Parmesan Spaghetti Squash: Fall Has Arrived

I don't like being lied to. I've read several blog posts where people claim "spaghetti squash tastes exactly like pasta." Well, it doesn't. In fact, the only thing the two do have in common, is the spaghetti-like consistency of the squash after cooking...but it's still delicious and a great side-dish for fall! This recipe is a modified version of Emeril's dish I found on foodnetwork.com.

Ingredients:
1 small spaghetti squash
2 1/2 tbsp butter
Grated parmesan cheese (green can stuff)...actually works better than freshly grated in this application
Salt/pepper to taste


Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut squash in half lengthwise (don't feel bad if this is really difficult...because it is...just kind of shove your knife into the middle and try to cut it in half from the middle on both sides...). Put squash in a baking dish, cut-side down. Fill dish with water so that is comes about 1/2 inch up the side of the dish. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, until squash is easily pierced with knife (though the skin). Turn squash over and cover/cook again for 15 minutes, until it's tender. Remove from oven, uncover, and let it cool until you can handle it (but don't wait too long or butter won't melt as nicely). Use a spoon and scrape out seeds and stringy stuff. Then use a fork to pull the flesh (gross word) away from peel. It should peel off and look like spaghetti (hence the name:)).

Put sqush into a mixing bowl, and add your butter. Mix so that the butter melts and coats squash. Then shake parmesan cheese all over and mix again. Taste and add some salt and pepper to taste. You will L-O-V-E this!

Variations: Add your favorite pasta sauce to make it even more pasta-like. Or try skipping the cheese and add fresh chopped hebs (this is how Emeril does it): basil, chives, sage, parsley.

Serve alongside your favorite protein for a fab fall meal!

What Does Carmelized Onions Even Mean?

This isn't really a recipe post-more of a technique post. When you cook onions, I'm sure you've noticed that often times recipes say something like, "saute onions until they become transleuscent," or "until they soften," etc. When prepared this way, onions (I'm mostly talking about yellow/white ones) retain their savory oniony flavor and texture.

But, if you cook them on med-high heat with a few pads of butter (works better than oil), and allow them to do their thing by moving past the transleuscent phase, they start to carmelize. And this means exactly what is sounds like: when cooked for a while in butter, the sugars in the onion begin to develop and they get that sweet taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Now, when cooking onions in this way, there really isn't a way to ruin them (they can cook forever and just keep getting more and more delicious).

A couple of applications for you:

Add red bell peppers to pan as well and caramelize with onions to make a great side dish, fajita topper, or steak accoutrement.



 


Serve with Zoe's Cole Slaw (another post) and grilled chicken.












 

Roasted Corn off the Cob

My husband LOVES corn on the cob. While I do like corn, the whole cobb thing is not for me. So...I prepare corn on the cob for him next to this recipe for me...same temp, same time, everyone's happy!

Ingredients:
Corn on the cob (average 1-2 per person)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt/Pepper
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put corn stalks (already shucked) in a bowl. Using a sharp knife, cut kernals off cob and into the bowl. Toss kernals with oil, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet. Roast for 20ish minutes, tossing kernals a couple of times during cooking. After about 20 minutes, toss kernals with some parmesan cheese and put back in the oven for a few more minutes. Corn is done when kernals are caramelized around the edges. YUM!

Other uses/ideas:
Skip the parmesan and after roasting, put corn in bowl with black beans and avocado with a dash of balsamic (variation of my black bean corn salsa).

Use corn for topping tacos.

Mix cooked corn with softened cream cheese, and a bit of salsa to make a creamy corn side dish.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts-They Will Change Your Mind

Ok. I am being 100 percent honest when I say that I have tried brussel sprouts out at restaurants (I'm sure loaded with butter, etc.) and I pretended I liked them because I knew they were healthy-the truth is, I've hated them every way I've had 'em. Until now...

