Monthly Archives: October 2014

Oct16

Enchilada with South of the Border Spaghetti Squash Filling

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ss enchiladas 1ss plated enchiladas

South of the Border Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Left Over or just plain made stuffing for delicious Enchiladas

Maybe you don’t want a stuffed squash and have just made the stuffing and/or maybe you have served the stuffed squash and have some left over stuffing—so here is a delicious enchilada recipe using this stuffing:

Ingredients:

  1. 1 package of hand made thick styled corn tortillas (soft and flexible)—room temp
  2. 1 10-oz. can of medium (or hot if you like) enchilada sauce
  3. 1 C (or more) of shredded Mexican Styled Cheese
  4. 1 C (or more) sour cream

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 350F.
  2. Oil an oven proof dish (the right size for however many enchiladas you will be making.)
  3. Spread a generous amount of the enchilada sauce on each side of the tortillas before filling them.
  4. Then, fill each tortilla with the cooked spaghetti squash filling, top with a tsp. of sour cream, some more cheese, roll carefully and place rolled side down in your dish.
  5. Do these with as much filling as you have to fill the tortillas.
  6. When your oven proof dish is filled, top the tortillas with more sour cream and cheese.
  7. Bake this dish uncovered in the pre-heated oven for at least 30 minutes but NOT till the enchiladas are dried out so watch carefully.
  8. Serve with a side of chopped green cabbage that has been mixed with white wine vinegar and salt (no oil) and topped with some avocado slices.

Once again, the recipe for the Filled South of the Border Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

  1. 1 medium spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded (save those seeds to roast in your oven. So yummy.)
  2. 2 Tsp. olive oil
  3. 1 chopped yellow onion
  4. 1 yellow (red or orange is OK as well) pepper, seeded and chopped
  5. 2 garlic cloves-chopped
  6. One 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed in a colander with water
  7. 1/2 C. corn (I used fresh, but frozen or rinsed canned is OK as well)
  8. 1/3 to 1/2 C. chopped cilantro
  9. 1 Tblsp. lime juice
  10. 6 Tblsp. medium enchilada sauce (or more if you wish—taste it first)
  11. 1/4 to 1/2 C. chunky salsa sauce
  12. 1 tsp. salt
  13. 3/4 to 1 C. of rough shredded 4 blend Mexican cheese (or something similar)
  14. Avocado slices for top garnish (optional)
  15. Sour Cream for top garnish (optional)
  16. Corn Tortilla’s for accompaniment

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375. In an oven proof dish, pour 1 C. of water in the dish and place your squash halves, flesh side down, in it. Place the dish in your pre-heated oven for about 35 minutes or until a sharp knife can pierce the skin easily. Take out of oven and let the squash cool for a little bit before you rake it with a fork to remove the strands—but careful, leave the shell in tack for the stuffing. Place the squash back in your dish (which now has no water) because you will be placing the stuffing in the squash and back into the oven for a bit. Turn the oven down to 350.
  2. I used my food processor to pulse quickly into chopped pieces the items listed in #3 through #5.
  3. In a large pot, over medium heat, place the olive oil and when heated, stir in the items #3 through #5 till softened and glistening (about 5 minutes). Then add the ingredients #6 through #12 and cook till well melded for about 2 minutes more.
  4. Place the stuffing you have just created in your shells and sprinkle each with the cheese.
  5. Place your dish back in the 350F oven for about 20 minutes.
  6. Voila—delicious. If you wish to garnish with the avocado slices and sour cream go ahead and do this now. And of course, some nice warm corn tortillas make for a wonderful accompaniment. As well, I’ve noticed that these two spaghetti squash recipes I have made taste even better the next day.

ss enchiladas 1 ss plated enchiladas

Oct10

South of the Border Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

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close up 1 south of the border 1 very close up

South of the Border Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Here’s another yummy spaghetti squash dish that is easy to make and healthy to eat. It’s a vegetarian dish and I hope that you will like it as much as I have.

Ingredients:

  1. 1 medium spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded (save those seeds to roast in your oven. So yummy.)
  2. 2 Tsp. olive oil
  3. 1 chopped yellow onion
  4. 1 yellow (red or orange is OK as well) pepper, seeded and chopped
  5. 2 garlic cloves-chopped
  6. One 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed in a colander with water
  7. 1/2 C. corn (I used fresh, but frozen or rinsed canned is OK as well)
  8. 1/3 to 1/2 C. chopped cilantro
  9. 1 Tblsp. lime juice
  10. 6 Tblsp. medium enchilada sauce (or more if you wish—taste it first)
  11. 1/4 to 1/2 C. chunky salsa sauce
  12. 1 tsp. salt
  13. 3/4 to 1 C. of rough shredded 4 blend Mexican cheese (or something similar)
  14. Avocado slices for top garnish (optional)
  15. Sour Cream for top garnish (optional)
  16. Corn Tortilla’s for accompaniment

 

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 375. In an oven proof dish, pour 1 C. of water in the dish and place your squash halves, flesh side down, in it. Place the dish in your pre-heated oven for about 35 minutes or until a sharp knife can pierce the skin easily. Take out of oven and let the squash cool for a little bit before you rake it with a fork to remove the strands—but careful, leave the shell in tack for the stuffing. Place the squash back in your dish(which now has no water) because you will be placing the stuffing in the squash and back into the oven for a bit. Turn the oven down to 350.
  2. I used my food processor to pulse quickly into chopped pieces the items listed in #3 through #5.
  3. In a large pot, over medium heat, place the olive oil and when heated, stir in the items #3 through #5 till softened and glistening (about 5 minutes). Then add the ingredients #6 through #12 and cook till well melded for about 2 minutes more.
  4. Place the stuffing you have just created in your shells and sprinkle each with the cheese.
  5. Place your dish back in the 350F oven for about 20 minutes.
  6. Voila—delicious. If you wish to garnish with the avocado slices and sour cream go ahead and do this now. And of course, some nice warm corn tortillas make for a wonderful accompaniment. As well, I’ve noticed that these two spaghetti squash recipes I have made taste even better the next day.
Oct4

Mediterranean Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

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mediterrean spaghetti squash close up mediterrean spaghetti squash

Mediterranean Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

Serves 4

Easy on the belly and good besides—that’s what this dish presents. You don’t have to add the shrimp so it can be a totally vegetarian dish. I also have another recipe that uses this kind of squash, so be on the look out for that. It’s a south of the border version.

