Squash for supper; two easy recipes!

It's squash season! They've been everywhere since the beginning of October: Butternut, Acorn, Sweet Dumpling, Spaghetti, etc. Some I use to decorate with, some I have for dinner! Super simple to prepare, and oh-so-good for you! In a four-day period I prepared squash twice, in very different ways. Both were fabulous! First up, a crock pot meal with only 3 ingredients: a large spaghetti squash, a jar of spaghetti sauce and some frozen meatballs.....brilliant!

Crock Pot Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs  

(adapted from www.iwashyoudry.com)

one large spaghetti squash, washed

one jar spaghetti sauce (I used a tomato/basil sauce)

3 cups frozen meatballs (I used a small bag of turkey meatballs)

Cut the squash in half, crosswise, and remove seeds and stringy membranes.  Pour the spaghetti sauce into the crock pot.  I added an additional can of stewed tomatoes, for more sauce. Place the squash, cut sides down, in the crock pot. Place frozen meatballs around the squash, in the sauce.

Cook on low for 5-6 hours, or high for 3-4 hours. Test for doneness by poking squash with a fork; if it goes in easily, it's done.  Use tongs to remove the squash from the crock pot and pull out all the squash "spaghetti" with a fork. Discard the skin. Serve with the sauce and the meatball from the crock pot. Oh my goodness! It was ridiculously good!

A few days later, I decided to eat the acorn squash that's been hanging around for weeks.  

I've had this recipe, found in Real Simple magazine,  for quite some time. It was soooo simple and soooo good!

Parmesan-roasted Acorn Squash  

one large acorn squash, halved, seeded and sliced 3/4-inch thick

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

a "sprinkling" of Thyme, optional

Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and Thyme (optional).  Roast the squash until golden brown and tender, 25-30 minutes.  10 minutes before removing from the oven, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve warm. Yum yum! I was salty and savory! 

BLT Chopped Salad

with Corn, Feta and Avocado

Um, I think the name says it all! I hosted Girls' Night last night, and wanted a hearty "dinner salad".  Lo and behold, on Pinterest :) I found just what I was looking for.  Just a little prep (chopping and such) and quick assembly and you have yourself a savory and healthy meal! I added chopped chicken breasts to amp up the heartiness of the salad, and substituted turkey bacon.  I served it with a super simple dressing and a side of ooey, gooey cheesy bread - mmmmm!

BLT Chopped Salad with Corn, Feta and Avocado 

(adapted from www.howsweeteats.com)

2 cups butter lettuce, chopped

2 cups baby arugula, chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

5-6 strips turkey bacon, fried and crumbled

1 cup sweet corn (I used canned)

one avocado, diced

4 ounces crumbled Feta cheese

2 chicken breasts, grilled and diced

Dressing:

2-3 Tablespoons olive oil

juice of one lime (or 2-3 Tablespoons of lime juice)

salt and pepper to taste

Tear, rip or chop the lettuce and arugula into bite-sized pieces. Combine with tomatoes, corn, avocado and chicken. Gently fold in the bacon and Feta cheese.  Whisk together the dressing and drizzle over the top of the salad.  Toss gently and divide evenly on two plates. Serve!

Tuscan Vegetable Stew

Autumn is upon us, and so is soup-making season! I've had some kind of bronchial virus for the past month, and a batch of hearty veggie soup sounded wonderful! And, I can still get fresh tomatoes and zucchinis at our local Amish produce stand! Anywhoo....this recipe is actually for the Crock Pot, but I was in a hurry to make it and eat it, so I simmered it on the stove top instead. I think it is one of the prettiest soups/stews I've made! And mighty delicious too, especially served with a tasty pepperoni cheese bread! Enjoy!

