Ratatouille

Debbie’s Mom’s recipe

1 1/2 cups eggplants, peeled and diced
1/2 cup onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced
1 16 oz. can tomatoes, stewed
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 (7 3/4 oz.) can mushrooms
dash pepper

Place eggplant, onion, garlic and oil in a 2 quart casserole. Cook in microwave oven 5 minutes.
Cut peppers into 1/2 strips. Mix peppers and zucchini with eggplant mixture.
Add seasonings to tomatoes. Mix with vegetables. Cook in microwave oven 8-10 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

*You can use vegetable soup in place of tomatoes and cut corn off the cob and add to the casserole.

Potato Surimi Casserole

1 package au gratin potatoes
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 eggs, large
1 8 oz. can corn, creamed
1/2 pound Surimi seafood, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 scallion tops, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 450. Prepare potatoes in 8x8x2″ baking dish. follow package directions for milk and butter. Bake for only 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, in bowl, combine eggs, corn, surimi, flour, scallions, salt, nutmeg and cayenne. Pour over potatoes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350. Bake until set, 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into 6 squares.

6 Servings

Pot Roast Style Steak with Tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sirloin or lean steak of choice, all visible fat removed, cut into serving-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
Black pepper to taste
Pinch of salt

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sear the steaks until desired doneness, about 10 minutes for rare. Transfer the meat to a serving platter and cover with foil or a lid to keep warm. Set aside.
Add the garlic to the skillet and sauti over low heat until golden, about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn it. Add the rest of the ingredients except the meat. Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes are tender but still have texture, about 5 minutes. Return the meat to the skillet, along with any juices, and cook gently for a few minutes to combine flavors.
Transfer meat and sauce to the platter and serve immediately.
Cook’s Tip: Keep in mind that the meat will continue to cook slightly both when covered on the platter and when returned to the sauce. If you like your steak on the pink side, you might want to undercook it a bit to ensure desired doneness.

Pork, Chicken and Potato Stew in Peanut Sauce

1-1/2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
5-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
8 small purple Peruvian or red potatoes (about 1 pound), quartered
1 large onion, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 boxes (10 ounces each) frozen corn, thawed
1-1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle in adobo
1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Rinse pork and pat dry; season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Add pork, in 3 batches, and cook, turning, until golden brown, about 6 minutes per batch (adding oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed). Transfer, as cooked, with a slotted spoon to a bowl, leaving fat in pot.
Rinse chicken and pat dry; season with salt and pepper. Add 1-1/2 tablespoons oil to fat in pot and heat over moderately high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to bowl with pork. Add potatoes, onion and garlic to pot; cook over moderately high heat until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth, corn, adobo sauce and peanut butter. Return pork and chicken to pot with any drippings and push into liquid. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, meat is cooked through and potatoes are fork-tender, 35 minutes; salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, ladle stew into bowls and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

6 Servings

Pork Fried Rice

2 cups pork tenderloin, cooked, diced
2 cups rice, cooked
1/2 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup scallion tops, sliced
1/4 cup frozen peas
2 eggs
dash soy sauce
dash sesame oil
dash ginger
1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet. add 2 cups each of diced pork and rice, carrots, peas and scallions. Stir fry until hot. Add 2 beaten eggs and remaining ingredients.

Stir until eggs are set.

4 Servings