Spaghetti Squash... it is coming into season!

It is with great joy and fanfare that I would like to announce that the season of spaghetti squash is finally upon us. This early in the season, the squash are still small, but they are delicious, and ready to be consumed.

Many people do not know what a spaghetti squash is, and are mystified by how to prepare it. Well, let me tell you: it is one of the easiest, most tasty foods to make. Someone that is completely inept in the kitchen will have no problem making this delicious vegetable. The taste is pleasantly mild, and slightly nutty. Most people who do not like acorn squash or delicata squash will like this (my daughter is quite the fan of this vegetable and DETESTS other squashes).

Preparation is simple and pretty fool-proof. Wash the outside of the squash, and pierce it with a fork about ten times, evenly over the whole squash. Put it in the microwave on high for approximately 10 minutes (until the outside is soft to the touch). Let cool to the touch, and when cool, cut it in half and remove the seeds (there are not a lot of seeds in these things, so cleaning them out is a snap). Then, scoop out the squash until you get to the rind. Clean, clean, clean that squash out until it is completely bare. I choose to drizzle a tiny bit of spaghetti squash for taste.

Toppings for the spaghetti squash can be anything you'd top pasta with. I often make a quick meal by throwing numerous different veggies in a pan with a bit of olive oil (green pepper, Vidalia onions, button mushrooms, etc) and sauteing them to a perfect crispness. I will add them to a good spaghetti sauce (love Muir Glen varieties) and topping it all off with some parmesan cheese.

Bon appetit!

Tomato and Mozzarella Salad... taste of summer!

I love when tomatoes are in season, as they are now. The whole family loves them, and thinks the more the merrier... so, I make tomato and mozzarella salad fairly often. It never lasts for long, and I frequently get complaints that I didn't make enough. The salad is a simple one, that doesn't require terribly specific amounts of ingredients, and can be made to taste. This is what I use in mine:

8 firm roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 pound of soft mozzarella (I like the mozzarella balls packed in water)
Ken's Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
A handful of minced fresh basil
Fresh Cracked Pepper to taste

I use enough dressing to **lightly** coat the ingredients, and add the pepper when it is being served. Such a simple recipe, so healthy, and we can all eat it for every meal.

The best snackfood ever...

I have been posting recipes for the most part, but I really want to share other foodie stuff, including prepared food that are exceptional. One of those such foods I've found are Blue Diamond Jalapeno Smokehouse Almonds. They come in snack packs, as well as tins (as pictured on the right). More and more research has come out about almonds and how they are truly a superfood. I've been trying to work them into our diets on a more regular basis, and these almonds are a VERY easy way to do so. The smoke flavor tastes natural, and is not overpowering. The Jalapeno flavor adds heat, but it is not too intense. In many foods, I have found that the heat overpowers the taste of the 'real' food (in this case, the almonds), this almonds are a delicious exception. A few almonds are satisfying and filling. The whole family loves them, including my 4 year old!

Italian Soup...

I am a really big fan of all kinds of homemade soups and stews. I think that they are chock-full of good-for-you stuff that can be quite delicious and satisfying. I frequently make soups/stews... probably a pot every week. They are a big hit with everyone in the family, especially my children. Here is the latest creation I came up with... it was absolutely divine, and the kids and husband were BEGGING for more. I made enough for dinner, lunch the following day, as well as a large container to freeze. The best part is, it is extremely wallet-friendly...

Italian Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

1 6 lb can of whole peeled tomatoes with basil (I got mine from Costco)
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 large white onions, chopped
2 large green peppers, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
Freshly ground Sea Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Combine all of the above ingredients in a crock-pot and cook on low for 8 hours. The tomatoes will soften and break up on their own. About a half hour before done cooking, add pre-cooked meatballs to soup, as desired. I added about 25 warm Armour meatballs. I also added 16 oz. can garbanzo beans. When warmed through, I sprinkled with parmesan cheese, to taste.

On the second day, when I rewarmed the soup for lunch, I added about 1/4 cup chicken broth to each bowl, because the soup had thickened overnight considerably.

This would also be GREAT with 1 10 oz package of drained (and warmed) spinach added along with the meatballs and garbanzo beans. Added to soups and sauces, spinach adds a wealth of nutrients, barely changes the taste, and little change is made to the texture...

This is a power-packed meal that is hearty and loved by everyone. The best part is, it is EASY to make.

Sweet potatoes... not just for holidays!

I made a recipe from the Sonoma Diet Cookbook that was fabulous. They've titled it "Sweet Potato and Cranberry Bake" and it takes sweet potatoes to a new level. It pairs sweet potatoes with some unconventional ingredients like dijon mustard and olive oil. I prepared it with what I had in the cupboard, so I tweaked the recipe and it was delightful... Here is my version:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
   
2. Mix the following: 3 tablespoons Gulden's dijon mustard, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 1 tsp salt, fresh ground pepper to taste (I was liberal with it).
   
3. Toss with 2 1/2 pounds skinned sweet potatoes that have been cut into 2 inch cubes.
   
4. Mix in 1 cup Craisins.
5. Bake covered for an hour and a half.

Although the mustard seems unusual, and sweet pototoes are thought to be best friends with butter, this version is a delight to your tastebuds.

Grey Dog Coffee. they have the best sandwich ever!