Tuscan Vegetable Stew 

2 cups chicken broth/stock (I made mine with bouillon)

14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (with juice)

15-ounce can of Cannellini beans, drained

15-ounce can green beans (I used French cut)

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 cup uncooked small shell pasta

dried, minced basil and/or oregano

salt & pepper

grated Parmesan cheese, optional 

Combine chicken broth, tomatoes, beans, zucchini and basil/oregano in a medium stock pot.  Let simmer uncovered for an hour or two, until all veggies are cooked through.  You may need to add some more water. Add the pasta and continue to simmer until pasta is cooked.  Season with salt and pepper (or an "Italian herb blend", as I did) and serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, if you like. 

I just love how "harvest-y" it looks! Yum!

Apple Cinnamon Doughnut Holes

(using a cake pop maker)

Brr! Yesterday's high temperature was 43 degrees; guess fall is officially here now! My daughter has been begging to use the cake pop maker she got for her birthday ages ago, so it seemed like a good day make seasonal treats! The manufacturer's website had tons of recipes you can make from scratch, this one included. I "tweaked" it, and tried to make it a tiny bit healthier by substituting some of our homemade applesauce. These turned out moist and cinnamon-y! Not super sweet either, which is okay! We made two variations, because, if your cake pop maker comes with sticks, you should probably make something on a stick! 

Behold the never-before-used cake pop maker! 

Well, it's been broken in now!

Apple Cinnamon Doughnut Holes  

(adapted from www.thebabycakesshop.com)

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/2 applesauce

Cinnamon Sugar Topping:

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl (I used a whisk). Add vegetable oil, egg and applesauce. Stir until just blended (don't over-mix).  Pour batter into a Ziploc bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze into the cooking reservoirs of a pre-heated cake pop maker (about a Tablespoon of batter).  Bake 4-5 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a doughnut hole comes out clean.  Prepare the cinnamon-sugar topping in a small bowl, and immediately toss hot doughnut holes in the mixture. Serve warm! Try not to eat 6 in a sitting!

I made two dozen of the cinnamon-sugar coated doughnut holes, and then made one dozen "plain".  I let them cool, then inserted sticks and drizzled with a simple glaze made by combining confectioner's sugar and apple cider - they were awesome!

Today's Brilliant Idea; Afterschool Snack Edition

How about THIS for a yummy afterschool snack; chocolate graham crackers with peanut butter sandwiched between them? My five-year-old gave them a thumbs up!

The end of Summer, Football and Munchies...

It's THAT time of year again; time to put away the wading pool, buy school supplies and prepare for some college football action! We usually host a season-opener party, and I'm always on the lookout for something new to try (foodwise)! Behold the Dill Pickle Dip; so trendy and so tasty! And what a great way to use the dill pickles I made earlier in the summer!

Dill Pickle Dip  

(adapted from Foodie with Family)

one 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened to room temperature (I used Neufchatel cheese, cream cheese's skinny cousin)

1 1/2 cups finely chopped dill pickles

1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion

2-4 Tablespoons pickle juice

1 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

In a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese till smooth.  Stir in all of the remaining ingredients until evenly distributed.  Transfer to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving with any pretzel-type snack food. Yum!

Got Tomatoes? Make Italian Tomato Sauce!

In late summer, my garden produces a dozen ripe tomatoes a day (or so it seems). I've already made some lovely Spicy Peach/Tomato Salsa (see 8/29/11 post for recipe), so making a batch of tomato sauce seemed to be the next logical step. I JUST saw this recipe on Pinterest (of course) two days ago, and HAD to try it! I had originally planned to freeze the sauce, but it smelled so good while simmering, that I decided to serve it for dinner instead! No worries, I will have plenty more tomatoes in no time!

Italian Tomato Sauce   

(adapted from www.afamilyfeast.com)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

pinch of red pepper flakes

4 peeled and crushed garlic cloves

1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano (or 1/2 tsp. dried)

1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil (or 1/2 Tbl. dried)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 quarts tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Reggiano cheese

2 Tablespoons butter

In a large heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, on a burner with the heat OFF, pour in olive oil and add red pepper flakes, garlic, most of the oregano and basil (set some aside for adding right before serving), sugar, salt and pepper. Turn ON the burner and slowly bring up to medium hot.  When the garlic starts to cook, stir and heat for five minutes. 

