Colorful, Flavorful, Cheesy-ful

Social Sunday

To celebrate Father's Day with my Dad, there was no question as to what we would be making for dinner: STEAK! He is a classic meat-and-potatoes kind of guy. However, we have had a vegetarian in the family for a few years now after my youngest brother, Jared, had a change of heart in regards to eating meat, so my Mom is always coming up with delicious recipes to satisfy Jared's hunger without the meat. This Ravioli Ratatouille is a savory combination of fresh vegetables bursting with flavor and the comfort food appeal of cheesy ravioli. I owe my love of the Farmer's Market to my Mom, and this recipe is full of those fresh ingredients you can only find locally. This vegetarian dish activates multiple senses with how beautiful it looks, appetizing it smells, and delicious it tastes. Jared had this as his main course, but the rest of us all enjoyed nicely sized portions of it as a side. Yum! Thanks for the recipe, Mom, and Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Ravioli Ratatouille

Ingredients
-1 tbsp olive oil
-6 cloves minced garlic
-2 peeled and diced eggplants
-2 chopped zucchini
-1 chopped green bell pepper
-1 14oz can diced tomatoes
-1 tbsp dried basil
-1 tbsp dried parsley
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/8 tsp pepper
-8 oz frozen cheese ravioli
-1 cup shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9"x13" baking dish by spraying with oil.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook garlic until browned.
4. Mix in eggplant and cook for about 8 min.
5. Stir in remaining ingredients except for ravioli and cheese. Allow mixture to come to a boil while stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 min.
6. Cook ravioli per the instructions on the package. Drain and lay on bottom of baking dish.
7. Spread the veggies over the ravioli and sprinkle with cheese.
8. Bake for 20 min so cheese is bubbling.

*This recipe is flexible enough that you can substitute any of your favorite fresh vegetables!
*Because of the cheesy ravioli, the nutrient-packed veggies are easy for picky eaters to eat!
*Substitute your favorite cheese-filled pasta like tortellini if you'd rather!