12.08.2013

Cheesy baked spaghetti squash




Ingredients
  • 5 1/2 cups cooked spaghetti squash (from 1 small)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/8 cup minced onion
  • 1/8 cup flour (use 2 tbsp corn starch for gluten free)
  • 1.5 cups skim milk
  • 1.5 cup vegetarian broth
  • 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
  • salt and pepper, to taste
Recommended add ins
  • 2 cups (about 4 oz) baby spinach
  • Pasta sauce (to top it with once it's done baking)


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise; remove and discard seeds. Place squash on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 1.5 hours. Separate the strands of squash with a fork and place in a medium bowl; discard shells. Maintain the oven temperature.

Heat butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook about 2 minutes. Stir in flour. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continually 3 - 4 minutes. The flour will become lumpy.

Add broth and continue whisking, raising heat to medium and begins to thicken and smooth. Add in milk and continue whisking.  Season with salt and pepper, taste at this point to see if it needs anything else.  If you want to add the spinach now is the time to whisk that in slowly.

Once it becomes thick, remove from heat, add cheddar cheese and mix well until cheese is melted. Add cooked spaghetti squash, and mix with a spoon until well combined.  Pour into a greased baking dish. Bake until bubbly and golden 25 to 30 minutes.











Adapted from this recipe

3.23.2013

Pancake, bacon and eggs breakfast bites

I think I've posted this recipe before but I used toast instead of pancakes. Today at the suggestion of a friend I changed it up. You will need the following:

Eggs
Frozen mini pancakes (unless you want to take the time to make some fresh ones before hand)
Precooked bacon
Salt & Pepper
Syrup

I don't list quantities because you will need one of each item for the amount of bites you want to make.  Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray.  Cook your mini pancakes in the microwave for about 35 seconds until soft.  Wrap the bacon around the inside of the pan and then press a pancake into the bottom.  Crack one egg inside the bacon on top of the egg.  Season to taste.  Bake for 13 minutes for soft runny yolk bites and 16 minutes for the yolk to set mostly.  Once the eggs are cooked to your liking remove from the oven and use a knife to go around the edges of the eggs.  They should pop right out into one perfect bite. Serve with syrup for dipping.  This is such a fast, fun weekend breakfast.  My kids really like it.  Sometimes I use a circle of bread at the bottom and add a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese to spruce it up.  I was in a hurry this morning so I used freezer pancakes but if you have more time you can make your own fresh pancakes to use.  This tasted and smelled just like those pancake breakfast sandwiches McDonalds sells, only it was home made with farm fresh eggs and way less preservatives.  Try it out sometime you will like it!