Obsessed about Ratatouille

Did anyone NOT want to taste Ratatouille after watching the Disney Pixar Movie by the same name?

Well, my obsession actually increased after I tasted some baked Ratatouille that my good friend, Trina, made the other day. It was my first time trying that dish and I love it!

She finally sent it to me (two days after I tried it)via email and I plan on making it soon! I'll let you know how it goes and I'll take a picture... (But before I share this yummy recipe, I just want to thank Rachelle for letting me in on her vision of cooking healthy food for the family - a skill I am excited to cultivate. I can't wait to try out her delicious pesto sauce.)

Trina shared a few wise words of advice about this dish, "Keep in mind that this makes A LOT so use a very large skillet or stockpot for cooking the vegetables, and a large baking dish for when it goes in the broiler. And invite someone to dinner, or take part of it to someone. Seriously. We're still eating the leftovers from last week. We're getting sick of it, but that's a ton of expensive vegetables that would go to waste. The thing that takes the longest is the chopping. Once everything was cooking, it went pretty fast. Let me know if you have any questions - enjoy!!"

Chop up the following ingredients:
1 medium onion (small dice)
1 garlic clove
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 medium eggplant
2 zucchini (thin slices)
6 to 8 potatoes in bite-size pieces

Start cooking the onion, garlic, and bell peppers in a large pan. Mix in 2 14-oz cans of chopped tomatoes (do not drain, add the juice too), 1 can tomato paste, salt and pepper, and the following herbs: parsley, thyme, oregano, savory. There aren't really measurements for the herbs - use how much you normally would when you make other things. Cook this COVERED for 5 minutes, stir, cook covered for another 5 minutes.

Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook for another 10 minutes, this time UNcovered, until the vegetables are all soft the way you like them. Shorten the time a little if you like them more firm.

While the first vegetables are cooking covered, boil the potatoes separately until they are soft, then drain them.

Once everything is cooked, put the mixed vegetables in a big flat baking dish. Put the potatoes in a layer on top, then put cheese over the top.

Put under the broiler for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

If you want, you can add chives over the very top after it comes out of the broiler.