Ingredients:

  1. One spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded (I save the seeds to roast in a 400 degree oven. I let the seeds dry and then sprinkle them with olive oil and red pepper flakes. It takes about 20-30 minutes to roast them.)
  2. 2 Tblsp. olive oil
  3. 1 onion-chopped
  4. 2 garlic cloves minced
  5. One 14.5 oz. canned dice tomatoes including its’ juice. (The can I used also included oregano, garlic and basil.)
  6. 1/2 C. chopped artichoke hearts (I used the slightly marinated kind.)
  7. 3 Tblsp. sliced black olives (I used the slightly marinated kind.)
  8. 2 Tbslp. chopped fresh basil
  9. Medium sized cooked deveined shrimp, defrosted, tail taken off—I used about 15 (Optional)
  10. 3/4 to 1 C. crumbled feta cheese

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In an oven proof dish, put in 1/2 to 3/4 C. water and place the 2 squash halves, flesh side down, in your dish. Bake about 35 minutes in the preheated oven. You can check at 30 minutes however the squash is done when you are able to insert a sharp knife with little resistance. When the squash is done take a fork to rake the flesh into your “spaghetti”. Be careful not to rake through the skin because you are going to use that for the stuffing.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large deep pot heat the olive oil and when heated, put in the onion. Sauté till it has softened. (about 5 minutes) Add the garlic and sauté for about 2 more minutes. Stir in ingredients number # 5 through # 8, place a lid on the pot and let the sauce simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
  4. If you are using the shrimp, now’s the time to put them in the sauce for 3 or so minutes or till they are heated through.
  5. Add the feta last and stir it in quickly.
  6. Spoon the sauce into your squash halves. I surrounded mine with some cold marinated hot Italian styled red peppers which I thought tasted quite good with this.
  7. If you wish, you can serve some crusty hot French bread with this. And of course a nice crispy light white wine would be nice to have as well. But even red is good with this dish.

 

 

Oct2

Roasted Cheese Ratatouille-Versatile, (veggie only or with meat/egg)

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ratatouille casseroleratatouille w.egg

 

Roasted Ratatouille with Cheese and if you wish, eggs and/or meat

Lots of options here and all quite healthy

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  1. 1 small eggplant cut into 1/2 inch pieces. I left the skin on but if you wish, you can peel it. Also I salted it in a colander and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. After I rinsed it.
  2. 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  3. 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  4. 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  5. 4 or 5 large mushrooms, sliced.
  6. 1-2 Tblsp. olive oil
  7. 1/4 Tsp. (or more if you wish a more exotic taste) of each of the following: cinnamon & nutmeg and S&P to taste
  8. 1-28 oz. canned chopped tomatoes with juice or whole can tomatoes (w/juice) that you’ve chopped
  9. 2-3 Tblsp. torn fresh basil leaves
  10. 1 Tblsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
  11. Half lb. lamb shoulder which you have ground (minus the bone of course) in your food processor. This I found is the most economical way of getting ground lamb. However, the butcher may have some as well for the same price and/or he also can grind up the shoulder meat for you. If you wish you can have even have up to 1 lb. or none at all if you want to be vegetarian. You can also substitute ground turkey, chicken or beef but lamb is delicious and more traditional. (optional)
  12. Mozarella, part skim, 4-6 ounces, thinly sliced and cut into 1/4 –inch strips
  13. 4 eggs (optional)
  14. Crusty French Bread with which to serve it or something else similar

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. In a 9 X 14 inch Pyrex or other oven proof dish place ingredients 1 through 5 and drizzle with the olive oil. Roast until golden brown and tender. (about 45 minutes) About half way through, I stirred the veggies well. In fact, you can stir even more times if you wish.
  3. Brown the optional lamb, etc. in a bit of olive oil in a skillet stove top. Set aside.
  4. When the veggies are roasted, take your dish out and stir in the seasonings in # 7, the tomatoes and their juices in # 8, the basil leaves in #9 and the parsley in #10 and the optional ground meat in #11.
  5. Bake in the 400 F oven with a foil covering for 20 to 30 minutes till hot and bubbling.
  6. Now’s the time to top with the cheese and bake without the foil for another 10 minutes—or at least till the cheese is melted. I actually turned on the broiler for several minutes to get it browned.
  7. Alternative method of serving: If you didn’t add the meat and maybe want to add eggs to this dish, then before you add the cheese, make four indentations in your veggies, break in an egg and layer the cheese over all. Bake uncovered until the eggs are set and the cheese is melted—8-10 minutes.
  8. Another alternative for this dish: If you did use the meat and you’ve layered the cheese, and cooked it that way but still want an egg on top—fry the egg in a separate pan and when you serve the Ratatouille, place the egg on top. Plenty of protein here and it really is good. Remember, you can serve the left over Ratatouille (if you have any) for breakfast topped with an egg.