RATATOUILLE

1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil
2 cups cubed peeled eggplant
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 cup peeled or chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green sweet pepper
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 1/2 tespons snipped fresh basil
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is tender. Stir in the vegetables, wine, basil and 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat, simmer, covered. 20 minutes or until tender. Uncover, cook 5 to 10 mnutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 servings.


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We prepared this for a small get-together with two of our neighbors. I went to our local high-end grocery store for the freshest zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant and green pepper. There is quite a bit of chopping and peeling and cutting, so I did this with lots of jazz in the background. Give yourself lots of time so that you can cut the vegetables neatly and uniformly. I split the recipe in half and prepared one for the vegetarians among us, and for the carnivores, I cut thickly sliced bacon and sauteed this before adding the onions and garlic.

Best eaten over steamed white rice! After our little dinner, I set aside some of the vegetarian ratatouille for me and then combined the rest for great next day leftovers either cold or re-heated!

BUTTERMILK PIE

Ingredients

Mix together:
3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 sticks of margarine

In a separate bowl mix:
6 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

Pour the liquid over the sugar/margarine/flour mixture. Mix well.

Pour into two unbaked pie shells.

Bake at 325 F for 1 hour.

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This is B’s mother’s recipe, otherwise known as ‘The Country Place Buttermilk Pie.’ I know it as one of the reasons I knew that I was going to marry B. The last time I ate this pie was when I was still eating sugary things. I don’t eat anything sugary anymore, but the memory is so strong that I can still remember the flavors from two decades ago: sweet upon sweet upon sweet.

I baked three buttermilk pies for Andrew's 17th birthday simply because this was his third 17th birthday celebration. Everyone was tired of cake. The pies drew rave reviews. Add white Blue Bell ice cream on top and everyone, especially Andrew, asked for thirds. Success!! I'm not going to try this one myself - instead I cut up a fresh nectarine into sections and enjoy my own mouthful of sweetness.

Andrew's 19 year old brother Benton inadvertently poured buttermilk on his Rice Chex and deemed it highly unacceptable.

Moral of that story: Buttermilk NEVER replaces milk in your cereal bowl.