Summer Vegetable Stew in a slow cooker

I first started making this recipe in college. I was running on the treadmill while watching Food Network and Rachel Ray came on with a total drool worthy Giambotta. I watched the show and then tweaked it to my preferences. One of my room mates was not a very adventurous eater, but absolutely loved this recipe. Back then, I made it in a stock pot, but when I started having kids, I no longer had time to stand in the kitchen for an hour or more supervising a pot.
The cooking times for this recipe will yield al dente vegetables, if you prefer yours softer, cook on high instead of low or increase cooking time.

You'll need:
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
2 onions, diced
2 medium-large red potatoes
1 large eggplant
2 medium zucchini
1 red bell pepper
14.5 oz diced tomatoes
2 C stock*, chicken or vegetable (if you want it vegan)
1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
pinch of pepper (or to taste)

Turn slow cooker on high and place oil, garlic, bay leaf, and onions on bottom.

Chop potatoes and add to slow cooker.

Peel and chop eggplant and add to slow cooker.

Chop zucchini and add to slow cooker.

Remove seeds from pepper, chop, and add to slow cooker.
Do NOT stir.
Reduce heat to low and cook 4 hours.
Stir in the tomatoes and stock.
Continue to cook 1-2 hours or until ready to eat
If you're not ready to eat yet within a few hours, turn the slow cooker to warm.

Serve with a crusty bread.
Enjoy!

*If you're using vegetable stock, make sure it is a flavorful, high quality stock or your stew will require additional seasoning. Most chicken stocks will taste great.

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That wraps up Zucchini week (I ran out of zucchini). For links to the other recipes, check out this week's meal plan here.
This recipe originally appeared on 8/3/12 @ oneincomefamilyliving.blogspot.com. I wrote, edited, and transferred it here.

Baked Ratatouille

 This is not a traditional ratatouille. I was inspired to make this from one of our family favorite movies, but it's really more of a cross between a vegetable tian and ratatouille. I go ahead and call it Ratatouille, because it looks like the dish from the movie and it's close enough.

Ingredients:

1-2 red skinned potatoes
1 medium eggplant, peeled
1 medium zucchini squash
1 medium yellow summer squash
2 C tomato based sauce (whatever your favorite is, but I usually go for one with peppers and garlic)
1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp pepper
grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 F
Thinly slice potato, eggplant, and zucchinis (you'll want approximately the same number of slices for each and they should be about the same thickness- a mandolin slicer works well for this)
Spread the sauce on the bottom of your baking dish.
Place alternating slices in baking dish, sprinkle with spices, and cover with parchment paper.
Bake 45- 60 minutes until potato slices are cooked through.
Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Enjoy!

Handy Hints:
This works best with long narrow vegetables, but, I make do with whatever is available.
To prevent browning, put the slices of potato and eggplant into a bowl of cold water until they go in the baking dish.

Have you been inspired to create something after watching a movie?