Simple Baked Spaghetti Squash

I kept seeing recipes for spaghetti squash on Pinterest, and really wanted to try it, especially after I had it as a side with a seafood entree last time David and I went out to dinner at Pappadeux's. I'm always hesitant to try a new food, knowing full well my hubby won't go near it with a 10 foot pole.

Yes...it's true. My husband eats many different things, but will not eat any kind of winter squash. No buttternut, acorn, or pumpkin squash ever crosses his lips (except for pumpkin pie). I made this Carrot Apple Ginger Soup and he didn't like it...even though it has NO squash in it! So yeah...I've given up. :-( 

Anyways...we recently have cut out a lot of carbs in our diet. Not completely, but David and I definitely don't reach for chips, crackers, or bread anymore. I try to serve more veggies or fruit instead. I haven't really pushed the kids in this direction, If I tried to take every bit of carbs out of their diet, I would have 5 very unhappy kids. And while I'd be perfectly happy having mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes, and quinoa instead of pasta...my whole family would be up in arms...and this momma ain't got time for that! Right? 

My sweet Rebecca and I are the only ones who will eat spaghetti squash...and I guess I will keep trying to get the rest of the kids to try in. Meanwhile, that just means more for the two of us. ;-) 

Simple Baked Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash, wiped clean if necessary

2-4 tablespoons butter (I like 4 :-) ) 

2-4 cloves minced garlic 

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1-2 teaspoons fresh herbs (I used thyme, but you can use basil or another herb of choice)

salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

You can bake the squash 2 different ways. A) Cut the squash in half. Season with the salt and pepper. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. A knife inserted in the flesh should go in easily without any resistance. B). Leave the squash whole (my preferred method). Use a small, sharp knife and stab (yep...stab) the squash at least 6 times, You need to do this or you will have a squash explosion in the oven...and let's not even imagine what a mess that would be. Bake the squash at 375 for one hour. If you push on the rind and it doesn't give at all, let it bake an additional 15 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 to 30 minutes. If you're short on time, just go ahead and cut it in half with a big knife. Just be careful...it's going to be very hot and steamy! 

Once you cut it open, scrap out the seeds and any pulp that clings to the seeds. 

Now comes the fun part! Take a fork and scrap out the flesh. It will fall apart into strings, that look amazingly like spaghetti. See? 

Keep going until you have both sides scraped out. Now, you could serve this as is, with a little salt and pepper. But I like to add some more flavor. 

Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Melt the butter, then add the spaghetti squash. Stir it around a few times to evenly coat with the butter. We're not cooking it any more, just adding some seasonings. Now toss in the thyme (or herb of choice), garlic, and parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve immediately, with a fish fillet, pork chops, hanger steak...anything! It's the perfect substitute for pasta. After I made this the first time, I made a bolognesesauce and baked another spaghetti squash to go with it. It was delicious...at least, Rebecca and I fought over the leftovers. I did make regular pasta for everyone else. :-) 

We got our first hint of fall last week here in southwest TX by way of a "cool" front, meaning we had 2 days of highs in the upper 80's and lows in the upper 60's, plus lower humidity. I'm sure any Yankee reading this is laughing their heads off. But fall means winter vegetables are on their way, and you should be able to find spaghetti squash easily in your grocery store. Buy one, bake it, and serve it up...you won't regret it. 

God bless your table tonight! 

Finally, A New Recipe and an Answered Prayer

Hello!  I'm so sorry it's been forever since I posted.  My hard drive on my laptop crashed just after Christmas.  So we found an old drive and limped along for a little bit.  My hubby was so busy at work he just didn't have time to get it up to 100%.  Then that old drive crashed...WTH?!  Luckily the original drive was still under the 1 year warranty.  I know, I know, it didn't even last a year...what is UP with that anyway DELL!? 

So...we sent the corrupt drive off, and finally got the new one last week.  My techie spouse worked for hours to get my laptop set up again, so now I can finally blog again.  I could have gone upstairs and used the kids' computer, but loading pics from their old CPU is not fun...that's all I'm going to say. 

And...David was laid off for the second time the first week of June.  Good news...he as a contract job for 4 days/week. Please pray it will become a permanent position! It will take a year recoup financially, especially since our first round of unemployment in 2013 lasted 6 months. Thank you! 

Now, on to a NEW RECIPE! I'm sorry it's been SO LONG. I also started working 2 days a week last year and well...between that, homeschooling, and five kids...I honestly needed to sleep more than I needed to blog, although I missed cooking and posting recipes dearly. 