Ingredients:
Brussel Sprouts (in the open container where you can get as many as you want, I try to get the small ones)

Extra virgin olive oil

Lots of kosher salt and pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut each sprout in half lengthwise, or even quarter them if they're large ones (trust me, I've tried several recipes now, and most have you leave them whole...dont do it! They will taste brussel sprouty). I set them on the pan with the cut side up, and drizzle with the oil. Toss them around to make sure they're really coated, but face them all cut side up again afterward. Sprinkle liberally with salt and a little less liberally with pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, give the pan a *tszuj, and let them roast for another 5-10. They shoud look brownish and crispy. Toss with some more salt if you need to and devour! And then post a comment if they changed your mind like they changed mine :)

Not sure how to pronounce that crazy word in that sentence? Check out below...ya learn something new every day! I always say this word...no idea how it was really spelled. Thank you urbandictionary!

*Tszuj

Verb. To tweak, fluff, primp, improve, make fabulous (most often in wardrobe/fashion context, but others also apply). Pronunciation: Begins and ends with the same "zh" sound, as in "measure". Made popular by/notable people you may have heard use it: Carson Kressley of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Chef Nigella Lawson, Designer Ralph Lauren. Origin: Variations used in many countries like France, Russia, Scandinavia, Germany, Australia, Canada. "Just tszuj it a little, and you're set!"

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients:
Broccoli (my husband and I can eat 1 head as a side dish)
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt/pepper
Parmesan cheese (green can stuff or finely grated)

Directions:Preheat oven to 400. Cut florets off broccoli (I cut the large ones in half). Put on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with generous amounts of salt and pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes. The broccoli is done when the little buds look browned and crispy. Remove from oven and shake Parmesan over top. You will love this!

Roasted Green Beans

Ingredients: Green beans Extra virgin olive oil Balsamic vinegar Salt/pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 425. Trim green beans and put on a baking sheet lined with foil. Drizzle with oil, balsamic, and sprinkle with generous amounts of salt and pepper. Roast for 15-20 minutes. The beans are done when they are wrinkled and look like they've soaked up yummy amounts of balsamic.

Fresh Corn Casserole With Peppers and Jalapenos

Ingredients

8 ears corn (still in the husk)

2 red bell peppers, diced

2 fresh jalapenos, diced

1 cup heavy cream**

1/2 cup milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 stick salted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Remove the corn from the husks. In a large, deep bowl, slice off the kernels of corn with a sharp knife. Turn the knife to the dull side and scrape the cob all the way down to remove all the bits of kernel and creamy milk inside. (I do this inside the bowl because it goes everywhere if you cut it on a board.)

Add the red bell peppers, jalapenos, heavy cream, milk, salt to taste, a generous amount of pepper and butter and mix it well. Pour into a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Bake until thoroughly warmed through, 30 to 45 minutes.

**I made this recipe a while back, before I was committed to making healthy recipes. My eating plan really doesn't require me to calorie count (which is why I can do it :)), but if the idea of heavy cream scares you, try this substitute:
    3/4 cup milk
    1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted and cooled
    Mix the two together and add to recipe in place of cream

Before I wrote this post, I did some research about the nutritional facts for heavy cream vs. this substitute:
1 cup of heavy cream can have anywhere from 800-900 calories
For the substitute listed above, www.cdkitchens.com cites 41 calories prepared

Now, because I am not a nutritionist, I'm sharing these numbers with the disclaimer that they may not be perfect. However, even if my estimates are off by quite a margin, there still seems to be a huge caloric difference between the two...so, it's for you to decide which to use.

Lastly, from my experience using substitutes, the consistency may not turn out exactly the same as it would otherwise. But in a casserole like this, it's not a big deal if it's a bit soupier, in my opinion.

Spiced-Up Corn on the Cob

Vegetables, while I love most of them prepared fairly simply, sometimes its fun to spice things up. Here's a recipe I modified from the Neelys on Food Network.

Ingredients:

4 ears sweet corn, husked and silks removed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Seasoning salt (I use Lawrey's)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 lime, juiced, plus 1 lime, quartered, for garnish

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup crumbled Feta or Cotija cheese

Directions:

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Rub the corn with olive oil and season with seasoning salt, to taste. Grill the corn until it's charred, on all sides, rotating for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the mayonnaise, chili powder, cayenne, lime juice and salt and pepper, to taste, together in a small bowl. Remove the corn from the grill and brush the hot corn with the mayonnaise mixture. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with the feta cheese. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

Notes about the cheese: Feta and Cotija cheeses taste completely different. While both salty, the Cotija has less of a briny taste. If you're not a fan of Feta, definitely try Cotija-if you like both, then you have just been gifted two recipes for the price of one. :)

Modifications: Try brushing the corn with garlic butter* rather than the mayo mixture and then sprinkling with parmesan cheese rather than feta or cotija.

