Cheesy Spaghetti Squash

466.  This recipe for Cheesy Spaghetti Squash is a surprising side to any meat dish.  The recipe is simple to follow but will take time at preparing the squash, baking the squash, mixing the squash and then baking the squash to finish.  Make sure to leave plenty of prep time or start early before dinner.  Here is my recipe:

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. "

 ~Helen Keller

Fried Apples

 461.  Apples are a must-have for me every day.  They are so versatile, good source of fiber and fructose and paired with cinnamon always makes them better.  The fried apple is a Southern food you can find in any southern and southern-themed restaurant on the menu. Even Dolly makes Fried Apples!

The beauty of Fried Apples is how they enhance any meal.  I make them to pair with french toast or pancakes at breakfast.  But, you can make them along with your dinner meal of chicken, pork or beef as a compliment.  Prepare them sweeter or make them tart to your liking.  Here is my version:

This is a simple addition and can elevate your meal.

“If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.”

~ Dolly Parton

Tortellini Pasta Salad

 

418.  For a light refreshing evening meal simply make a pasta salad which incorporates veggies, pasta and light vinaigrette dressing.  But to elevate the salad, why not use tortellini instead?  Why do we only eat pasta salad when we are going to a picnic?  

I coated and baked chicken thighs to accompany the pasta salad.  While the chicken baked, I worked on my salad.  Of course making homemade tortellini would be the ultimate!  But I used the fresh pasta in the refrigerated section of Trader Joes.  It was a three-cheese filling and the regular sized tortellini.  I then chopped white onion, red radishes julienned, yellow bell pepper, cherry tomatoes halved, fresh green peas (also from Trader Joes), celery and celery tops chopped, fresh parsley and basil.  Seasoned with salt and pepper and a bit of garlic salt.  

I do not like to add radishes if my salad will be resting in the refrigerator.  They have a tendency to bleed onto the pasta.  Once my tortellini was perfectly boiled, I rinsed it in cold running water.  Placed it in the bowl with my chopped items then add olive oil and red wine vinegar.  Stir around till everything is evenly distributed and coated with the dressing.  If you think the salad will need more oil or vinegar, simply drizzle over, stir and taste for seasoning.  

What a simple and lovely pairing this meal proved to be.  And so refreshing on a hot summer day.

Trust me, tortellini is a great substitute in pasta salad.  And the filling could be any flavor you choose.  You only need to edit what you would mix with the pasta.  Now wouldn't pesto be a great addition?...hmmmm.

"Life is a combination of magic and pasta."

~Frederico Fellini

Double Stuffed Baked Potatoes

399. A hot baked potato filled with oozing melted butter, sour cream and melted cheddar cheese is a very welcome favorite of mine.  Although, it seems everyone should know how to make a baked potato... I wonder, how many know how to double stuff a potato?  

I know every microwave has a "potato" setting.  You place the cleaned, skin-on potato in the microwave and just push the button.  When your potato is "baked", the beep is sounded.  Only takes about 5-8 minutes, depending on the size or amount of potatoes you are cooking.  A much better alternative is to actually "BAKE" the potato, you know, like our grandmothers did, before microwaves were around.  

Scrub your potatoes and poke them with a point of a knife about 3 times around each spud.  Place them in a hot 350 degree oven and bake about 1 hour.  You will know they are soft when you squeeze them to test.

Remove the potatoes and let them sit about 10 minutes to cool.  Cut each lengthwise carefully and open them up.  This also allows them to cool quicker.  Have a bowl prepared to mix the filling.  Scrape out of the skins the soft potato into the prepared bowl.  Continue with each potato till you have only potato skins left.

Mix the cheese, butter, sour cream and seasonings into the potato filling.  Blend well but not too smooth.  Chunks of potato are fine.  By the spoonful, transfer the filling back into the skin shells mounding up the filling.  

Top with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or till cheese is melted on top

I like to finish off the top with a dollop of sour cream and a healthy sprinkling of fresh garden chives.  Of course you can add bacon, fried sausage bits, pepperoni, parmesan cheese...and the list trails on.  Make it to your own taste and liking.

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This would be a great recipe to make for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  And, you can use sweet potatoes or yams as well to substitute.  Enjoy this simply wonderful recipe...a great recipe to make with a kitchen helper.

"I do not believe that you have to spend a lot of money to eat well:  it is hard to beat a plain old baked potato."

~ Laurie Colwin

Oven Roasted Vegetables

290.  Autumn is here and root vegetables and pumpkins are plentiful.  This recipe is hardy and warm and pairs with beef or pork very well.  Ideal for your Thanksgiving table.

Your prep work starts with a baking sheet, like a jelly roll pan, parchment paper, olive oil and salt and pepper.  Line the pan with the paper and rub with olive oil.  Set aside

2 large Leeks, chopped coarsely and placed in a water bath

3 large sweet potatoes or yams, pealed and coarsely cubed

3 large turnips, pealed and coarsely cubed

3 large cloves of garlic, slice thin

30 brussel sprouts, rinsed, picked over and stem ends cut off.  Slice each in half

Rosemary, 2 branches fresh leaves pulled off stem,  or 1 teaspoon dry 

Optional Veggies:  Beets, potato, pumpkin, squash of any variety, rutabaga in chunks

Place all veggies on the parchment paper and mix.  Sprinkle Rosemary, salt and pepper and drizzle with more olive oil.

