More on garlic. And finally... eggplants! Yippee!! - Debbie

Quick and Easy Roasted Garlic
Fellow member Heddi Craft says for 'those of us who can't stand to wait 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours' for their roasted garlic, try this: Break head into cloves (don't peel), toss 'em with oil, spread on an oiled baking sheet. With the cloves separated this way, they only need 10 - 15 minutes in a pre-heated 375 degree oven, and are ready when they feel soft when pressed with the tines of a fork. Cool slightly, then peel (she says it seems to work best if you peel from the bottom of the clove). She says they're perhaps not as caramelized as in the traditional method, but I bet if you just leave 'em in the oven a bit longer you'd get the caramelization.

Ratatouille
Only in Tom's mind does ratatouille contain green beans, but y'know, I think they'd be a perfectly fine addition! Traditional ingredients are eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, summer squash, garlic, onion, and fresh summer herbs, usually (but not limited to) basil. The simplest method involves throwing 'em all in a pot and cooking 'em together in a kind of melange. Some like to cook each ingredient separately and combine them at the end, to preserve each veggie's integrity. Ratatouille also has multitudinous ways of being served, from hot over rice or pasta, or in a bowl with bread, to room temperature, to chilled as an appetizer, to even baked in a savory pie! And all cooks insist the flavor is better on the second day. Given our box ingredients this week, this is how I'd make it: cut up all the above-mentioned veggies. Sauté the onion (and peppers, if we have 'em) in olive oil, adding a few cloves of crushed garlic after that. Add the eggplant, stir and cook a bit to soak up the onion-garlicky-oil. Add plenty of tomatoes, and squash (and those green beans!), maybe a splash of red wine, several chopped basil leaves, maybe some thyme or oregano, and simmer until you like the way it looks and smells. Add salt and pepper to taste, maybe a bit of cayenne if you want some kick. Serve as your mood suits you!