I learned to make this dish many years ago. I love serving it with grilled chicken, with pasta or just by itself. It makes a great diet dish! You can eat it either hot or cold.

Ratatouille

1 eggplant - diced
salt
olive oil
1 large onion
2 - 3 garlic cloves - minced
1/2 green pepper
2 zucchini - diced
2 yellow squash - diced
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 - 2 tablespoons basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Dice the eggplant and place in a strainer. Sprinkle with salt and leave in sink to drain for 20 minutes. Blot with paper towels to remove the moisture that formed on the eggplant. The salting helps to rid the eggplant of bitterness that sometimes comes from the seeds in it.

Add oil to pan and stir in garlic and onions. After the onions have turned translucent stir in the eggplant and green peppers. Add the tomatoes, water and spices. Cook for 10 minutes or until the eggplant begins to soften.

Add the zucchini and summer squash. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the wine vinegar and sugar. Cook for a few more minutes and taste to adjust seasoning.

Today I decided to make some ratatouille so while at the grocery store I picked up a couple cans of tomatoes. By mistake instead of the petite chopped tomatoes I grabbed a couple of chili ready tomatoes with seasonings already in the tomatoes. When I realized I had the wrong tomatoes I decided to create a Mexican soup. I had a couple of of grilled chicken breasts left over from last nights dinner and I had also bought at the store a bag of frozen Seasoned Corn and Black Beans made by PictSweet at the grocery store. The result was absolutely delicious and quick. It took about 25 minutes to cook. If you like the soup at Moe’s you’ll love this recipe.

Mary Ellen’s Southwestern Mexican Soup

2 14.5 ounce cans chili ready diced tomatoes
2 cups water
1 clove garlic - crushed
1/2 of a small onion - diced
salt to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon paste

Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add:

2 grilled chicken breasts - chopped up
1 14 ounce bag Seasoned Corn and Black Beans by Pictsweet

Cook for another 10 minutes. Add:

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Stir in and add 1 can evaporated milk - I used no fat

Add:

1 tablespoon flour that is mixed with a little water to thicken

Cook another 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve.

This is on the spicy side so if you don’t want it real spicy I would just use regular tomatoes.