Well, today is the big day. The older brother headed to Spain early this morning with Big Cousin and Papa.
I shared a little bit last week how traveling abroad, so far, was going to be difficult for me; however, something great happened last night. Last night, when Big Brother and I were packing his clothes and fixing his backpack full of his most precious essentials, God gave me peace. He eliminated my worries and made me fully aware that he loves my son more than I ever will. Man, that allowed me to seriously send him away, cheerfully. In the midst of that overwhelming peace, we prayed together and then began to talk about all the wonderful things he was going to experience with his grandmother and dad. I asked him what he was most excited to see in Spain. He said, “My grandmother.” I started crying.
He loves my mommy very much and it’s the same kind of feeling I had for my own grandmother Isabel. In a way, this journey means as much to me as it does to him. You see, my grandmother passed away from breast cancer when I was 7 or 8 years old. I never had the opportunity to make those trips abroad to spend my summers with her: depend on her, pray with her, go to the beaches, cook, eat and laugh with her. I have dreamed of what those times might have been like. What she would have taught me, memories we could have created. It is ok. I know where she is spending her eternity and I know I will see her one more time, but for now, my son can make those memories with his grandmother and I am so blessed by that, so happy that she has those precious moments to keep with him, forever.
So, earlier this week I asked Big Brother what special meal we could make together before his departure. He told me he wanted to make a ratatouille like Remy’s. That’s my boy! Along with Little Brother, we all went off to make one of the most delicious meals we’ve had all summer.
Remy’s
Ratatouille
If you haven’t seen the Disney/Pixar movie Ratatouille, you really need it. It’s the sweetest animated movie about a rat named Remy who can cook. My kids and I love curling up in my bed while watching this movie and I love the message behind the movie that yes, anyone can cook! It has definitely given my kids inspiration to cook in the kitchen.
Remy’s ratatouille is not as different in taste as the Spanish ratatouille I usually make in late summer. Both have a deep, robust flavor of fried tomato sauce; however, unlike my ratatouille, where I simply cut summer vegetables from the garden, Remy was a chef and made his own by cutting the very thin vegetables and arranging them in a beautiful circular pattern. This was the ratatouille that Big Brother wanted to recreate at home.
So together, my kids and I started making a fried tomato sauce full of flavor and depth.
Then I cut a zucchini and eggplant in my food processor and the guys went to fix them so that only the top color of each vegetable shone.
It took a lot of time and patience, but they were Determined.
We were very happy once the last piece was placed. The guys took turns adding some olive oil on top with a pinch of large granule sea salt.
In the oven it was at 350F for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
It may seem like a long time to wait for a humble dish like this, but just as Anton Ego’s eyes widened with the first taste when memories of his childhood They flooded me again, this ratatouille had the same effect on my children. They loved it.
So much so that they not only repeated twice, but three times… every. As I have written here, and here… Involving your children in cooking gets them excited to eat good, real food.
The tomato sauce I used for Remy’s Ratatouille is Jovial’s 18.3oz jar of organic crushed tomatoes. As a reminder, Jovial Foods once again offered My Humble Kitchen readers a 10% PLUS FREE shipping using the online coupon code, HumbleK.
