½ loaf French, Italian or Sourdough Bread, cut into 2-inch square slices
3 fresh, diced tomatoes
1 clove garlic, peeled
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh, snipped (or chopped) basil
½ cup chopped green pepper
1 medium-sized zucchini, sliced
1 medium-sized summer squash, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups corn kernels
Toasted bread crumbs and/or Parmesan cheese to garnish*
Instructions
In a blender or food processor, combine the tomatoes, garlic, salt, onions and olive oil. Blend until smooth. Stir the fresh basil into the sauce by hand. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss the vegetables, including the green pepper, zucchini and summer squash. Season with pepper.
Arrange the bread slices (overlapping) in the bottom of a 4 to 5-quart slow cooker and layer half the zucchini vegetable mixture on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon about one quarter of the tomato sauce on top of the vegetables and spread that with half the corn. Season with salt and pepper.
Repeat the layer.
Top the whole thing with the remaining tomato sauce.
Put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low until vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 hours. When ready to serve, garnish with toasted bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese if desired.