Roasted, Buttered Spagetti Squash with 2 Bean Croquettes aka Veggie Meatballs {12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

Let's cut to the chase and just call it what it is shall we? In the words of my very outspoken 8 year old "Are you trying to tell me these are meatballs?"  and then under his breath  "I know these aren't real  noodles, it's spaghetti squash."  The jig is up. At least my kids know what spaghetti squash is, I suppose I should be thankful for that, even if it's not quite as good as the 'real thing' in there eyes.





Let's clear the air right now, if you don't like beans in general, you probably won't like these croquettes. I call them croquettes or in Italian, crocchettes because that's what they are.  Not "meatballs"  (motion finger quotes here). The texture is not firm like meat, however they are dense, 'meat like' albeit  a bit mushier and very flavorful and satisfying. The marinara, fresh Parmesan and creamy spaghetti squash make this healthy meal hard to remember that you are 'missing' meat.  In fact, I much prefer these to the taste and texture of ground beef. Hands down!

 Although typically croquettes are deep fried in most countries, I always choose to bake mine. Partly because it's much healthier and mostly because deep frying things scares the bejesus out of me. (Picture a grown woman who isn't afraid of much of anything shrieking "Eeeeeek! at the top of her lungs every time the grease splatters.)  Not pretty. 

So, even though this 'spaghetti' dinner didn't fool my kids, all but 1  of them loved it. 1 out of 4 aint bad folks.
This may or may not have to do with the fact that Santa Clause is making out his naughty and nice list.

Coincidence I say. Sheer coincidence.

PREP TIME    40 MINUTES      COOK TIME 60 MINUTES        SERVES    6

Ingredients

1 medium size spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons butter
1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas) drained and rinsed
1 can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper
1/2 cup cooked quinoa (or 3/4 - 1 cup fresh bread crumbs)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 egg
1 small handful fresh parsley
 1 big handful chopped baby spinach
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
non stick spray

3 cups crushed tomatoes or sugar free marinara
freshly grated Parmesan for topping



Preheat oven to 375F. Poke several holes in the skin of the spaghetti squash to allow steam to escape while cooking. (I made a rookie mistake once and didn't do this and it EXPLODED all over me, not pretty.) Place squash in a baking pan and cook for 30 minutes to soften skin. Carefully remove from oven, let cool for 30 minutes.

{You can try cutting the uncooked squash but it isn't easy and will dull your knives.}

When cooled, cut lengthwise in half and place cut side up in baking dish with a tab of butter in each half. Bake an additional 30 minutes at 375F. Remove and let cool while you make the meatballs.In a food processor, add beans, onion, garlic and red bell pepper. Pulse till just combined. Do not over process or mixture will be soggy.

Scoop mixture into a medium size bowl. Add cooked quinoa, egg, spinach, cheese, parsley and spices. Mix to combine.

Scoop small, golf ball size pieces into wet hands and shape into balls. Place 1/2" apart onto foil lined, greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes until browned.

Using a fork, scrape out the spaghetti squash into a large pot. Top with marinara and cook covered on medium-low for 15 minutes or until warmed through.  Adding 2 bay leaves if using crushed tomatoes.

Serve meatballs on top of spaghetti squash. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve with a simple salad.


Bon Apetite!

We are on Week numero Cinco of #12WeeksofWinterSquash my friends. This pasta, is my submission. I strongly encourage you to check out the other recipes for this fun roundup, I hear Heather is making a Pumpkin Fry Bread as we speak!

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Lamb Keema with Potatoes

Lamb Keema is a very popular dish in Persia and Indian countries.  It's a very simple weeknight meal and the spices and ingredients are easily interchangeable. This is the recipe we have been making for years and every single one of my children loves it which is nothing short of a miracle!

I wish you could smell this dish, it's aromas are breathtaking. It may not look very pretty but the flavors of the spices and chili gives it so much depth. Balanced out with whole yogurt which adds a bit of creamy sweetness to this Indian dish and you have yourself a winner.






You can use rice instead of potatoes if you wish and ground beef or turkey for the lamb. However, I implore you to try lamb if you have been hesitant to, it's flavor is incomparable to beef and all of the lamb I've seen available in markets are free range and fed a natural diet and therefor healthier and more humane than most cattle.  We eat very little meat in this house and lamb is my favorite next to elk. Sorry vegetarians.