I bought this mezzaluna knife about 10 years ago (after watching one of Nigella Lawson's cooking shows), and it makes finely chopping ingredients a breeze!

Add the tomatoes and heat until boiling, then reduce to a simmer, partially cover, and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes. 

After simmering for your desired amount of time, remove from heat and add the reserved herbs, shredded cheese and pat of butter.  Stir and then serve over pasta. 

And enjoy! Try it, you'll like it!

Chicken Ranch Tacos for Taco Tuesday!

Mmm, such a nice twist on the basic chicken soft taco! A super simple recipe to liven up your next "taco Tuesday"! It is totally kid approved, too! 

Chicken Ranch Tacos

3 cups cooked chicken, cut into pieces
1 package taco seasoning
1/2 cup ranch dressing
taco shells (soft or hard)
lettuce
shredded cheese (I used co-jack)

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add cooked chicken, warming it for a few minutes.  Sprinkle on the entire package of taco seasoning (do not add water!) and heat for 5-7 minutes, until heated through and the seasoning is stuck to the chicken. Add the ranch dressing and heat an additional 2-3 minutes to warm through.  

I made my tacos using the zesty chicken,  shredded lettuce, shredded cheese and a dollop of ranch dressing (in a soft flour taco shell). Yummo!

Summer Shandy Beer Cupcakes, yes you heard right...!

I have been dying to try these ALL summer, but just got around to making them last weekend, when I needed something fun and festive for a 40th birthday party.  Summer Shandy beer is only around during the summer, bummer, so these cupcakes are super special! So moist and lemony, they did NOT disappoint! One disclaimer, the recipe is a bit labor intensive, but totally worth the work! Oh.My.Yum. Try them and see!

Summer Shandy Beer Cupcakes 
(adapted from www.hungrygems.com)

for the cupcakes:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
one egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup Summer Shandy beer (I used Leinenkugels)

for the glaze: 
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup Summer Shandy beer

While cupcakes are baking, whisk together all ingredients. It should be pretty runny. 

for the frosting:
6 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups heavy cream

In a mixer, whip together the cream cheese, zest, juice and sugar until smooth.  Slowly add cream 1/2 cup at a time until it begins to whip up in volume.  When almost stiff, add the confectioners sugar and stir until desired consistency. 

*I must confess, I used a "can" of cream cheese frosting and added lemon juice and lemon zest, whipping with my standing mixer till blended. I let it chill in the refrigerator while I made the cupcakes. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tins with cupcake papers (I ended up with 18 cupcakes).  Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy.  Stir in zest and lemon juice. Mix in egg. Separately, combine flour, baking soda and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two parts, alternating with the beer.  Immediately scoop 2/3 of the way into muffin tins. Bake 17-19 minutes, until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.  Prepare glaze while cupcakes are still baking.  Once they come out of the oven, while still warm, take a fork and poke each cupcake a few times, 3/4 of the way to the bottom.  Gently and slowly spread 2 teaspoons of glaze onto each cupcake top, allowing it to soak in between spoonfuls. Allow to cool completely. 

I put paper towels under my cooling rack to catch the stray glaze...

Frost with frosting when cool.  Store in refrigerator overnight. Enjoy with friends!

Avocado Dips!

Yes, the avocado recipes continue; blame my local supermarket! The yummy dip pictured above is from the Taste of Home website, and one of my girlfriends makes it regularly. It's zesty and quick!

Avocado, Tomato and Feta Dip 

2 avocados, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
3/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
1 Tbl. lemon juice
1 Tbl. red wine vinegar
2 Tbl. fresh chopped parsley (I used one Tablespoon dried)

Combine all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Serve with tortilla chips. See? I told you it was quick! 

This recipe came to life when I had a can of corn in my pantry and did a search online; and we were having Mexican food for supper...

