Thursday, August 2, 2012

Turkey Ratatouille

Ratatouille originated in the area around present day Occitan Provença (French: Provence) and Niça (French: Nice). The French touiller means to toss food. - Wikipedia

Although one of my favorite animated movies is Ratatouille, its not why I cooked this! I was in the mood to eat something really healthy with lots of vegetables and lean protein. I started browsing various online recipes and I found one for ratatouille. It seemed like Divine Intervention! Below is a little variation of my own recipe.

There is much debate on how to make a traditional ratatouille. One method is to simply sauté all of the vegetables together, which is what I did here. Some cooks, including Julia Child, insist on a layering approach, then baked in an oven. This recipe calls for the vegetable cubed, although you can do slices also. I think its a great summer dish because there's so much fresh vegetables involved. But at the same time. its also hearty. It is almost a stew - packed with flavor! Its so easy, you have to try it!

Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutess

INGREDIENTS

3/4 pound turkey breast tenderloin, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 pound ground turkey 
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Red pepper flakes (I like a lot)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups stir-fry bell peppers and onions
1 small eggplant cubed (2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, cubed (1 cup)
1 large potato, cubed (1 cup)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Handful of fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

Sprinkle turkey with pepper.
Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook turkey chunks in oil 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Saute ground turkey meat. Break it up when cooked.
Stir in stir-fry vegetables. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggplant and zucchini. Cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Season with red pepper flakes.
Stir in tomatoes; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is desired consistency.  Sprinkle each serving with cheese and parsley.



Bon Appétit!

- Sandy




Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Happy 4th of July! I'm going to Canada!

Flights to Europe were a little too expensive at the last minute on a holiday weekend. So to celebrate America's Independence Day... I'm going to Canada! On July 4th, Ill possibly be on a boat getting soaked under Niagara Falls. Then in the evening, I'll definitely be at the waterfalls, which will be illuminated and watching the fireworks. Then going through Toronto and will try to stand on the glass floors of the CN Tower. The rest of the trip will be wandering around old Montreal, getting lost in the city and soaking in the French culture. I'm nostalgic about Paris so I'm definitely looking forward to immersing myself among the French!  Happy 4th! 

1) NIAGARA FALLS

 

 



STOP 2) TORONTO



3) MONTREAL




 

Friday, June 29, 2012

Venice Day 2 - Last day in Italy!

Last day in Italy... Bittersweet. 


Got a good view of the city from the bell tower, enjoyed Italy's annual Carnival festivals in every city. The food and people were incredible! I'm glad this long trip is ending in Venice because it really is a magical city! Ended the trip with a gondola ride at dusk, which Ill post later. But I could definitely come back and sit by the water a little more but its time to go! Will definitely be coming back to Italy, but on the Amalfi Coast in the spring/summer. 












 




 GOOD BYE VENICE!  UNTIL NEXT TIME! 
 Love Sandy

Island of Burano [ Color & Lace ]

A hop, skip, and jump away is the island of Burano. There aren't enough words to describe how beautiful and unique this island is, so I will just let the photos speak for themselves. This is an island famous for its colorful buildings and its lace. Its so beautiful and unique and you simply cannot be in a bad mood on this island because its so happy and colorful! I absolutely love the photos of this island. This is a stop you can't miss! 



























Friday, June 22, 2012

Murano, Italy [ Island of Glass-making ]

The Hotel Ai Mori D'Oriente in Venice offered a complimentary taxi service to the nearby island of Murano. This island is the home of famous Murano or Venetian glass. Through the hotel, I was able to get a  private demonstration of how glass is made and it was fascinating. The glass-maker was so talented and was able to make a whale and a case in a matter of minutes!  After the tour, you walk through a glass museum and can purchase some of the most beautiful intricate glass pieces you can imagine. If you're visiting Venice, look into the tours offered by the island. 


The Taxis are so fancy in Venice - they're little mini luxury boats!

  
The glass making process - blow into the metal pipe, and then mold the glass with pliers


Bake in Oven and repeat the molding 


 So much pride

The finished glass product is so hot that when a paper touches it, it instantly ignites in flames.

Also serves as a lighter for cigarettes

Murano glass animals

Cherries

Murano Glassware

 
Its cold out! 

Murano Glass Art on the Island