"Spaghetti" Squash Lovin'

Tonight is one of those nights when Passover starts to wear on you- you're craving pasta like mad, you'd sell your soul for a slice of quality pizza, and it is all you can do to not speed on over to your local sushi joint and literally just eat a bowl of sushi rice. At least, thats how I feel... 

In comes the spaghetti squash. With such a mild flavor, this versatile veggie can be complemented by almost anything. I typically serve it with a simple pat of butter and some fresh parmesan cheese, but tonight I was really feeling like tomato sauce. So, here you have it. My Passover kosher "pasta with tomato sauce" and "chocolate cake." Enjoy!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash

Cut the stem off of your spaghetti squash and then cut it in half length-wise. With a metal spoon, scoop out the seeds. Rub the inside and outside with olive oil and place the squash cut-side down in a glass baking dish. Fill the dish with water about 1" deep. Bake, covered, for about 45 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces the skin of the squash. With a fork, scoop out the "spaghetti" into a bowl. 

While your spaghetti squash is baking, you can make this sauce (or pop open a jar of your favorite sauce- I'll never know!)

Homemade Spicy Tomato-Basil Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

3/4 onion, chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, sliced

2 tbsp chopped red bell pepper

2 8-oz cans Hunt's Basil, Garlic & Oregano tomato sauce

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp dried italian herb mixture*

1 1/2 tsp dried basil*

1-2 tsp dried red chili flakes 

1/3 cup sliced black olives

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Saute for 4-5 minutes on medium until the onions are almost translucent. Add the sliced garlic and chopped red bell pepper, cook for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle in the onion powder, garlic powder, italian herb mixture, dried basil and red chili flakes. Stir around for 1 or 2 minutes. Then, pour in the two cans of sauce. Stir to combine, reduce heat to low and cover for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, taste for seasonings add the olives. Cover, and reduce to simmer for however long it takes for your squash to be done. The longer it cooks, the better the flavor will be. 

When you are ready, serve your squash with a ladle of sauce on top and a generous sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Bask in the deliciousness of your mock-pasta and slowly get over your carb craving ;)

I also was super motivated to make a flourless chocolate cake tonight. I have never made one before, and always wanted to, so I decided that Passover is the perfect opportunity! I made one mistake- I forgot to bake it in a water bath, but it still turned out better than I could have hoped. This cake is fondly called "Chocolate Idiot Cake" by its creator, the great David Lebovitz, because only an idiot could mess it up. And he is right! Although I made that one mistake, the cake was still moist, delicious and sinfully chocolate-y. I have wanted to try one of his recipes for quite some time, and it was truly fantastic. You can find the recipe HERE. I served it alongside my new obsession, Sweet Republic's lavender ice cream. Seriously, to die for. 

I hope these recipes inspire you to look at the bright side of Passover cooking (even if you aren't celebrating Passover)- opportunities to cut out the carbs and replace them with a delicious veggie (spaghetti squash), and to try new recipes (flourless chocolate cake). Enjoy!

xo

*You can also use fresh herbs if you have them available, note that dried herbs are stronger than fresh herbs so you need to use a larger amount of fresh herbs in this recipe. 

Cheesy Potato & Cauliflower Casserole

This dish is so, so yummy. In fact, I would recommend doubling or tripling it, but I had to work with the ingredients that I had on hand! It combines some of my favorite flavors, and I have to admit the idea is not all my own. Last night, my brilliant, new-to-cooking younger sister made a cauliflower kugel that was so great, and I wanted to make something similar but cheesier. This combines parmesan cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted potatoes, cauliflower, and garlic. 


Cheesy Potato & Cauliflower Casserole

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cups thinly sliced cauliflower

1 large red potato, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled, with ends cut off
1/2 tbsp butter + 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp pesto
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top
Freshly cracked pepper
Butter, to grease baking dish


Thinly slice 1 medium onion. Melt 1/2 tbsp butter + 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. When hot, add onions and sauté on medium for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then reduce heat to medium-low and let caramelize for about 15-18 minutes, until onions are golden brown. 
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Thinly slice cauliflower and potato. Reserve enough large potato slices to cover the top of your casserole, and cut the rest into ribbons. Mix cauliflower and potatoes with 2 tsp olive oil and freshly cracked pepper. Lay out on a greased baking sheet, along with the 5 garlic cloves (still unpeeled), and roast at 375 for 15 minutes. While they are roasting, in a bowl combine sour cream, pesto and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Set aside. When the cauliflower and potatoes are done, take the garlic cloves out of the papers and chop them up. 

Caramelized onions, cauliflower, potato & roasted garlic

In a glass bowl, mix together garlic, cauliflower and potatoes, caramelized onions and sour cream mixture. Grease a casserole dish (I used an 8" round one) with butter. Pour the mixture into the dish, layer on the thinly sliced potatoes, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese (however much you want- go crazy!). On a middle rack, bake covered, for 15 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 15 additional minutes, rotating half way through.

This dish smells so yummy when it is baking- I wish you all could be in my kitchen right now! I was really craving macaroni and cheese for dinner, but since it is passover this is a great alternative. I really think cauliflower is overlooked sometimes, which is unfortunate because it is so versatile. And seriously, its so yummy that I might eat the entire casserole! 

Splattered a little on the sides, but thats ok!

Happy New Year!!

Happy 2012, friends! A little wish for you..

Room

I only have room in my life for people who make the effort to be there. 
Friendship shouldn't be based around convenience. I find that too often, 
people expect friendship under certain circumstances, but forget about 
it all other times. 
I do not have the patience, respect or time for that kind of "friendship."

Welcome!

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