Baked Ratatouille Gratin

In Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child asserts that, "A really good ratatouille is not one of the quicker dishes to make..."  Whether Julia would consider this version to be a "really good ratatouille" concerns me not.  We love it and it is not only quick to make, but rather simple as well.  We serve it with pasta and a nice crusty loaf of bread.  I'll give Julia's version a try someday, when I have more time.

Spinach and Fresh Basil Risotto

This dish was a gift, pure and simple.  We had moved to Florida, didn't know a soul, and the kids across the street who came to play with my kids soon drew me into a friendship with their mom.  The kind of friendship where, at 4 pm on any given weekday, I could wander into her kitchen, lift the lids to the pots on the stove, and find out what was for dinner.  I often went home with either the recipe or the simple directions to make the same myself in the following days.  For my birthday that year Janet gave me a copy of the cookbook from which most of her inspiration came.  She handed it to me after we had boarded up our windows and joined her family to take shelter for our very first hurricane party, (for hurricane Floyd, which missed us but went on to "party"all over North Carolina).  We shared some memorable meals and heartfelt conversations around the kitchen table.  Though our friendship lasted only as long as we lived there, it was a dear, blessed time, and I think of Janet every time I stir up this marvelous risotto.

This is a high-maintenance dish to make, with constant stirring and the extreme need to be served immediately.  Don’t begin until everyone is ready to sit down and eat, and be sure to have someone standing ready to take over the stirring for a spell if needed. 

All hands on deck- this is worth the effort!

Rhubarb Bread

Here's a favorite that I've been making longer than I've had most of my children.  As a matter of fact, this may have been the first way I ever used rhubarb.  It doesn't grow in Texas, but when I moved to Pennsylvania as a young wife and mom I discovered that this mystery vegetable (?) grows in almost every backyard there.  Now that I love rhubarb, had some in my own backyard, and almost took it for granted, I have moved back to Texas where it costs almost $8 a pound if you can find it in the produce department.  I'm posting this, therefore, for my loved ones who still lives where it grows in abundance.  Never take rhubarb for granted!

*Make this the day before you intend to enjoy it; sitting for a day allows the flavors to fully meld together and sweeten the rhubarb.

Foolproof Rice

Since I've posted a recipe requiring rice on the side I may as well post the recipe which I now use, after years of trial and error, to cook rice. Several years ago I was given the great big Gourmet Magazine cookbook and I'm not ashamed to say that this is the recipe to which it falls open.  It's not rocket-science, but when the simple dish doesn't come out right it can spoil the whole meal.