Over the summer, we harvested some beautiful beets from the garden.  I've had beet greens in salads plenty of times, but I confess, (gasp!) I've never cooked beets before.  Of course, I didn't dream of wasting them, so I polled my Facebook friends to get ideas.  I made a yummy Roasted Beet Salad...

and borscht!  I had borscht when I was younger, but didn't like it.  Thank goodness taste buds do grow up.  I made a big batch, and didn't regret it one bit.  I used fresh dill from the garden too...amazing!  There's a few more beets ready to pull from the vegetable bed...I can't wait to make another batch.  Best of all, borscht is meant to be served cold...perfect for a refreshing, healthy, summer lunch.

Borscht

 (adapted from Weight Watchers)

4 cups chicken broth

3 cups water

5-6 fresh beets, scrubbed clean and finely diced/shredded

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 cups finely shredded red cabbage

3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped (plus more for garnish)

2 teaspoons lemon zest

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

In a large stockpot, bring the chicken stock, water, beets, scallions, and brown sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer (covered) for 15 minutes. Add the cabbage and dill. Continue to cook (covered) until the beets and cabbage are completely soft. 

Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Leave the soup chunky or pureed in a blender (or use an immersion blender). My borscht was a little chunky but that was fine with me. Pour the soup into a nonreactive container (glass or plastic) and chill for 2-4 hours. 

Serve in pretty bowls with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of fresh dill. Isn't it pretty? I hope you can make this and enjoy it where ever you are. It's still hotter than heck here in Houston, so a cold soup really cools us down on a scorching hot day! 

God bless your table tonight! 

Greek Shrimp and Couscous

I cannot take credit for this dish.  I got my new issue of Food Network Magazine earlier this week, and flipped through it leisurely while sipping a glass of wine that night. 

Not really...I read it quickly while the girls were folding laundry and Theresa was napping.  Yeah...that sounds more realistic, doesn't it? ;-)

But I came across this recipe, and thought it would be perfect for Fridays during Lent.  So...all my fellow Catholic foodies...take note.  This ones's a keeper!

I only took pics of the finished dish.  I wish I had more...but I honestly just can't manage these days.  Theresa just turned 2, and the child wants to be held all the time!  I think I will just super-glue her to my hip!  

Here's the link to the recipe:  

Greek Shrimp and Couscous

And here's the finished dish.  Looks delicious, doesn't it?  

Happy Lent everyone, and God bless your table tonight!  

Cinnamon Cranberry Almond Granola

About 8 weeks ago, a dear friend of mine, Amy had her 7th baby (nope, not a typo!), so of course I made her a HUGE pan of baked penne to hopefully feed her crew for a few days.  Last time our mom's group had a bake sale, I made up a few containers of granola, and was told they sold like hotcakes.  Amy bought some herself and jokingly said,

"Can I put my order in for some of that amazing granola when I have the baby?"  

Well of course you can...I aim to please.  Postpartum mothers deserve special treatment! ;-)

So I made not one, but 3 batches of granola, because I knew if I didn't make enough for us at home, my Rebecca would never forgive me.  Well...she would...eventually.  But I honestly wanted plenty for myself too...it's perfect over plain, Greek yogurt.  Trust me...it really is. 

Cinnamon Cranberry Almond Granola

1/4 cup olive oil

1/3 cup honey

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

3 cups old-fashioned, rolled oats (not the instant kind!)

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup sliced almonds

1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil, and lightly grease with non-stick cooking spray.

In a small pot, combine with olive oil, honey, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon over low heat.  Stir occasionally until all the sugar has dissolved.  It can bubble a bit around the edges, but don't let it boil.  Turn off the heat and set aside. 

Now in a large bowl, combine the oats, cranberries, almonds, and coconut.  

Carefully pour the sugar mixture over the oats mixture, and immediately toss...toss, and toss some more, until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated. 

Spread the granola out in a fairly even onto the prepared baking sheets.  Make sure to divide it as evenly as you can...otherwise it won't bake up properly. 

Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes, then rotate and switch the pans out (from top to bottom and front to back).  Again...this helps it bake evenly.  Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Ovens can vary temperature wise...so be sure to watch it the last 10 minutes or so...you don't want it too dark or burnt (dark coconut is quite bitter!). 

Let cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then peel it off the foil...it may come away in big pieces.  Just break it up with your hands as you pull it away. 