I went to Grey Dog Coffee with some old friends today. It is located in the West Village (NYC), and they have an extensive coffee menu, as well as food menu. I'd eyed the menu online before we went, and found a sandwich I knew I had to try. The #7 is a sandwich made on your choice of bread (I chose olive bread), with thinly sliced granny smith apples, brie, and raspberry mustard. You can also include turkey on it, but I told them I didn't want the turkey.... This sandwich was UNBELIEVABLE. I had plenty of leftovers, and gladly took it back to the hotel. My husband, who lacks a 'foodie' gene and prefers meat and potatoes also agreed on the superiority of this sandwich. The bread was thick with a hint of olive in the flour. The crisp apples added sweetness, brie added smoothness, and paired with the raspberry mustard, wow... That mustard had Dijon in it, so it had a bit of heat, that was easily tempered by the sweetness of the berries. What a combination. I'll be making these sandwiches at home...

Trying something new...

I am a foodie that has been earnestly brushing up on her cooking creativity. I love delicious foods and textures and have been trying to learn new things in the kitchen. Some things though, SCARE me, and I have decided to get out of my comfort zone and tackle those things that make me uncomfortable.

The first thing, is the avocado. Now, I am quite the lover of a good avocado and I have even made a decent guacamole in my day. But, I have been loathe to branch out with this delicious fruit and add it into my daily cooking. I eat it "out" all of the time, and the softness and depth of flavor is what makes my mouth sing. It definetely adds oomph to recipes and I am determined to add that same oomph to MY recipes. So, last night, while at Meijer, I purchased 3 avocados. I will be using them all over the next few days, and NONE of them will be used in a guacamole dip.

To familiarize myself with the fruit, tonight I am making nachos with fresh sliced avocado. I think tomorrow I'll make some eggs with it... slowly but surely, nothing is going to scare me in the kitchen!

Breakfast for lunch...

As an intermediate foodie, I sometimes have to remind myself that there are no rules when it comes to food. No rules against pairing food combinations together, how we must prepare a type of food, or when we should eat said food. After a treacherous car accident today, I was pretty shaken up when I got home. I laid down and relaxed for a bit, but pretty soon, it was time for lunch and I had a family begging to be nourished. Since my husband works from home, he is lucky enough to partake of my foodie cooking all day long. I also feel a natural desire to make meals special on a regular basis since I know a tasty meal shows him how much I appreciate all he does for our family.

So today, in the spirit of ease and of tastiness, I decided to make some hearty breakfast foods for lunch. I thought it would warm everyone's tummy and soothe our stress from the events that took place earlier in the day. Kind of a 'new start.'

So, I made simple foods: Fried Eggs, Refrigerated Canned Biscuits, and paired them with a new favorite, Aidell's Maple and Sweet Potato Sausage Links. They come fully cooked, so they are a snap to prepare and the flavor is amazing. The maple adds a sweet flavor you expect in breafast sausage, and the sweet potato continues the sweetness in an unexpected way. My husband and the girls devoured their sausage first, and I'll be honest, so did I. There's a recipe on the back of the package for some soup that you can make with them, that sounds just fantastic. I'll probably try that next week, and I'll post the results.

A chocolate a day....

I have this new 'routine' I have for the start to my day... Everyday when I wake up, I have a mug of one of my favorite hot teas (I have a lot of different ones, but am super in LOVE with Stash Lemon Ginger, Bigelow Vanilla Chai, and Tazo Green Ginger). After my mug of tea, I have one piece of chocolate. Not a 'cheap' piece of chocolate... I eat the good stuff: Ghirardelli, Lindor, Toblerone, Starbucks, Choxie, Guylain. Anything with corn syrup is not allowed. It might be a truffle, or a piece of 'tasting chocolate' or a smidge of a candy bar... I savor the chocolate, let it melt in my mouth and enjoy the variations in flavor. It starts my day with something 'sweet' and I do believe it 'sets the tone' for the day. And, the perfect start makes the cravings I used to have for sweets, much less existent.

New overpriced drink that is deliciously wonderful...

I've had it a couple times and I'll admit it is because I am a sucker for Earl Grey tea (a black tea that is flavored with oil from the bergamot orange's rind)... Starbucks has these new Tea Lattes, and they have one called London Fog that has a base of Earl Grey tea. It is frothed with 2% milk and vanilla syrup. It has a full-bodied, slightly sweet flavor that warms your tastebuds and soul as you drink it.

Tonight, I originally ordered the Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte this evening and the barista asked me if I knew it was not caffeinated. I did not, and considering I had a lot to get done tonight, I opted to go back to the London Fog because it was such a good experience the first time I'd tried it. I was not disappointed.

I am more of a 'regular coffee' Starbucks drinker, simply because the cost for a 'special' coffee or tea is more than I like to spend, but I've had some free drink certificates and some Starbucks gift cards that I've used to splurge with. And on a 'special occasion' I'll dress up my drink. And if I do, I'll definetely go back to the London Fog Tea Latte.

Great way to start my day....

This morning, my 5-year old, Elisabeth got up and woke me up complaining of flu-like symptoms. She had a fever, tummy-ache, and general body aches... so a little Motrin and a lot of love... would get her on the road to recovery. "Mommy, can you make me some soft food?" and I immediately knew what to make. I made a different variation of this for Christmas brunch and the everyone loved it... Spiced Pears. It is super simple to make, and warming to the soul. The recipe I made today was as follows:

2 cans sliced pears in lite syrup (Drain syrup from one can, and leave syrup in second can)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions: Place pears and remaining syrup in saucepan and heat on medium high until syrup begins to boil. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract and pumpkin pie spice and let boil for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. I gave the pears (warm) to the girls with some Stoneyfield Farms Organic Vanilla Yogurt and they devoured it. On Christmas I used honey instead of brown sugar and omitted the vanilla extract I also added a tablespoon of butter. I chilled them afterwards and served them cold, as a side dish to the rest of the brunch we had.

Such a simple thing, and Elisabeth swears she feels better. I know it is placebo, but those pears always warm me up when I eat them.