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Showing posts with label roasted. Show all posts

Snacketizer Part Two: Roasted Spicy Squash Seeds

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, August 28, 2013 0 comments

Part two of the series! Here is a classic case of use what you got, which is basically my MO 90% of the time. This is the first time I've ever roasted squash seeds because I normally use pumpkin or sunflower seeds. But because I made the spaghetti squash a few days ago, I had these leftover. They are packed with protein and incredibly versatile. Eat them by themselves, in a salad, on top of a crostini, wherever!

Take your seeds (I had 1 cup) and place them in a colander. If you haven't already, separate them from any squash pieces and rinse them with water. Dry your seeds and place them in a Ziploc bag. Drizzle with 1T olive oil, 1tsp salt, and 1.5tsp of ground cumin. This is the spicy part. Place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees F for 20-22 minutes or until they have turned a golden brown color.


They definitely satisfy the mental hand to mouth aspect of snacking, and bridge the gap between meals. I've even had people tell me they ate these when they were quitting smoking, and it helped with the nicotine cravings. They are super crunchy and have the perfect amount of spice from the cumin.

Write your questions, comments, or recipe requests below. Buon appetito!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Crushed Tomato Marinara and Sweet Italian Sausage

Posted by Unknown Friday, August 23, 2013 0 comments

Let me just preface this post by saying that never-have-I-ever had a substitute for spaghetti that was this good.  And I was raised on pasta. As in, we had it more than one night a week growing up. Pasta definitely fills you up and tastes delicious, but the problem with eating a main course that is mostly carbs is that you feel hungry a LOT sooner after eating. That's why balancing fiber and protein in your meal is imperative. This low-carb dinner does the trick!

Roll up your sleeves, and start by prepping your squash. Just a warning: this is hard. If you've ever tried to carve a pumpkin, or cut a butternut squash, you know how tricky gourds can be. Just take your time and be careful; it's easy for your knife to get away from you when slicing through the flesh of the squash. Cut your spaghetti squash in half lengthwise until you have two pieces. Take a spoon, and scrape out the seeds, but don't throw them away; you can season and roast them for a perfect snack or in salads! Recipe for that to come later. You can see the delicate strands that make up the flesh of the squash. Season with olive oil, salt, and pepper, place them flesh side down on an oiled cookie sheet, and set in a 400 degree F oven for 30-35 minutes. 


While your squash is roasting, it's time to make the base for your crushed marinara. The texture of this sauce is incredibly substantial, and when you don't have the real pasta, you'll want something with a little bite to it. Melt 1T butter in a non-stick saute pan over med-high heat. Dice 1 large white onion, and 4 medium cloves of garlic and add to the pan. Cook until onions are somewhat caramelized and translucent. Then chop 7 large, vine-ripened tomatoes and throw in the pan with the onions. Add 1tsp salt, 1tsp ground black pepper, 1/2tsp crushed red pepper flakes, and 2tsp dried Italian herbs (these usually have oregano, basil, thyme, etc.). Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook for 20 minutes, using the back of a wooden spoon, periodically, to break down tomatoes. 


In a separate pan (I use a cast iron skillet), brown 5 large, sweet Italian sausages over high heat. (TayTip: to cook perfect sausages, always have a full measuring cup of water next to the pan. Pour about 1/2 cup in with the sausage. This allows them to cook more evenly without burning the outsides. When the water evaporates, add more. Continue this for approximately 15 minutes, then let the last batch of water evaporate and brown up the outside edges of the sausage.) Transfer the entire contents of the marinara sauce in with the sausage, and reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for an additional 20 minutes. The sausage will finish cooking in the sauce, but depending on your pans and stove, you'll want to make a small incision in the middle of one to make sure they're fully cooked (no longer pink). 


When your squash is done, remove from the oven, and let it cool for 10-15 minutes. Once cool, take a large serving spoon, and scoop the strands from the skin. Transfer to a large bowl and drizzle with 1T olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. See the strands! Just like real spaghetti!


When the sauce has finished cooking, I like to scoop some of the squash strands back into the skins to serve. They're just like bread bowls from Panera, and make for a great presentation. Top with as much grated parmigiano reggiano as your little heart desires. 