Serve alone with milk, or sprinkle a generous portion over plain yogurt.  It's also yummy over frozen yogurt or ice cream.  Just sayin'. ;-)

David and Rebecca eat this stuff straight out of the container...it was gone in less than a week.  I may have to quadruple the recipe next time!  

Happy crunching, and God bless your table tonight!

Kale Chips

David has been busy this weekend, tearing out the old, winter plants from the garden, tilling the soil, and planting new vegetables for the spring.  I told not to touch the 3 huge kale plants until yesterday, because I wanted to make some kale chips.  

I'd made one batch of kale chips a few weeks ago, but I didn't take any pictures...it was late when I finished, and my lighting would have been terrible.  This time, I had plenty of good light, and lots of time to take good pictures so you all could see for yourself.  

Kale chips have been growing in popularity lately.  They're easy to make, healthy, and kids love them.  Not all my kids like them, but Rebecca and Theresa can't get enough of them!  David ate up the whole first batch I made in less than 2 days.  So I made sure to make 5 batches this time! 

Kale Chips

1-2 large bunches of kale

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt to taste

Brown sugar (about 1/4 cup total)

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. 

Wash and dry the kale leaves.  It's very important to dry the leaves thoroughly.  Otherwise, the kale will steam in the oven instead of crisping up into chips.  

Can you believe this kale that came out of our backyard?  It covered half of the kitchen island!

Pull the green leafy sides away from the rib in the middle of each leaf.  It will take a bit of time, but I've found the tough, middle rib doesn't bake up well in the oven, so it's best to remove it. 

Now tear the leafy parts into bite-sized pieces.  Continue until you have a bowlful.  

In the bowl, toss the kale with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Be careful not to use too much.  Start with a tablespoon of oil, and add a bit more if necessary.  The leaves should be lightly coated with oil and not saturated.  

Spread the kale pieces out on 2 baking sheets lined with aluminum foil.  They shouldn't be overlapping by much...try to keep them in a single layer.  This will ensure each piece bakes up properly.  (Don't be like me.  The first time, I didn't use foil, and even though I spraying the baking sheets with cooking spray, some of the chips stuck, and they couldn't be salvaged.  Trust me, use some foil, parchment, or silpat sheets!)

Sprinkle each piece with a bit of salt and brown sugar.  You will love the salty-sweet taste in the end!

Bake the kale at 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the chips are dry and crispy.  It might take a bit less time in your oven (mind were done in 18 minutes), so watch the first batch carefully.  

Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container.  The chips will keep for about a week...but I seriously doubt they will last that long!  

I was lucky to have so much kale to use up from the garden.  You may not find much for kale at the grocery store now, since it's a cold weather vegetable.  Nevertheless, I hope you get a chance to make these chips before it gets hot and summery!  

Happy snacking, and God bless your table tonight! 

Roasted Fennel with Tomatoes and Chickpeas (and a bonus "recipe")

I saw this recipe on Aarti Sequeira's blog, and immediately bookmarked it for Lent.  I loved the combination of ingredients, and it looked a cinch to prepare.  

I was right.  Just a few swishes with my big knife, 8 ingredients,and 45 minutes...I had a pot of healthy, roasted vegetables, perfect for a cold, rainy night, especially since the weather thwarted my attempt to walk 2x around the lake. :-)  Ah well.  Still, I really loved this dish.  And...it's healthy too!

And...a bonus for you...here's what I made for David's lunch yesterday.  Remember when I told ya'll I was trying to make sure he had lunch to take to work every day?  I haven't been 100% successful, but I'm doing fairly well.  I went to the store, and bought a pound of 21-25 shrimp, and made David a nice salad.  I put the poached shrimp on a bed of freshly harvested lettuce from the garden, added in some lemon, tomato, and a container of cocktail sauce.  That's how he eats shrimp...he'll dip 'em all up first, and then eat the rest of the meal like a salad. ;-)

Anyways...here's the recipe I promised you first.  If you're not sure about the strong, licorice-like taste of raw fennel...have no fear.  A aggressive roasting in the oven mellows this root vegetable into sublime submissiveness...and you'll just be amazed, I promise!

Roasted Fennel with Tomatoes and Chickpeas 

adapted from aartipaarit

1/3 cup olive oil

2 large or 3 medium fennel bulbs, washed well (save the fronds!)

5 large roma tomatoes (or 2 pints grape/cherry tomatoes, left whole)

salt and black pepper to taste

Pinch of red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 lemon

Crusty, toasted bread (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425. 