2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil ( I strongly recommend using either of these, I use coconut oil)
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2" fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1 green chili (Anaheim or poblano) chopped (or 1 teaspoon chili powder)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1 pound ground lamb
3 small Yukon gold potatoes, diced into 1/2" cubes
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
3/4 cup fat free, plain yogurt
salt to taste
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Put oil in medium size hot skillet & saute onion, garlic, ginger root, chili, and spices. Add ground lamb and stir until it's mostly cooked, then add potatoes, salt and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add peas and yogurt and simmer 5 minutes more. 

Take off heat and add cilantro. Serve w/ chutney (optional)

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Shrimp and Pesto Pizza with Sun Dried Tomatoes on No Rise Pizza Dough.

Would you believe me if I told you that this pizza was so fast and easy to make that you can do it on any day of the week? I did just to make sure it was as easy as it sounded, it is. I usually save pizza for the weekends and home made pizza for a day when I have plenty of time, patience and energy. Needless to say, we don't have home made pizza very often. That is until my sister gave me her recipe for this basic pizza dough. Now we can have fresh out of the oven pizza on any given Tuesday!

Preheat your oven to 425F.  Place a pizza stone if using, in oven and sprinkle with cornmeal. 

This dough is so easy I almost feel like I'm cheating. NO rising, No kneading and no waiting. Only a handful of ingredients and a stir of the spoon and you have home made pizza dough in under 10 minutes.

Separate the mixed dough into two equal parts {or shape into bread sticks!}. 

On a silpat or wax paper, roll into a ball and press with your hands to make a circle. Finish rolling the dough out with a rolling pin until it's about 1/4" -1/2" thick. 

Carefully, transfer dough to the hot pizza stone by flipping it over. Pushing the edges in if needed.

Cook the dough for 10-15 minutes till lightly golden brown but not done.  Poking holes in any bubbles that may form. 

Using an oven mitt, carefully pull oven rack out and spread pesto (or sauce of choice) over dough to 1/2" from the edge. Sprinkle with mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes and raw shrimp. 

Rachel's Easy Pizza Dough Recipe  (makes 2 pizzas or 1 pizza + bread sticks)

2 1/4 cup warm water
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. sugar
4 1/2 Tbs. oil
2 tsp. dry yeast
5 2/3 cup flour

Mix salt, sugar, yeast and oil. Pour warm water over mix and stir. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing well each time, then kneed. No rising necessary. Bake 425 degrees 15-20 minutes. 

Top with sauce and toppings, bake another 5-10 minutes until cheese melts and turns golden brown and shrimp is pink.

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Cheesy Pizza Bread with Caramelized Onions

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Deconstructed Cabbage Rolls #RecipeRedux #sponsored

One of my husband's favorite dinners are Cabbage Rolls. They are like little Hungarian Meat loafs stuffed into a soft cabbage leaf and simmered in a sweet tomato sauce. This recipe for deconstructed cabbage rolls cuts the time in half and has the same tasty ingredients and flavors as the original. My mom calls it 'lazy cabbage rolls' and I suppose she's right on this one. ;)

“By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by USA Rice Federation and am eligible to win  prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.”

Beef and pork are the most common meats used in cabbage rolls but I used ground lamb which is super lean and has a very distinctive taste. I also chopped a big handful of mushrooms to add flavor and a bit more bulk to the mixture. Instead of the using the traditional American version of canned tomato soup, simply simmer a big can of crushed tomatoes and a bit of brown sugar and spices for a mouth watering sauce. Chopped cabbage is steamed into this dish so there's no bothering with making small meat loafs or rolling them into individual leaves, something I haven't quite mastered without breaking half of them. 

Why I use rice in many of my meals. Well, first of all it's definitely a frugal food option. With 4 hungry kids and a husband rice is one of my favorite low cost ways to really stretch a meal. More importantly however are the many health benefits of rice. When you choose a good quality, non GMO rice grown in the U.S.  your getting a lot more that whole grains.


Rice is a great source of immediate energy making it a good choice for athletes or to get you through the rest of your day in high gear. It's high in healthy carbohydrates and acts as fuel for the body and aids in the normal functioning of the brain. Rice naturally low in sodium and cholesterol which helps (people like me) with high blood pressure and supports cardiovascular health. 