Place in a 375 degree oven and set timer for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and toss the vegetables making sure veggies on the edges are moved so they do not burn.  Spread around again, drizzle more olive oil if necessary.  Return to oven for 15 minutes.  Repeat this process till all the vegetables are tender.  Taste for seasoning.

Remove from oven and place directly on serving platter.

Serve hot with your roasted meat choice and white horseradish on the side.

These veggies would beautify a platter surrounding a roasted beef or pork loin,

even your Thanksgiving turkey or roasted chicken.  And the flavors are succulent!

All our progress is an unfolding, like the vegetable bud.  You first have an instinct, then an opinion, then a knowledge, as the plant has root, bud, and fruit.  Trust the instinct to the end, though you can render no reason.  It is vain to hurry it.  By trusting it to the end, it shall ripen into truth, and you shall know why you believe."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mizeria Polish Cucumber Salad

258. A side dish is the special part of a meal that provides the added enjoyment to the main event. How would a Hot Pastrami sandwich taste without that kosher dill pickle or crispy coleslaw? Or, what would roasted turkey do alone without smooth, buttery, whipped, mashed potatoes covered in gravy? These sides provide the framework, the balance to enhance the whole eating experience.

One favorite side is Mizeria, a Polish Cucumber Salad. My mother would make this salad often to accompany pork, seafood or sausage dishes. It was a labor intensive task, but oh so worth the time and effort.

Though some cut the cucumbers with a mandolin, my mother would patiently shave each cucumber slice with her little peeler and chopped the fresh dill perfectly with her little paring knife.

Mizeria Polish Cucumber Salad

1 large cucumber, (option with or without seeds, your preference) thinly sliced

1/2 of a granny smith green apple, thinly sliced (optional)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup small onion, thinly sliced

1 Tablespoon small chopped fresh dill

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Thinly slice the cucumber paper thin. It is not necessary to maintain full slices but half slices work just fine. Place the cucumber in a small colander to drain liquid or simply squeeze the liquid gently from the slices. Place cucumber slices in a bowl.

Thinly slice the apple, paper thin and add to the cucumber. Add sour cream, onion, dill, salt and pepper. Stir all together till sour cream is dispersed evenly. Chill for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: The longer this salad sits, the wetter it becomes. Serve directly after quick chill.

This is a lovely and delicious salad enjoyed any time of the year.

"It's the sense of what family is at the dinner table. It was the joy of knowing mother was in the kitchen making our favorite dish. I wish more people would do this and recall the joy of life.

~Chef Paul Prudhomme

Baked Pumpkin

243. Pumpkins as a side dish? Why yes!

Little Sugar Pumpkins are perfect in flavor and texture.

Start by preparing the 1 to 2 lb pumpkins washing the pumpkins with mild dish soap, rinse and dry. Cut the top cap off by cutting a large circle.

Scrape out all the membrane and seeds clean from the inside and trim the top cap.

Peel, and cube an apple, one per pumpkin.

Cover with 1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup raisins (optional), fresh squeezed lemon juice and dot the top with butter.

Place the top caps back onto the pumpkin.

Place in a 350 degree oven and bake 50-60 minutes or till tender. Or, microwave by covering with plastic wrap tightly. Microwave on high for 30 minutes.

Scrape the pumpkin down from the sides to mix with the filling. Serve hot.

"Only the knife knows what goes on in the heart of a pumpkin."

~Simone Schwarz-Bart

Stuffed Mushrooms

149. A terrific addition to any holiday meal is Stuffed Mushrooms. Every cook has her own favorite combination of flavors when filling mushroom caps. I have found it is smart to purchase the large button mushrooms, because your work load is minimal.

I found this recipe on-line for Stuffed Mushrooms and it looks very good and also this recipe for Italian Stuffed Mushrooms. Both, I'm sure are scrumptious!

My recipe was so easy and versatile.

Stuffed Mushrooms

20 large white mushrooms, stems trimmed, washed

1/4 cup chopped onion or scallion

8 oz of cream cheese or 1 package Laughing Cow wedges, softened (wedges are lower in calories)

1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tablespoon parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp olive oil and 4 Tblsp butter melted

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop the stems into small cubes. Place in a mixing bowl. Place the mushrooms, cap side down in a baking dish that has been oiled lightly.

Place remaining ingredients in the bowl with chopped mushrooms. Mix everything together by hand reserving the oil and melted butter. Taste for seasoning.

With a teaspoon, begin to fill each mushroom cap, overloading with the cheesy breadcrumb mix till all the filling is distributed in each mushroom.  Drizzle the oil and melted butter over each mushroom.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes or till stuffing is light brown and mushrooms are tender. Remove from oven and serve immediately. Do not over bake. These also make a yummy appetizer...just choose a smaller mushroom.

"Mushrooms and tubers are the luxuries one might call frivolities of the kitchen.

Of late 'foodies" seem to have discovered a taste for both cultivated and wild mushrooms. They have a subtle and distinct flavour, a crisp but yielding texture,

but no real food value or calories. If the right mushroom is used for the right recipe, the resulting culinary delight may be heavenly."

~ Hrayr Berberoglu