Spaghetti Squash

I had no idea that squash spaghetti tasted like noodles! This is the coolest vegetable. You can find a baked version here, but I cooked this squash the slacker way and used the microwave.

Ingredients
One Spaghetti Squash

Directions
1. Poke 3-4 holes in your squash.
2. Microwave for 4-5 minutes (7-8 minutes for large squash).
3. Feel the outside of the squash.
4. Microwave in one minute intervals until the outside of the squash feels just a little bit squishy.
5. Remove from microwave & slice the squash.
6. Remove the seeds.
7. Take a fork and spindle the squash. It will start to look like noodles.
8. Use them with any recipe just like any other noodle.

I added spaghetti sauce and called it a day. The taste difference between spaghetti squash & noodles are not that distinct.

Enjoy!

Sweet Onion Pie

My Dad's cousin, Don sent this recipe to me.  His wife makes it every year and it is always a hit.  




I forgot to take a picture but it basically a cheese and onion pie!  I will take one the next time I make it.



4-5 large sweet onions, sliced ¼ in. thick (quarter inch)
4 T. butter
Salt & Pepper
3 eggs
½ c. milk (half cup)
4 T. flour
1 c. grated sharp cheddar or Gruyere, plus
2 T. extra grated cheese for top
1 9 in. pastry crust, uncooked

In large skillet over medium heat, saute onions in butter until golden but not brown, about 40 minutes. Turn off heat. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In medium bowl, mix eggs, milk, flour, and the one cup of cheese. Add the onions, stir until evenly distributed.

Pour all into pie shell, sprinkle reserved 2 T. cheese evenly on top. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until crust is brown. Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting.

roasted kohlrabi.

I bought some kohlrabi at the Washington, MO farmer's market. I was eating it raw for the most part until a friend suggested that I roast a batch with some garlic and olive oil.

So I did.

It looks like french fries, but it's totally a vegetables! The roasting gave the kohlrabi a completely different taste. If you ever have the opportunity o purchase kohlrabi - do it!

Ingredients
-One head kohlrabi

Directions
-preheat oven to 450
-slice the kohlrabi into french fry like portions.
-toss with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and minced garlic
-roast for 15-20
-remove and serve immediately
-if you're feeling saucy, add a little parmesan cheese to give it an extra kick

Grilled Corn

Can I just be honest with anyone who reads this blog? I have been in a serious cooking funk for like 3 months. We didn't eat microwave dinners, but I just didn't want to be in the kitchen. Now that spring has sprung and farmer's markets are in full force, I'm back on track and in the kitchen.

This recipe is a variation from Green Bean Delivery. Corn is a pretty big deal around Indiana and it is a perfect side dish especially if you like kernels in your teeth.

Directions
Soak the corn for an hour in cold water. Drain.

Preheat grill to medium. Grill the corn, turning frequently, for 15 to 20 minutes. The husks will turn pale and start to brown. As the corn steams, the kernels will turn bright and glossy. Remove from grill and completely remove the husks.

Melt butter onto a plate and roll the ears of corn in the butter. Place the corn on a serving tray and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the herbs over the corn and garnish with freshly grated cheese.

Serves 4

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I hope to be around the blog a little more in the next few months. I'm in the market for some new pots and pans. Any suggestions? What does everyone else use? I've had mine since college and I know nothing about what to look for.

Happy Eating!

Bunny Bait

We made bunny bait the other night for Bennett's school Easter snack.  It made so much that I was able to package some for Henry's teachers.  I found it on Pinterest via here.  This site is so great because she will even e-mail you the bunny bait tag.  I asked too late so I had to make my own.  But, I have them if you now want me to forward them to you.  

This recipe was fun and VERY EASY to make.  It just took a few ingredients and about 10 minutes.

Ingredients

2 cups pretzel sticks

2 cups rice chex

1 bag microwave white popcorn, popped

1 bag white melting candies

spring sprinkles

1 bag Easter m&m's

Spread the first 3 ingredients out on a lined cookie sheet.

Add the white chocolate and mix together, coating everything.  Add the sprinkles and m&m's after it is mixed.  If you add the sprinkles and m&m's and then coat...they will all be covered!

Bag up for friends or teachers!

roasted cabbage

I’ve never cooked cabbage. It’s actually been sitting in my refrigerator for longer than I would like to admit and because I don’t have the heart to throw food away, I finally prepared it. I saw this recipe on Budget Bytes and it seemed easy enough.

