Recipes

Mexican Spaghetti Squash

Slice spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet with a 1/4" of water. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until squash is tender. Scoop out squash with a spoon into a large mixing bowl. Add, 2 tsp grated lemon zest plus 3 Tbsp juice, 1/4 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 cup diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion, and 1/2 cup cooked black beans, and a few dollops of sour cream. Mix well and enjoy.

chicken gumbo

Cajun Spice Mix: 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 1/4 tsp dried oregano, 1 1/4 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes.
 
 In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; rub over 1 lb chicken cubed. In a Dutch oven, brown chicken in 2 tablespoons oil in batches; remove chicken from pan. Add 1/4 cup oil to the same pan; stir in 1/4 cup flour until blended.
 
Add 1 large onion diced, all the peppers diced and 1/2 cup celery diced, and all the okra chopped; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add 4 cloves garlic minced; cook 1 minute longer. stir in 3 Tbsp flour until blended.

 Gradually add 4 cups water and 2 cups chicken stock. Stir in the 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, chicken and 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is very tender. Remove chicken from pan; cool slightly. Skim fat from gumbo and discard bay leaves. Shred chicken and return to gumbo; heat through. Serve over rice.

basil pesto pasta with tomatoes

To make basil pesto- first blend 2 cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup pine nuts in 1/2 cup olive oil. Add 1 cup packed basil leaves and 1 tsp salt. Blend until smooth. Transfer pesto to a serving bowl and mix in 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

Cook 1 package of pasta. Dice 1 cup of tomatoes. Het 1 Tbsp of butter in a learge saucepan. Add the diced tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes, add the pasta and mix in the desired amount of pesto. 

stuffed patty pan

(Recipe yields enough filling to fill 4 squash, so recipe could be reduced if desired. filling is also delicious on its own).

Cook 1 cup of quinoa or pearled barley according to package instructions. 

Dice 1/2 cup red onion, 1/2 cup carrot (scant half cup), and mince 1 clove of garlic. Add 2 tbsp cooking oil to a deep skillet over medium heat and add the diced red onion, carrot, and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 cup of chicken stock, 1/2 to 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper. Saute, stirring frequently, until liquid is reduced. Then add cooked grain and 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.

Using a paring knife cut a 2 inch diameter circle in the top center of the patty pan squash, around the stem. The squash can be microwaved for 1-2 minutes to soften the skin if it is too difficult to pierce. Scoop out the stem and the seeds in the center cavity. 

Fill the cavity of the squash with the kale and grain mixture, then drizzle 2 tsp of honey overtop. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes until squash is tender. 

creamy italian salad dressing

Blend 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons each sour cream and olive oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 garlic clove and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a blender. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.

italian seasoning mix:1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried marjoram, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon dried sage