*Zap some butter and minced garlic (I use the stuff in the jar because it's less potent for this application) in the microwave for a few seconds. The heat will infuse the garlic into the butter nicely.

Not firing up the grill? Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat each ear of corn in either the mayo mixture, or butter and wrap individually in foil. Roast until hot and steaming, about 25 minutes. Unwrap corn and sprinkle with whatever cheese you are using.

Wilted Spinach with Feta and Balsamic

Fact: Being fancy and eating fancy doesn't mean knowing what the heck you're actually doing in the kitchen. Thank you Google!

The other day I said, "Self, you should impress your grandparents friends (and five star diners) with a balsamic reduction as part of the meal you are serving them." Then Self said, "But you don't know how to make a balsamic reduction." So I replied, "Ah, but Google does..."

And here we are:

Ingredients:
1 c balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
About 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
A couple of handfuls of spinach (or a bag if that's how you buy it)
1 pkg feta


Directions:
Put the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan on the stove over low heat. Let it do it's thing for a couple of hours-yes, you heard me-hours. Walk away. The balsamic vinegar will reduce ever so slowly, resulting in a syrupy, thick, sweet, reduction. This can be put on anything from a steak, to my Pesto Caprese Chicken (another post), to roasted vegetables (several other posts). When the reduction has been working for a couple of hours, start to check it out by swirling it around the pan. If it seems too thick, add a little water, no prob. When it seems like a nice syrupy consistency, remove it from the heat.

Put the spinach in a bowl. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil  (a couple of swirls-I never measure stuff like this) in a pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic and shallot for a few minutes, until the shallots take on a nice color. Transfer to the bowl with the spinach. Keeping the pan off the heat, add a few more swirls of oil (remaining 3 tbsp, if you're measuring), and add the feta. Stir the feta to melt it a little for about a minute. Add some salt and pepper to the pan, and then pour over the spinach. Toss everything to wilt the spinach slightly. AND NOW...Drizzle your balsamic reduction over the bowl (or, if you're fancy, over each plate once the salad is plated), using a spoon. VOILA!

***Add some roasted veggies on top of this salad for a delicious side dish. 

An Everyday Salad That You'll Crave Everyday

I decided to post the ingredients for the salad I make most nights. Under the ingredients, I listed what you'll need at the store. You obviously won't use all of everything each time, but that was just the easiest way for me to share this recipe with you.

Ingredients:
Either baby spinach, romaine, or butter lettuce. Want more info on these varieties? See my note below.
1 pkg Honey Roasted almonds (found in produce section at Albertson's and Tom Thumb)
1 avocado (this you will use up, so if you want to make this more than once in a week, buy more avocados)
1 pkg feta cheese
Flavored balsamic (see below for more details)
Flavored olive oil

Directions:
Compose individual salads in bowls. Top with some almonds, half of a cut-up avocado, and some feta.

Here's what I have learned: Purchasing salad dressing is a waste of money. Regular balsamic vinegar works great. Regular olive oil works great. For some variety, I have change things up by using different flavors of balsamic and olive oil. In my pantry, I have pomegranite balsamic, fig balsamic, and apple balsamic, and I have lemon olive oil and basil olive oil. I use different combos of these to create exciting new dressings. A little dash of vinegar and a little dash of oil is all you need!

I do also make my own dressing often. Here's what I do: In a recycled jalapeno jar (good size for this application), I start with some olive oil. I add half as much balsamic. I add a scoop of garlic (the minced kind out of a jar...fresh is very potent in this case). I add about 1/4 palm full of salt. I put the lid on the jar and shake it up. Voila! Deliciousness. Oh, and when I make this dressing, I use plain balsamic and oil.

**Lettuce notes: Spinach is the best for you, but it lacks that salady crunch we all love. Romaine is a crowd pleaser, and is still pretty nutrient-rich. Butter lettuce is fancy, and is my new favorite-a very buttery (duh) flavor.

