The Interest of Pinterest

These days, if Husband sees me scrolling through my phone for more than 10 minutes, he doesn't even bother to ask.  He knows I'm on Pinterest.

I only really started with the Pinterest addiction when they came out with the mobile app, which I immediately downloaded and haven't really stopped using since.  You can find everything on there!!

So, when I made an amazing meal last night, I thought to myself, I should share this with the masses, a la Pinterest. How many more times can I say Pinterest in this post...?

Kinda Sorta Ratatouille Soup

So, I had an extra eggplant.  And I figured, ratatouille would be a good way to use it.  Never having made it before, I gathered the following ingredients:

Squash
Zucchini
Potatoes
Eggplant (already had it)
Chicken stock
Herbs de Provence
Center cut bacon

Now, I know traditional ratatouille is a vegetarian dish.  I did not marry a vegetarian, however.
I peeled the eggplant (the skin is tough and bitter, no thank you) and cubed it.
Sliced the squash and zucchini, quartering as needed to be about the same size as the eggplant cubes.
Let the bacon do its thing in the pan.  I took it out, leaving the fat (because it's center cut, it's much meatier and has less fatty, yay) and drained on paper towels, later cutting it up into smaller pieces and adding it into the stew.  All the veg get sauteed in the bacony goodness, with the Herbs de Provence and some chicken stock.  This was where I put it in the crock pot and also where I added the secret ingredient:

Ready to eat Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato soup in a box.
Let me explain.  I love tomatoes, but I hate the seeds and the skin, and sometimes canned tomatoes taste really flat to me.  This way, I killed two birds with one stone, not having to roast the red peppers myself, either.  I used the whole box.

On my way home from work, I was thinking about how big the chunks of veggies are, even cut down, and wondering how one would fit all the flavors on the spoon, as I like to do.  The answer came in the form of my immersion blender.

Once the soup has been in the crock pot for about 3 hours on high, BLEND UNTIL SMOOTH!!!  It makes an amazingly creamy, savory soup.  I topped with a sprinkle of cheese and a crumble of bacon, and baked potato on the side (which I broke up and ate in the soup).  Husband and I consumed and adored.  It's definitely going into my Arsenal of Awesome Meals to Make, and a crock pot one, at that.

I didn't take pictures because, well, it was late and it's a pureed soup (not the prettiest), and also there's no "Taste Here" option on the blog, so pictures wouldn't really help.  But for real.  This is delicious, easy, filling, and get this:

155 calories a serving.  YUM.

Let me know if you try it and also love it =)

Happy soup-ing and lots of love,
Bianca