Grilled Corn Guacamole (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

one can of corn, drained
3 avocados, diced
1 cup jarred salsa
1/3 cup finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lime, juiced (I used 2 Tablespoons lime juice from a bottle)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground Cumin
dried or fresh Cilantro, optional

Pour a tablespoon of vegetable oil into a skillet, add corn,  and fry until the corn is slightly browned. Season with some Cumin. The original recipe called for grilling ears of corn on a grill pan, but I think frying the corn got the same results (hopefully). 

Combine the fried corn, avocado, salsa, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt and Cumin.  Stir gently to combine. Add Cilantro, if desired. 

So much green yumminess!

More Spring Salads!

I've been on both a salad kick and an avocado kick lately, so here are two more "gems to try! Baby spinach, strawberries, avocado, sliced almonds and Feta cheese with a strawberry poppyseed dressing.............whoa...

and a super-simple "BLT" salad with iceberg lettuce, crispy bacon, Roma tomatoes and avocado with Ranch dressing - yum!

                                                                                   

Spring Salads!

Warmer weather means spring salads; well, at least in my book.  With the abundance of fresh asparagus and salad greens this time of year, it's a no-brainer! I even made a "pasta salad", which I NEVER do, and it was heavenly! Try it out:

Spring Pasta Salad with Asparagus, Bacon & Feta 

adapted from a recipe by www.familyfreshcooking.com

8 ounces Ditalini pasta

asparagus, cut into 1/4 inch pieces, totaling about 2 cups

Feta cheese crumbles

several slices bacon, fried and crumbled (I used turkey bacon and cooked in the microwave)

lemon juice

olive oil

Ranch dressing

salt & pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions. At the last minute or so, toss in the asparagus bits.  Drain the pasta and asparagus and toss into a large bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and toss to combine.  Add the feta and bacon, then drizzle with a little Ranch dressing.  Mix well and season to taste.  This tastes great warm and at room temperature. My girlfriend and I had seconds!  I did not try it chilled, but I'm thinking it would be pretty good, too!

Recently, I also threw together these pretty salads: the one above is arugula, raw asparagus, peas, avocado and hard boiled eggs tossed with a simple olive oil and lemon juice vinaigrette.  The salad below is made with a bag of mixed salad greens. raw asparagus, chickpeas and tomatoes, served with a Tuscan Italian dressing from the supermarket.  So pretty! So good for you! Happy Spring!

Yet more rainy day baking...

It's spring, full-force, in the Midwest, and getting a tad bit too damp for my liking...this weather always makes me want to bake something, so I scoured my ever-growing "Yum" board on Pinterest, and this is what I came up with: Avocado Banana Bread! Brilliant! Moist, banana-y and good for you too! And to those who are squeamish about the avocado; you can't taste it!

Avocado Banana Bread (thanks to www.crazyforcrust.com)

1 1/2 avocados, peeled and pitted (or one huge one)

1 cup sugar

2 very ripe bananas

2 eggs

6 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used a very generous sprinkling of mini chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray (I dusted mine with flour too) and set aside.  Puree avocados in a food processor until smooth and transfer to a large bowl.  Add sugar and mix with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) until well blended.  Place the bananas, eggs, milk, vinegar and baking soda in a food processor and pulse until liquefied.  Pour half the banana mixture into the avocado mixer with 1 cup of flour and stir until just combined.  Repeat with the rest of the banana mixture and flour. Do not over mix! Pour into loaf pan, top with chocolate chips and bake for about 35 minutes, until browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing. Yum!

Rainy Day Baking: Strawberry Greek Yogurt Muffins!

I totally get the need for gloomy days in April; you know, "April showers bring May flowers" and all that jazz, but it's hard to perk up when the skies are gray! Rainy days are ALWAYS good for baking! I just happened to have bought strawberries on sale this week, so muffins it was!  And of course, I found this recipe on Pinterest.....enjoy!