New Addiction: Feta Coleslaw with Radishes

We went out to dinner last night at a new burger restaurant. The service was terrible, but the food was delicious. I ordered a burger with blue chees and a bacon jam topping (working on how to recreate that recipe). On the side, I ordered "Feta Coleslaw." since I love and make the Zoe's recipe so often (recipe on another post), I was expecting it to be similar-how wrong I was. Feta and a light vinaigrette, yes. But the purple cabbage/radish/carrot combo, made it unique and amazing.

Ingredients:
1 head purple cabbage
1 bag matchstick carrots
1 bunch radishes
1 container feta cheese
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Sugar
Parsley

Directions: Shred the cabbage. Thinly slice radishes and the cut each slice into quarters. Chop a handful of parsley. Put all of this, along with carrots, in a bowl and mix together. For the dressing, mix 1/2 c olive oil, 1/4 c red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt, dash of pepper, pinch of sugar ( I love using old-fashioned words like pinch and dash :) not really sure what exactly those terms measure as, but still, it's fun). Taste the dressing for salt/sugar-it should taste like a slightly sweet vinaigrette. Pour dressing over veggies, add feta on top and toss to coat everything. Now for the hard part- put it in the fridge and let it do it's thing for a few hours-I hate recipes where I can't eat them immediately, but this is worth the wait.

Asian Slaw

**I posted the entire recipe here in case you want to make your own dressing. I think an asian-style peanut sauce/dressing works just as well and it waaaaayyyy easier :)
For the Dressing¼ cup honey
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar*
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut butter (I like Skippy Natural No Need to Stir)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Sriracha sauce (Thai hot sauce…optional)
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced

For the Slaw4 cups prepared shredded coleslaw
2 cups prepared shredded carrots (or grated in food processor)
1 red pepper, thinly sliced into bite size pieces
1 cup pre-cooked, shelled edamame (available fresh or frozen)
2 medium scallions, finely chopped
½ cup chopped salted peanuts (you can also leave them whole)
½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
1. Make the dressing by combining all ingredients in medium bowl. Stir until peanut butter is dissolved. Set aside.
2. Combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss well. Let sit at least 10 minutes so vegetables have a chance to soak up the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (I usually add a bit more salt but go by your own taste). Serve cold.

Taken from http://www.onceuponachef.com via Pinterest

Steamed Artichokes

This is an extremely simple recipe, but artichokes are addicting!
Ingredients:
Artichokes ( 1 per person)
Either mayonnaise or melted butter

Directions:
Fill a large pot with a steamer basket in it with enough water so it just touches the bottom of the basket. If you don't have a steamer basket, just fill your pot with a couple inshes of water.

Cut the stems off the artichokes almost all the way up to the base.

Put the artichoked in the pot and turn the burner on medium heat. Cover the pot, and let the artichokes do their thing for about an hour. You may want to check your water level at some point to make sure all of the water hasn't evaporated. If needed, add a little more water.

The artichokes are done when you can easily pull a leaf off. I use tongs and pull one of the leaves towards the center. The outside layer of leaves are tougher than the others, so they aren't the best ones to test.

Serve artichokes with mayo (sounds weird, but it's yummy) or melted butter.

Here's how to eat the leaves: Pull a leaf off the artichoke, dip it in whatever sauce you are using, and use your teeth to scrape off the meat on the tender side of the leaf.

Salt-Roasted Root Vegetables

This is a great recipe from Bon Appetit! I have included the original recipe on this post, but I make it without potatoes.

INGREDIENTS
7 egg whites
5 cups kosher salt
2 Tbsp. thyme leaves
2 lb. assorted medium sized root vegetables such as red and golden beets, sweet potatoes, parsnips, large fingerling potatoes, and carrots, washed and thoroughly dried
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives
1 Tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
Flat leaf parsley leaves

PREPARATION
Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 400. Combine egg whites, salt and thyme in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly, using your hands, to create a texture resembling wet sand, about 2-3 minutes. Halve larger vegetables as necessary so that all are around the same size. Pack salt mixture onto each individual vegetable, making sure no skin is exposed. Arrange prepared vegetables on a rimmed baking tray so that none are touching. Bake until crust is deep golden brown, and vegetables are tender when pierced with a pairing knife, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on baking tray 5-10 minutes. Peel the salt crust away from the vegetables, then peel the skins while still warm. Cut vegetables into 1 1/2" pieces. Toss with olive oil, chives, parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange on a serving platter and top with parsley. Serve with roasted chicken, grilled steak, or toss with thinly sliced kale and eat as a salad.

