Ratatouille

Delicious warm or cold. I eat this cold in the summer and warm in the fall. Good for you, too!

Ingredients:
4 tomatoes, peeled and sliced (OK, I often skip the peel part)
3 smallish zucchini, unpeeled and sliced
1 medium size eggplant, peeled and diced
2 green peppers, trimmed and sliced
2 onions, sliced
2 (or more) cloves garlic, chopped fine
3/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
thyme
lemon

First prepare all of the vegetables and garlic. Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil in a large pan (I use a Dutch oven) over high heat. Add the onions and brown lightly. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until slightly softened. Add the tomatoes and crush them with a wooden spoon; cook about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini, green peppers and garlic; mix well.

Season with salt and pepper; add about1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or to taste.

Cook over high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently. Then, cook, uncovered, over low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally. It should have the texture of a chunky tomato sauce.

Pour into a covered dish and refrigerate 10 to 12 hours. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice and more olive oil if desired.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Cranberry Walnut Scones

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 Tbs. sugar
2 tsps. baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg, seperated
2 tsps. sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.

In large bowl, combine flour, 2 Tbs sugar, baking power, nutmeg, baking soda and salt; mix well. With pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cranberries and walnuts.

In small bowl, combine buttermilk and egg yolk. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead lightly 12 times. Divide dough in half; place on cookie sheet; pat each half into 6-inch circle. Cut each into 6 wedges but do not separate.

In small bowl, slightly beat egg white; brush over top of scones. Sprinkle with 2 tsps sugar.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown Cool 10 minutes, Serve warm.

BBQ Ribs

I made these over the Fourth 2011.

Rub:
2 TBs cumin
2 TBS brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tsps red pepper
2 TBs salt
2 TBs black pepper
1/2 tsp onion power
1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 racks St. Louis style ribs

Remove the skin on the back of the ribs.

Rub ribs on both sides and cover with plastic wrap. Marinate in refrigerator 2 to 8 hours or overnight. Remove ribs from frig 30 minutes to 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place ribs in shallow pan (I covered the pan with parchment paper for easier clean up). Cover with foil, making a tent so the foil does not touch the ribs. Bake for 1 hour.

Remove the foil. Bake 1 hour.

Cover the ribs with your favorite barbecue sauce. Bake for 1 to 1-1/2 hours more.

So the total cooking time is 3 to 3-1/2 hours.