My husbands older sister was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's a few years ago. She deteriorated very quickly and died within a couple of years leaving behind 3 young children and devastating the family.
Brown rice is said to contain high levels of nutrients that stimulate the growth and activity of neurotransmitters, subsequently helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease to a considerable extent. Various species of wild rice have been shown to stimulate neuroprotective enzymes in the brain, which inhibit the effects of free radicals and other dangerous toxins that can cause dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

TIME        20 MINUTES               SERVES 6

YOU WILL NEED


1 pound ground lamb (or beef or pork)
1 small head of green cabbage, core removed and chopped
1 cup water
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup chopped crimini mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cups of U.S. grown cooked brown rice
1 32 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt





Heat a large skillet over medium high heat for a couple of minutes. Add oil and then onions, cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until. lightly browned and translucent. Add lamb and crumble with a spatula. Cook 5-7 minutes until browned. **Lamb is very low in fat so it will cook much faster than beef or pork, be careful not to over cook or it will be dry.


Remove the mixture from the pan and place in a large bowl, cover with a plate. Using a paper towel, carefully wipe the pan clean. Put back on medium high heat, add water and cabbage. Cover and cook 8-10 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Stir to combine. Add the lamb mixture, stir. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes till heated through.


Serve hot over brown rice which is sturdy enough to handle this thick mixture. 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

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Simple Drunken Shrimp Linguine {Wine Pairings and Oil tips}

An insanely simple plate of drunken shrimp pasta is in order if you are feeling like you can't take one more second of the cold. I implore you to throw this pasta together and brighten your mood altogether.
Shrimp is one of my favorite, decadent treats yet it couldn't be easier to prepare. Literally minutes.

Fresh, raw shrimp is best but if you buy frozen shrimp, choose tail off, deveined large shrimp and make sure you remember to defrost them in the fridge for 24 hours before you cook them then pat them dry before sautéing. The frost on the shrimp won't allow them to cook properly, steaming them instead of sautéing.


Linguine noodles soaked up the extra drunken tomato sauce and was slurp worthy. Not to worry, cooking the sauce makes this dish alcohol free but the taste one step above ordinary! I threw some finely chopped carrots into my sauce to sweeten it up a bit and balance out the boldness from the infused tomato sauce and the spiciness from the red chili flakes. Garlic of course was added in generous amounts rounding out this bold and hearty pasta.



Wine Pairings

Even though this sauce has bold flavors, if you are pairing with a wine, choose  either a light red such as a Pino Noir or Chianti. If your sauce is on the spicier side, stick with a Spanish or California Rose to avoid a metallic aftertaste you'll get from red wines or choose a white wine with light, balanced fruit notes such as a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc which will really bring out the mild flavors of the shrimp.

Ingredients

1 10 oz package Linguine noodles, cooked according to package directions, al dente
1 lb. large, raw tail off shrimp - deveined
1, 32 oz. can petite diced tomatoes, un-drained
1/4 cup good quality gold tequila {or red wine} broth or juice from tomatoes may be used 
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
6 cloves thinly sliced garlic
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon med-high smoke point oil: grape seed, palm oil, safflower, or avocado oil
1 tablespoon real butter
generous pinch of salt
red pepper flakes to taste



Have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go!

While pasta water is being brought to a boil, heat a large wok over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter, let it get fairly hot but do not burn butter. Add dried shrimp and carefully and quickly toss to coat. Let shrimp sit for 2 minutes, flip again to toss and let sit for 1-2 more minutes till pink.

Add carrots, shallot and garlic to skillet, sprinkle with salt toss to combine. Cook 1 minute stirring so as not to burn shallot and garlic. Pour in tequila or other liquid you are using to deglaze the wok using a large, flat spoon to scrape brown bits of bottom of wok. Turn down heat to medium-low. Let sit for 2-3 minutes while liquid cooks down. Add tomatoes, stir to combine. Let simmer for 3-5 minutes till just warmed through. Remove from heat. Spoon over drained pasta.

notes:

Adding salt to the carrots and shallots at the beginning of sautéing will soften them and bring out their natural flavors adding to the sauce.

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