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, oven-proof skillet.  I used my big, trusty, Dutch oven, since I didn't have anything else...it worked great.  *You cannot use a non-stick skillet for this recipe, because the coating isn't safe to go into the oven.  A well-seasoned, cast iron skillet is fine, but keep in mind the tomatoes will draw some iron into the dish...not the worst thing in the world, but it may alter the taste of your finished dish.  I decided to play it safe.

Trim the tops of the fennel, but keep the root end intact.  Cut each bulb into quarters (mine were pretty big, so I cut them into sixths).  Chop up a handful of the fennel fronds and set aside. 

When the oil is hot, lay in the fennel, and let them sit for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on both sides.  

Cut the roma tomatoes into quarters, and add to the pot.  Gently stir once or twice.  Season with salt and pepper, and then place the pot into the oven for 30 minutes.   

Now is a good time to grill/toast up some crusty bread, brushed with a bit of olive oil.  

After 30 minutes, throw in the chickpeas, red pepper flakes, and cumin.  Stir very gently one more time, taking care not to break up the tomatoes too much.  

Put back in the oven for 5 more minutes (honestly, I just finished it on the stove :-). 

Zest the lemon, and squeeze the juice out.  When the pot comes back out of the oven, add in the juice and zest, the reserved fennel fronds, and a bit more salt if you'd like.  

Once again, I forgot to take a picture of the finished dish...baby tugging on my leg...you know how that goes...thanks for understanding. ;-)

Serve immediately in bowls to take advantage of the delicious tomato juices.  I highly recommend some grilled bread to sop up those juices, they're SO GOOD.  

Ah...this was delicious...I know it doesn't look impressive, but simple homey food tastes the best, don't you agree?  

So there's not one, but 2 ideas for you for a meatless Friday.  God bless your table tonight!

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup

Like most people, I am trying to lose weight this year.  I put on a couple over the holidays (who doesn't right?), and I still want to shed 10-12 pounds from my last pregnancy.  I lost 10 pounds last fall, but fell off the wagon a little after my husband started to work late in the evenings and I wasn't able to get out and exercise.  

So now, I'm back on track.  I'm walking 1.5 miles 3 times a week (hoping to increase that gradually), and lifting weights to get rid of those "bat wings" under my arms.  I really want to lose these last few pounds...not because I have to, but because I know I should, and in the long run, I'll be healthier for it.   

So, I'm trying to make healthy meals for a while.  I'm actually doing double duty.  My hubby is trying to lose weight too.  His father had a major heart attack last month, and I think it was a bit of a wake-up call for him.  So I'm cooking 2 meals every few days...one for us to eat at home, and one for David to take to work for lunch.  He really likes hot meals (no cold sandwiches!), and I'm hoping I can send him with tasty leftovers as much as possible. 

The funny thing is, David doesn't like this soup.  He hates anything that tastes even remotely like winter squash, and he said this soup tastes like squash to him.  I think it tastes likes carrots.  (I made pork roast and turkey sausage for him instead).  But you'll have to be the judge.  It's easy to make, only takes a few ingredients, and you can have 2 bowls of it without feeling one bit guilty!  

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 small (or 1 medium) apple, chopped
5 cups carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
salt and black pepper to taste


In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the onions and carrots for about 5 minutes.  

 Add the garlic and ginger and let it go for another 5 minutes.  

Now toss in the apples and cook for another 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  

Pour in the vegetable/chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Once it's boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer, and let the soup gently bubble for 25-30 minutes or until the carrots are tender.  

Puree the soup in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender to blend the soup right in the pot.  Still don't have one?  I told you to ask for one for Christmas! ;-)  (The soup will be smoother if you use a blender, and a bit chunkier if you use the immersion blender).

Taste and adjust the seasonings.  Add a pinch or two of nutmeg (freshly ground is divine, but ground nutmeg is just fine!).  I also added about 1/4 cup of cream (it was in the fridge and needed to be used up.  By all means you can leave it out).  
Serve garnished with a sprig of parsley.  This freezes beautifully for 3 months.  Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.  

I've been eating this soup every day for almost a week now, and haven't gotten tired of it yet.  Theresa has had some as well...and she loves it!  Every time I heat up a bowl, she crawls into the kitchen and won't stop fussing until I give her some.  Silly baby girl. :-)

I hope this is a recipe you can use to kick-start your weight loss goals for the new year. 

God bless your table tonight!