Secret Squash In The Kitchen…Filming!
New ways lead to new ideas! I’m excited to share my Honey Roasted Spaghetti Squash recipe and NEW news about what I have cookin’ up in my kitchen… Click to skip to the recipe
Want to know a secret? Here it is.
I’ve been filming for a new video series featuring me…. talking to you…. about FOOD!
We’ve just started, and I’m not sure where it’s going but in these videos, I show you how to cook one thing in several different ways.
This idea grew out of the many, many conversations that I’ve had with friends and readers who are saying that they are sooooo bored with the food that they are cooking.
And, let’s face it, we’ve been cooking at home a lot this past year.
One of the segments I shot featured spaghetti squash. In order to show you how to prepare the squash and the dishes, I surrounded myself with a whole bunch of these football-size veggies. Six in all!
After the video was in the can (I don’t think it ever goes into a can anymore, I think it shoots up into the clouds, but who knows?) I was left with a few of these babies that I hoisted onto a platter for future use.
These squash are durable and last a really long time.
Later that evening, I found myself at a local restaurant with a few of my gal pals. I started perusing the menu and low and behold, listed right there under “Lighter Fare” was a roasted spaghetti squash dish.
I told my friends about the day’s earlier video and we decided to share an order or two to try it out. It was delish!
There was a discussion and I found out that most of the gals loved the dish and many of them would make it at home, but there was a learning curve that required some climbing before anyone would tackle the squash.
I developed a recipe that copies the restaurant’s dish and distributed my remaining squash to the gals who decided to give it a try. It’s pretty darn good.
I’ll keep you posted on the videos. Meanwhile, if you are looking for new ideas for the same ole’ things that you cook every day, don’t hesitate to send me a request.
I might invite you to come over and video with me! 😉
Honey Roasted Spaghetti Squash
With Spinach and Sun-dried Tomatoes
Serves: 4
Time: 60 minutes ‘til it’s ready
Ingredients
For Squash:
2 medium spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
For Dish:
2 tablespoons roasted garlic butter (see Tip 1)
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, and diced
¼ pound fresh spinach leaves, about 1 cup
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
3 to 4 basil leaves, rolled into a cigar shape tube and thinly sliced
Shaved Parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and pulp. Place onto a baking sheet, cut-side facing up. Drizzle the flesh of the squash with honey, olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Flip the squash and bake cut-side down until soft, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Melt roasted garlic butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes. Add the spinach leaves and cook until they are wilted, just a minute or two.
Use a fork to pull strands from the cooked squash that resemble thin angel hair pasta. Add to the pan and toss with the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Season with additional salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with pine nuts, thin strips of basil, and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Tip 1:
The rich flavors of roasted garlic and butter add to the deliciousness of this sauce. Here’s my recipe:
Roasted Garlic Compound Butter:
4 large heads of garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, softened
Preheat the oven to 375°. Cut about ¼ of the top off the bulbs and discard. Place the bulbs onto a sheet of aluminum foil, cut side up. Drizzle with olive oil and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Close the foil loosely around the bulbs leaving a hole at the top. Place into the oven and bake until the cloves are golden, soft, and climbing out of their papery skins. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
Place the butter into a small bowl. Squeeze the cloves into the bowl with the butter. Use a fork to mash everything together. Spread the garlic butter onto a piece of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to roll the garlic butter into a cylinder twisting the ends to make a tight roll. Place the butter into the fridge to firm up.
Slice the butter into rounds and place on grilled meats, fish, or veggies.
Tip 2:
Toast pine nuts by placing them into a skillet over medium heat. You can move the skillet around to roll the nuts on the bottom of the pan. Watch closely, as the nuts will toast quickly. Once they are fragrant (and you will love that aroma), they’re done! Remove the nuts from the skillet right away.
Tip 3:
When you stack basil leaves and then roll them into a cylinder and then thinly slice them, it’s called chiffonade. Just wanted you to know!