Edamame 2 Ways

Boiled with Sea Salt

1 (16 oz) pkg frozen edamame in shell
salt

Put frozen edamame in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes, and you'll notice the edamame start to all float to the top. Take one out and test it. If you are easily able to get the pod open with your teeth to eat the bean, they are done. Drain and then toss with sea salt to taste.

Garlic Parmesan

1 (16 oz) pkg frozen edamame in shell
1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Steam edamame in microwave until slightly warm and not frozen by throwing the edamame in a ziploc bag with about a tbsp of water, sealing it, leaving a small opening for steam, and heating it on high for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a small food processor, combine olive oil and garlic. Process until well-combined. Heat a wok (or any pan) over medium high heat. Add edamame and toss for a few seconds. Add garlic oil and saute for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Add Parmesan, and salt and toss until well coated. Serve immediately.



*I adapted this recipe from http://28cooks.blogspot.com via Pinterest

Oven Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

2 lbs carrots, trimmed and peeled
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Balsamic vinegar
Coarse sea salt and fresh black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Roughly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut the carrots into bite-size chunks. Place the carrots on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Then, splash on some balsamic vinegar, sea salt, black pepper and olive oil (amounts aren't important, just use enough so all the vegetables will be well seasoned and coated). With your clean hands, toss everything together. Then, spread the carrots in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Roast in the oven at 425F for 25 minutes. The carrots will have crispy edges and should be cooked through on the inside.
Serve hot.

www.theperfectpantry.com via Pinterest

Roasted Garlic-Parmesan Cauliflower

Pinterest recipe, originally from ourbestbites.com

Ingredients
3-4 tbs olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower
kosher salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons crumbled Parmesan cheese (stuff in a green can a-okay!)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Heat in microwave for about 20 seconds and set aside.
Remove stem and leaves from cauliflower head and trim into large florets. Slice each floret into 1/4 inch slices and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and garlic mixture and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Use clean hands to toss to coat. Add more olive oil if needed. Bake for 15 minutes and then toss with spatula. Bake 10 more and then toss with Parmesan cheese. Continue baking for 5-10 minutes until slightly golden brown on edges.

***Prepare broccoli the exact same way for another version of yumminess

Roasted Veggies

Most nights during the week, my husband and I enjoy some sort of protein alongside a version of the recipe I am about to share. I've included some modifications for you to try below.

Ingredients:
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 box of mushrooms (I like baby bellas or crimini, but it doesn't matter which kind your use)
salt
pepper
Dried Italian herb mix (I use Herbs de Provence)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Slice everything. The key here is to cut everything close to the same thickness so it all cooks evenly. Toss all of your veggies with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, and about a tablespoon of your Italian herb mix, on a baking sheet. Spread everything out in one layer. Roast until fork tender, about 15 minutes.


Variations:

Throw some whole garlic cloves into the mix. Once they cook they get creamy and become spreadable. Yum!

Try squash. Cut a butternut squash into chunks. Toss it with salt, pepper, and olive oil (skip the Italian seasoning). Depending on the size of your pieces, squash may take a bit longer to roast.

I also love a pin I found for roasted cauliflower and broccoli. Look for another post with these recipes.   

Zoes Cole Slaw

I make this weekly. I use is as a bed for burgers, barbeque, tacos, etc.

Ingredients:
1 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced (or bag of coleslaw mix)
1 (6 ounce) package crumbled feta
6 -7 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar (I use a splash of white vinegar along with this)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
1 -2 teaspoon sugar

Combine shredded cabbage, feta and chopped green onions in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl whisk together vinegar, salt, pepper, sugar, and EVOO.
Pour over the slaw and toss.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. It's best if you let it refrigerate for a few hours so you may want to make it the day before.