Ingredients
One head of cabbage
Italian dressing

Directions
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Remove any wilted leaves from the outside of the cabbage. Rinse under cool water and shake as much excess water from the cabbage as possible.

STEP 2: Cut the cabbage into wedges, leaving the stem/core intact (this will hold the wedges together during roasting). Place the wedges on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Brush the dressing onto all sides of the cabbage wedges, even the bottom.

STEP 3: Let the cabbage roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the wedges and your desired doneness. About half way through (15-20 minutes in), remove the cabbage and carefully turn wedges over to allow them to roast on the other side (tongs work best). The cabbage should be tender and brown and crispy on the outer edges.

Wow. This recipe turned out really well! The cabbage alone is tasty, but I shredded the cabbage and added it to my tacos. Yum.

Green Smoothie

I adapted this recipe from Annie's Eats and it was yummy!

Yield: 2-3 servings
Ingredients:
1 banana (frozen or not), cut into chunks
1 cup chopped pineapple
1½ cups orange juice
2½ cups baby spinach leaves, rinsed and dried
1-2 tbsp. honey

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness with additional honey, if desired. Serve immediately.

Lemon Meringue Pie

I was shocked that my meringue came out so beautifully!

My husband, Neil loves lemon meringue pie.  His grandmother's pie is his favorite.  I wanted to surprise him on his 31st birthday with his favorite pie.  It was a little harder to make that I thought it would be, but I was pretty impressed with how it turned out.  I found the recipe here.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 lemons, juiced and zested (I didn't use zest b/c I was too tired to zest the lemon)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
• 4 egg whites
• 6 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
3. To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

Matzah (unleavened bread)

I made Matzah bread for Sunday school this week.  Our teacher needed some to have a visual for The Last Supper so I volunteered to make it.  I really volunteered because my grandmother used to make unleavened bread every week for her church.  She never missed  a Sunday and made the stuff for years.  I even remember "helping" her sometimes.  It was so easy!  I watched this video for instructions.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour (Do NOT use self-rising flour)

3/4 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix all ingredients together and roll out until flat onto a baking sheet.  Poke holes with a fork.  Bake at 475 degrees for 6-7 minutes or until crisp.  

Hammie Egg Sammies

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It was quick and easy and apparently somewhat healthy. Sadly, I forgot to add green onions and the cheese, but the ham, egg, salt and pepper, tasted just fine.

Ingredients
Eggs
Ham slices (thin)
Salt & Pepper
Green onions (optional)
Shredded cheese (any kind optional)

Directions
Place sliced ham in muffin pan cups.
Put eggs in each ham cup.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese and green onions and serve immediately.

Heart Shape Calzones

I love calzones for the versatility. You can throw virtually any type of ingredients inside, sprinkle a little cheese, and bake to perfection. With versatility also come options for presentation. I saw some heart shape calzones on Pinterest and decided to give ‘em a whirl.

I started off with my absolute favorite pizza crust recipe from Martha Stewart. I typically always have some on hand because we are definitely pizza eaters.

Calzone Dough
*freezer friendly

Ingredients
•1 1/2 cups warm (115 degrees) water
•2 packets (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
•1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bowl
•2 tablespoons sugar
•2 teaspoons coarse salt
•2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for kneading
•2 cups whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)

Directions
1.Place water in a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Brush another large bowl with oil.
2.In bowl with yeast, whisk sugar, oil, and salt. Stir in flours with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Transfer to oiled bowl; brush top of dough with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap; let stand in a warm spot until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3.Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. With floured hands, knead until smooth, about 15 seconds; divide into two balls.
4.Set balls on a plate (they should not touch); freeze until firm, about 1 hour. Then freeze in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator.
*If you aren’t freezing, then skip #4 and just use the dough!

Calzone Filling
-whatever your heart desires
-I used marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese, and ground beef flavored with hamburger seasoning.

Directions
-use a heart shape cookie cutter (or just free hand it)
-spread your marinara, cheese and toppings on one piece of the heart (leave a little room around the edges to seal the calzone)
-place the other heart dough on top and seal the edges with a fork
-brush the top with some melted butter and sprinkle a little salt or garlic salt
-place in a pre-heated oven (400 degrees) for 12-15 minutes

Enjoy! It’s perfect for your special someone on Valentine’s Day!