This is a great meal to show off your ingenuity in the kitchen. You'll be amazed at how great a substitute it is for actual pasta. The squash is not overcooked (nobody likes mushy baby food), and gives a little resistance when biting down. It really doesn't have much of its own flavor. You get a little bit of a pumpkin/butternut squash flavor, but for the most part, it takes on the taste of the marinara, which by the way is perfectly savory. Sometimes when I make marinara, I'll add a little bit of honey to offset the acidity, but given the natural sweetness of the squash (and the sausage), I decided not to. The tomatoes are crushed and smushed and wonderfully hearty with a nice kick from the crushed red pepper. And lastly, the sweet Italian sausage. If you've had it, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, go buy some. These are from this wonderful shop in Arlington, VA, that my grandma used buy from when she lived there. She used to serve these for Christmas dinner with spaghetti and meatballs or her famous lasagna. The gentle fennel seed flavor is really the mark of a good sweet sausage, and it comes through with stunning clarity against the other flavors.  This is such a great meal. I felt fully satisfied, wasn't hungry later, and heck, anytime you can use a vegetable in place of a grain, I'm definitely in. 

Questions, comments, concerns below. Buon appetito!

It's So Hot...Drunken Roasted Peach Froyo Was a GOOD Choice

Posted by Unknown Wednesday, July 31, 2013 0 comments

If you get the reference in that title, good job. If not, it's a quote from the movie Anchorman.



Basically July in Richmond is hotter'n the brass hinges of hell, so I decided to make something cool and refreshing. Plus, there's alcohol in it, so win-win! And not just any alcohol, my favorite kind: red wine. It's also peach season right now, and those little firey globes are aflush with yellow, orange, and red skins, just waiting for you to pick 'em and make this creamy froyo loaded with roasted deliciousness. 

First start by slicing your peaches lengthwise and pitting them. I use the opposite end of my melon baller. This side is used to do melon decorations, but it works perfectly for sliding under the pit and slicing it out.


Then drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on a cookie sheet and place the peaches flesh side down. Put a little dollop of raw honey on each half and drizzle with some Chianti wine. Place the sheet in a 400 degree F oven and roast for 20-25 minutes. 



They will look like this when done. The golden, velvet skins will have shriveled a bit and pulled away from the flesh, which is soft and charred on the edges. Let them cool for at least 20 minutes (explanation later).


Peach heaven.


Now for the additional drunken part of these drunken peaches. You'll want to make a Chianti caramel. I KNOW, RIGHT? No more words are necessary about how great that is. 


Start by melting 1.5T butter in a pan with 4oz. of the Chianti (TayTip: 4oz is the liquid equivalent of 1/2c). Add 2T brown sugar and 2tsp of pure vanilla extract. 


 Then grate some fresh whole nutmeg into the pan. About 1tsp. 


 Cook over medium-high to high heat until boiling then remove from the heat immediately as the sugar can burn very quickly. 


Now back to the cooled peaches. Toss them skins and charred parts and all into a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. 


 Will look like this when finished. (TayTip: at this point you could use the peach puree as a marinade or sauce for pork, chicken, or fish)


 Then add your gorgeous, tawny caramel and blend until incorporated. 



 Now for the "yo" part, and the reason why the peaches had to cool. If you mix piping hot peaches with cold yogurt, it is going to separate. As in curds and whey, and I don't see Little Miss Muffet anywhere, so it's best to take your time with this one. Add 2.5 cups to the peach mixture and blend. 


 Pale and sunny. 


The last thing to do is put it in a container in the freezer for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best. (TayTip: use the old yogurt container to store some of the froyo in the freezer)



The peaches are no longer sour because the roasting process eliminates most of the initial acidity, but they have this incredible depth of flavor. The Chianti is a dry red wine, but still very fruity, and melded with the molten brown sugar to create a caramel, it's just insane. The nutmeg doesn't really have a flavor comparable to anything else; it's incredibly nutty. If you've ever had eggnog or a béchamel, you know how great nutmeg is with cream. Top with strawberries, shaved dark chocolate or just enjoy this froyo on it's own. Cool down with this perfect treat for the sweltering later summer months! Buon Appetito!

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