Strawberry Greek Yogurt Muffins (adapted from www.cooksjoy.com) 

2 cups flour (or 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
one egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries, plus a few pieces for sprinkling on top

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl with a whisk.  In another bowl, combine milk, egg, oil and Greek yogurt. Mix till smooth.  Add to the dry ingredients and mix gently to combine. Fold in strawberries.  Pour into greased muffin tins (or lined with cupcake papers) and place additional strawberry pieces on top, if needed.  Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until tops are golden.  I have dark, non-stick muffin tins, so I baked mine at 375 degrees for just 20 minutes. 

They are wonderful when warmed up!

Thinking Spring; lemony Baked Greek Chicken Meatballs

After a long, horrid, blustery winter, I am SOOOOOO ready for anything spring-like! Lemon to the rescue; these light, flavorful meatballs were just the thing to pick me (and my girlfriends) up! The Tzatziki sauce was an awesome accompaniment! Zesty! I served the meatballs with a super simple 5-layer Greek dip (see 5/10/13 post for recipe) with warm Naan bread and some red raspberry brownie bites (brownie mix in mini muffin tins topped with fresh raspberries - oh yeah!). Welcome, spring!

Baked Greek Chicken Meatballs with Tzatziki 

(I found the recipe on Pinterest, of course, but forgot to note the source - sorry!)

1 pound ground chicken

1/2 onion, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

zest of one lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I used panko). 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place ground chicken in a large bowl and add the onion, garlic, oregano, lemon zest and salt and pepper.  Add the egg and breadcrumbs and mix with hands until just combined.  Lightly oil a baking sheet with olive oil.  Form meatball in large portions and place onto the baking sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes, flip them over, and bake for another 12 minutes, or until they are no longer pink inside. 

Serve with Tzatziki sauce:

1 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced very small

2 Tablespoons dried dill 

juice of 1/2 of a lemon

1 small clove of garlic, minced

salt and pepper, to taste

Combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, lemon juice and garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

"Loaded" Blondies

Being stuck in the house for a week and a half, due to illness, really made me want to bake something yummy this weekend. These "loaded" goodies were savory and decadent; just what the doctor ordered! And, easier to make than cookies! And the best part was that I had all the ingredients in my pantry, so I didn't even have to leave the house! They are yummy warm or at room temperature, and are probably awesome with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 

Loaded Blondies (thanks to www.fakeginger.com for the recipe!)

2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips

1 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter a 9 X 13-inch baking dish.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy.  Add the sugars and beat until well combined.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating the mixture between additions, and then beat in the vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.  By hand, stir in the chips, nuts and coconut.  Scrape the batter into the buttered baking dish and spread with a spatula to even out the batter.  

Bake for 40 minutes, in the center of the oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  The blondies should pull away from the sides of the baking dish a little and the top should be a nice honey brown.  Transfer baking dish to a wire rack to cool.  When cooled, cut into squares (you should end up with 20-32 squares).  Enjoy!

I love how the blondies look like they are in a French patisserie! Oo la la!

Quintessential Comfort Food: Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

My daughter and I have both been battling chest colds/bronchial issues the past week and a half, and nothing puts you more in the mood for "comfort food" than feeling under the weather!  I can't believe I've never made tater tot casserole before, it got such rave reviews I'm definitely adding it to the lineup! I "tweaked" several recipes I found online, so feel free to modify to your liking, too! Here's what I did:

Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole  

a pound of ground beef (or ground turkey)

one small onion, chopped

one can cream of mushroom soup

a bag of frozen tater tots

shredded cheese (I used a new "four cheddar" variety I found at the supermarket)

Brown the ground beef , then drain the grease and put back into pan.  Add chopped onion and cook till soft.  Place meat in the bottom of a casserole dish.  Arrange tater tots on top of meat.  Pour mushroom soup on top of tater tots, stir if you want.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven, top with shredded cheese and then bake for 5 additional minutes. Perfection!

There are many variations of this recipe; you could add peas or mushrooms, use sour cream instead of soup, or use hashbrowns instead of tater tots. Just DON'T omit the cheese! That would just be pure craziness....