Cooking Spaghetti Squash

Last year my Aunt Michelle introduced me to spaghetti squash. It is now a BIG favorite of mine. My aunt likes to cook it in her crock pot whole which I did a few times and then branched out because there are so many different ways to cook it on Pinterest. So far this is my favorite way of cooking it.
 Baking it.

Directions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375
2. Use a sharp knife to cut down the middle of the squash lengthwise. Then scoop out the seeds using a spoon.
3. Place the squash cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet.
4. Pop it in the oven for an hour.
5. Once it cools its the fun part. With a fork, pull the strands away from the sides of the squash. Once you have loosened up the sides, you can scoop up all the strands by pulling from under it.

I personally enjoy it plain. But most as well as those in my family like to pour their favorite spaghetti sauce over it. My husband likes just parmesan cheese on it. Others like a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder and italian seasoning.

And wa-la!!!

Simple as pie. I like it better than pie. But then again I am a health nut. :)

Tomato Soup with Poached Eggs

This was amazing! And so simple to make!  My husband and I really liked this one. It is a Martha Stewart recipe. The red pepper flakes add a little kick. Not too spicy. It is definitely different than the typical tomato soup and grilled cheese. I prefer this. Feels a little healthier.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for toast and drizzling
3 to 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, plus one clove for toast
Pinch hot red pepper flakes
1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped, with juice
3 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
4 slices rustic bread
Shredded basil, for garnish (or I mixed a little of it in the sauce)

Directions:
In a straight-sided skillet over medium heat, cook the oil, garlic, and pepper flakes until garlic is just beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, water, salt, and pepper.

 Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

Crack one egg into a small bowl. Carefully lower edge of bowl into simmering liquid, allowing egg to slip into pot. Repeat with remaining eggs. Cover pot and cook until whites are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, brush bread with oil and broil until golden; rub with garlic. Place one slice in each of four shallow bowls; sprinkle with basil. Spoon soup and poached eggs over toast, drizzle with a little more oil, and serve immediately.

Best Rolled Sugar Cookies

12 years ago, Dustin's mom, Lannis, passed away from breast cancer. This year I wanted to remember her in a simple way so I decided to make sugar cookies in the shape of cancer symbols and decorate them with pink frosting for "breast cancer."

I normally don't make sugar cookies because they are not my favorite but these turned out really good. it is a very good recipe if you plan on decorating them and needed to cut them in certain shapes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Hearty Chicken Stew with Butternut Squash and Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

The recipe:
1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.

2. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.

3. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.

4. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.

5. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and serve.

6. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.

7. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.

8. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.

9. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and serve.

From the kitchen of Cookin Canuck. www.cookincanuck.com

Chicken Pasta Salad with Grapes

This salad has a great combination of sweet, comforting, a little bit of crunch and a cool dish when pairing with hot meat at a BBQ.

1 pkg curly noodles, cooked

1 chicken breast, shredded or cut in chunks (whatever you prefer)

1 small package sliced almonds

1 can pineapple tidbits, drained (or I have used crushed pineapple and it was still just as good)

bag of red grapes

Dressing:

1 c. sour cream

1 c. miracle whip

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ginger

Mix dressing a little at a time (depending on how much creamy sauce you want) and stir into the other ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. And wa-lah! A yummy pasta salad. Great summer dish!

My Guacamole Dip

In my opinion, the best guacamole is FRESH guacamole with as many ingredients from the garden as possible.

Ingredients:
3 avocados
Red onion, chopped (about 1/4 c.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (or to taste)
1 large ripe garden tomato (or 2 smaller tomatoes), diced
juice of 1 lime
4-5 shakes green Tabasco sauce
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Pit avocados and mash in a bowl. If you like your guac kind of chunky (that's how we like it), coarsely chop with the side of a fork instead of using the fork to mash it straight down. Carefully stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

Black beans and Corn

BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 can corn

dash of chili powder
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, corn, chili powder and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

Homemade tortilla strips

These go great over a mexican meal like tortilla soup, tacos, taco salad or the Cafe Rio pulled pork recipe.

10-12 corn tortillas
oil for frying
Kosher salt

Cut tortillas into strips using a pizza cutter. You can cut 2-3 at a time pretty easily. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Place strips into hot oil and fry until they become crispy. When nice and crispy, remove from oil and place on a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt after each batch.

Cafe Rio pulled pork (Copycat)

2 pounds pork (I use boneless pork rib meat)3 cans Coke (NOT diet)1/4 c. light brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 small can diced green chilies
3/4 (10oz) can red enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness but any will work)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry) or on low for 8 hours. Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crockpot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Pulled Venison BBQ

So I love cooking pulled pork, but my dad likes to eat wild meat so while making a pulled pork recipe for others I made this recipe for my dad and his hunting buddies. I searched a forum for what other hunters liked and I combined their ideas.

Ingredients:

-Venison Roast or deer tenderloins

-1 can of coke or beer

-1/4 C Brown sugar

-1/2 tsp Garlic Salt

-1/2 tsp Pepper

-Pinch of Cayenne (or more if you like it hot, but my dad didn't)

-A few tablespoons of butter (gets dry without it)

-Favorite BBQ sauce

Directions:

1. Put meat, 1/2 can coke/beer, sugar, salt, pepper, cayenne in a large ziplock bag and let the meat marinate for a few hours or overnight for best taste.

2. After marinating, drain and place meat in the crockpot. Pour other 1/2 can coke/beer in crock pot along with 2Tb butter. Cook for 6 hours or more. Cook until the meat shreds easily.

***Wild game cooks a lot faster than store bought meat because there is less fat***(So I would check it periodically to make sure it is not drying out or overcooking.)

Cumin scented Quinoa and Black Rice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup short-grain black rice
• 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed well
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons 1" pieces chives
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 
  

• Ingredient Info:

  Black rice and red quinoa are available at better supermarkets and at natural foods and specialty foods stores.
  
  

Preparation

• Bring rice and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, 25–30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine quinoa, bay leaf, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain; return quinoa to hot saucepan. Cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf, fluff quinoa with a fork, and transfer to a large bowl.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add to quinoa. Add rice; mix well. Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp. oil, fresh lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cut avocado into wedges. Serve salad with avocado and lemon wedges.