Ratatouille

I hate zucchini. But everyone's gardens always have a plethora of zucchini this time of year so I inevtiably end up with some. And there is only so much zucchini chocolate cake you can make (a recipe I promise to publish). So to use up my least favorite vegetable, I make ratatouille, adapted from the Joy of Cooking cookbook. The end result is delicious and the only way to eat any type of squash, including eggplant.

The Joy of Cooking cookbook is a must for everyone's kitchen. There is literally a recipe for everything in it. Come across a turtle you need to cook up? This cookbook will tell you how to find the tastiest turtle meet and how to cook it. Using canned turtle? The cookbook will tell you how to adapt your recipe. Even exotic foods like breadfruit are in this cookbook.

Ratatouille 

Ingredients

• 1 medium or large zucchini (or squash or eggplant) sliced. 
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 green peppers, sliced.
• 2 large onions. 
• 5 or 6 tomatoes sliced
• 1 sprig of rosemary.

Instructions

1. Slice the onions and cook with the garlic in 1/3 cup olive oil.
2. Layer everything, salting and peppering each layer. Start with the zucchini slices in the bottom a roaster. Top with a layer of onions. Then a layer of green peppers. Finally, layer the tomatoes on top. Add the rosemary and drizzle with olive oil
3. Cook for 40 minutes, covered in an oven at 350. Uncover and cook 20 minutes more. 
4. Serve. We eat ours sometimes with sour cream.

Beet Borscht

Beet Borscht (beet soup) is a delicious vegetarian soup that my Ukrainian grandmother used to make. Today I am making it using all fresh garden vegetables. Everything, even the garlic, is from the garden(with the exception of the canned tomatoes and beef broth). It is a great recipe because it is so versatile. Don't have peas? Don't use them. Have celery? Throw that in too. The trick is to use lots of beets and lots of dill and the rest sorts itself out.

As a pro tip, beets will stain your kitchen a lovely shade of pink. And your hands. And your wooden spoon. And the handle on the fridge. And your tea towel. So wear an apron and gloves and watch that you don't recolor everything.

Beet Borscht

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup diced potato
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 cup peas
• 1 diced onion
• 2 cups diced beets (about ten small beets)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 4 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups broth
• Sour cream

Instructions

1. Add all the vegetables and garlic to the soup pot with a little oil. Cook until the onions are clear and everything is died pink, about ten minutes. 
2. Add the broth and dill. Bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes.
3. Garnish with sour cream and serve.

Spinach and Cheese Frittata

Frittata is basically a quiche with potato. It is easy to make. I am a huge fan of meals that you cook in a single pan, so this is a favorite of mine.

Spinach and Cheese Frittata

Ingredients

• 2 large potatoes, thinly sliced
• one onion, diced
• one package frozen spinach, thawed
• 6 eggs
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 cup cheese
• salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Using a large skillet, fry the potato and onion with a little bit of oil for ten minutes until the potatoes are soft
2. Add the spinach and cook a little longer
3. Beat the eggs and milk together
4. Add the egg mixture to the skillet. Sprinkle with cheese
5. Cook for ten minutes or until the center is firm.