sloppy Joe's 

You can play with the recipe. Add additional spices or some sriracha. Use ground turkey or even smashed black beans (2 cups) for a meat-free option.