Eggplant and Mushrooms meet the microwave!

Eggplant and Mushrooms
Meet
The Microwave!

I think I am a good cook. I love to try new recipes. I peruse Epicurious.com and my “new” Fanny Farmer Cookbook ~daily. I am into telling the truth these days so if I were to be totally honest, I must admit to taking short cuts. If there are five steps to a recipe, I’ll try to skip a few.
There are a couple of recipes for which short cuts are not appropriate. My spaghetti sauce with meatballs takes all day. My pound cake takes three bowls and 15 minutes with a hand mixer. These are worth the work.
Ratatouille has been my Achilles Heel. Chopping the eggplant, salting the eggplant, paper toweling the eggplant… I hate all those steps! Just when I have the eggplant under control, I have to then deal with the mushrooms. Do I wash’em? Should I precook ‘em? When I have not taken my time my ratatouille, my family ends up having vegetable soup.
ALL THIS FOR A SIDE DISH??

I was given the BEST advice on Wednesday. Thank you Karen. Cut up the eggplant in to chunks; place them on coffee filters, on a plate. Put the eggplant in the microwave and zap for a good amount of time (12 mins) until they are little pieces of yum.
Mushrooms cook extremely well in the microwave. Put your thickly sliced mushrooms in a microwaveable bowl (no oil or butter needed); cover and cook on HIGH (100% power) for two to three minutes stirring once.
After I zapped the eggplant and mushrooms, I added it to them pan with the onions, garlic and other vegetables. Volia!
Ratatouille that my family ASKS me to serve!