Here is a spaghetti squash dish that is more reminiscent of spaghetti than squash. The vegetables add some texture and the sauce adds flavor. Vary it as you wish, this makes a quick and simple side dish.
Spaghetti Squash Supreme
1 medium spaghetti squash
sliced mushrooms
chopped onions
tomato sauce
oil
spices
Cook the spaghetti squash until tender. This can be done in the oven or even on the barbecue, but i did it in the microwave. Just be careful not to overcook it like I did. It should be tender but not mushy, as you want strands and not mashed squash.
Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a pot. Sauté the onions and mushrooms until tender and browned. Stir in the sauce and spices and simmer.
Pull the squash into strands and add to the sauce mixture. This may be served immediately, covered and simmered to cook longer or keep warm, or covered and placed in the oven for a while.
I have been wanting to try making pasta with carbonara sauce for quite some time now. It is quite a simple and basic dish, but the idea always intrigued me. A sauce made with eggs that are cooked once tossed with the hot pasta? Interesting! I didn't really follow a particular recipe for this one, but just sort of made it based on several different recipes I read. Therefore, I don't have any precise measurements - just eyeballed amounts based on taste preferences. I also made a vegetarian version - usually carbonara begins by frying up some bacon or pancetta, and using the flavorful oil in the sauce base, as well as the crispy meat in the finished dish. I omitted this, but I did add some breadcrumbs for a little extra flavor. Another change I made, since I am paranoid about food poisoning and proper cooking, was to bring the sauce to a boil, instead of removing the spaghetti from the heat and then stirring in the sauce. This not only ensures the eggs are properly cooked, but also thickens the sauce. I have given approximate measures, and the procedure below for about four servings, though amounts may be tailored to suit different amounts or tastes.
Ingredients
spaghetti (4 servings)
butter (1 Tablespoon)
olive oil (1 Tablespoon)
chopped onion (1/2 small)
dry breadcrumbs ( 2 Tablespoons)
whipping cream (200 mL)
eggs (2 large)
grated Parmesan cheese (3 Tablespoons, plus extra for topping)
salt (to taste)
ground black pepper (to taste)
Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat the butte rand oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Sautée the onion until softened, but do not brown. Add the breadcrumbs and stir for a few minutes until aromatic.
Beat the cream, eggs, Parmesan, salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
Drain the spaghetti, return to pot, then immediately stir in the onion mixture and the cream mixture. Stir for a few minutes to coat, then turn heat to high and cover. Bring the mixture just to a boil, stir again, and serve topped with more Parmesan.
I am visiting my grandparents for the weekend, which means lots of great company, and of course, lots of great food. At my grandmother's house, Friday night is always spaghetti night. This tradition has been going on for years and years, as long as I can remember. Normally someone in our extended family visits on Fridays for spaghetti night, usually someone closer in proximity to my grandparent's house. Tonight she also had to host my family, and made an extra big batch of spaghetti. On spaghetti nights, there is always spaghetti with my grandmother's simple but tasty spaghetti sauce. There is also plain pasta for those who prefer it. We also have my grandmother's meatballs, and some sausage. Of course, being Italian, there is always a nice crusty loaf of fresh bread, garlic butter, and Parmesan cheese to go around. My grandmother also makes up a plate with ham and cheese, and often there are some vegetables around too. A simple meal, but a tasty tried-and-true tradition. And no one can forget about dessert. There is always something around, and usually more than one option available. Whether it`s her classic chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake, squares, or fancy pizelle cookies. Although often we don`t have room for dessert until later on. Since my grandmother always makes a great big batch, we usually have some leftover spaghetti. Some lucky person will get to enjoy this tomorrow!
Even though the weather is starting to get a bit warmer, and there are no longer snowy, cold days, it is still nice to have soup. Today was actually a pretty good day for soup, as it was miserable and rainy outside, with a slight chill and some dampness in the air. We also made this soup to use up the leftover turkey from Easter that we had in the freezer. This soup is basically just a standard chicken noodle soup recipe, but we used turkey because that is what was on hand. The soup contains chicken broth, ground black pepper, chopped onion, sliced carrots, potato, peas, turkey pieces, and spaghetti noodles. It is a nice, classic soup, hearty, but not too heavy, and is a great treatment for colds and the flu. This soup could be served with any hearty bread, biscuit, sandwich, or crackers, weather homemade or store-bought. Basically all you need is a little something for dipping and enjoying on the side, which could be anything from pita bread, to a croissant, to cheese crackers, to a grilled cheese sandwich. When we have the time, we like to serve our homemade soup with homemade biscuits, which I will feature tomorrow.
Today I made a fairly easy, but delicious supper. Just a classic bolognese sauce served over spaghetti. I kind of made up the recipe myself just from experience and reading other recipes for bolognese sauce. Bolognese is not something that must be prepared with extreme accuracy or specific ingredients. This is a good recipe to make for a dish that is quick, easy, balanced, and uses mostly ingredients on hand. Bolognese sauce also makes great leftovers ans freezes very well for future convenience.
Bolognese (besides being a breed of dogs) is basically an Italian meat sauce. It begins with ground meat, such as beef, veal, chuck, or pork, or sometimes pancetta bacon or sausage. Bolognese also contains a blend of finely diced mild vegetables such as carrots, onions, celery, garlic, and sometimes mushrooms. It is simmered with tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato puree, and spruced up with herbs and spices. It originated in Bologna, Italy, and is traditionally served with spaghetti or another form of pasta.
For my version of Bolognese Sauce, I used lean ground beef, chopped onion, finely diced carrots, canned tomatoes and juices, a few fresh tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, and a roux sauce made with tomato. I simply scramble-fried the meat first then added the carrots, and onions, followed by the mushrooms and tomatoes. Meanwhile, I made the roux sauce, then added it to the meat. I simmered this all together for a few minutes and served it over spaghetti. This version is quite chunky and hearty. It makes a complete, balanced meal.
