you know those simple meals....

I ate a good meal. 
Roast Beef, Ratatouille, and home made light wheat and cornmeal bread.....
You know, one of those "wow, so simple, so everyday, but I'm happy to be eating this" meals..
Sat down with my family, and enjoyed food that we cooked as a family.   happy moments.
Thank goodness for the crockpot and the breadmaker.   Cooking without thinking.  or work. really, the good part was the no work - especially with 2 young kidlets.  gotta love it! 

Here're a couple of extremely simple recipes that made our evening.  Maybe they'll make yours!

Ratatouille
From Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes volume 2  (a gift from a neighbour)

1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tbsp olive oil or cooking oil
1 tbsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp dried basil, crushed, or 1 tbsp snipped fresh basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 medium tomatoes, peelied and coarsely chopped
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 small eggplant, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)

In a 3 1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker combine onions, tomato paste, olive oil, sugar, garlic, dried basil (if using), salt, thyme, and pepper.  Add tomatoes, zucchini, and eggplant.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.  Stir in fresh basil (if using).  Stir before serving.  Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature with bread slices.


light wheat and cornmeal bread
From Easy Bread Machine Baking by Shirley Ann Holmes

1.5 lb loaf (2 lb loaf in parentheses)

1 1/4 (1 1/2) cups water
1 (2) tbsp vegetable oil, margarine or butter
3/4 (1) tsp salt
3 tbsp (1/4 cup) brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 (2) cups white flour (in canada use all purpose or bread flour; in the US use bread flour)
1(1 1/3) cups whole-wheat flour
1/2(3/4) cup cornmeal
1 1/4(1 1/2) cup bread-machine or instant yeast

add all ingredients to machine according to manufacturer's directions.  select whole-wheat cycle or basic white cycle.

see - i told u it was no work.  yay technology.  (sometimes)