Marshmallow God Productions

My squash cup runneth over. My CSA was magnificent in making sure its members were well stocked with storage vegetables- root veggies and winter squash. So I find myself seeking out ways to work with new (to me) and interesting foods. Again, part of the reason I joined the CSA.

The noble spaghetti squash. Solid. Probably would work well as a bludgeoning tool. Also, goes damn well with a garlic butter sauce, Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms.

1 small spaghetti squash (about 3-4 pounds)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup finely minced parsley, basil, or Italian herb blend
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
one bag of frozen or one package of fresh mixed mushrooms

Bake the spaghetti squash for an hour at 375, just until you can easily pierce it with a knife. Let it cool. While it is cooling, melt the butter, add in garlic, salt, herbs, and mushrooms, saute until the mushroom water has reduced down, keep on low as you deal with the now cooled down squash.

Slice the squash open, length-wise, and scrape out the seeds. Use a fork to then scrape away the squash- it should easily form strands. If the strands seem reluctant to form, put it back in the oven for 10 minutes. The squash should have texture though, a slight crunch. It should not be mushy.

Add the squash in with the butter-seasonings-mushrooms, stir together. Turn off heat and stir in parmesan cheese.

Top with a little more cheese or salt (garlic salt is a magnificent thing to have on hand) to taste when served.

This is not a hard and fast recipe, but here are the basic ingredients to make some rather amazing apple butter. 

Approximately 3 lb. apples
1 cup sugar 
2 tsp. cinnamon (more or less to taste)
1 tsp. nutmeg (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. allspice (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. cloves (more or less to taste)
3/4 cup or fresh apple cider
Maple syrup to taste- a good solid dollop will do you. You just want to sweeten slightly without overwhelming the apple taste. 

Fill Crock-pot 3/4 full with peeled, cored and sliced apples. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until evenly mixed. Cover and cook on low setting overnight or until the butter is of a thick, spreadable consistency.

If apple butter has too much liquid, remove lid and cook on high until thickened. Stir often as butter thickens to prevent scorching. I left it covered and on low for 8 hours (overnight), and then uncovered and on high for 5.

It will keep for 6 weeks refrigerated, or you can process and can using boiling water baths.

I am madly in love with this recipe. It is easy as hell, makes enough for a few meals and is mighty filling and nice and healthy. Recipe was originally found in Eat and Run by Scott Jurek.

1 c dried quinoa (any color will do. tri-color looks very cool in the final product)
2 c water
1 c almond milk or your favorite non-dairy milk (I used one that was a blend of grains)
1 ripe pear or banana (hooray for bananas!)
1/4 c dried flake coconut
1/2 tsp sea salt or light miso (it was the sea salt for me)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (I..will admit to not measuring this. I like cinnamon and was rather liberal with the amount added)

raisins, nuts, apple slices, or chia seeds for garnish (I used the chia)

Cook quinoa- add it to the water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Fluff and cool for 5 minutes

Place cooked quinoa and all remaining ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth

add garnish(es) and enjoy

 less work than rolling actual enchiladas, still brilliantly tasty.

4 burrito sized tortillas
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 can black beans
1 can hominy (white or yellow)
~3 cups Mexican cheese blend, shredded

lightly grease bottom of 9x13 inch pan

Tear 2 tortillas in half. Dip each half in enchilada sauce, making sure they are fully covered. Line the bottom of the pan.
Spread hominy and black beans over tortillas. Sprinkle half of cheese over top. 
tear, dip and layer last two tortillas.

Pour rest of enchilada sauce over top, sprinkle rest of cheese.

Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes, until the cheese starts to brown. Let sit before eating, it is going to come out hot.

Optional addition- 10oz thin sliced chicken tenders. Heat oven to 400F. Lightly grease baking sheet. Sprinkle chicken lightly with cumin, salt, and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes (until chicken is cooked through, it will depend on how thin the cut is) Cut into bite sized chunks, mix chunks with some of the enchilada sauce and add to the layering in with the hominy and beans.

Cut into 8 servings it will be ~350 calories per serving (a little more if you add the chicken)

I have never actually written this recipe down, or measured particularly strictly, but here is the basic idea. People tend to really like this style of mac and cheese. Of course, I eat it with ketchup, but I am just weird like that. The ketchup goes real well with sharp cheddar though...
 
You will need-
butter
milk
flour
16oz pasta
8oz sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup shredded asiago cheese
1/3 cup bread crumbs


for the cheese sauce-
1 tbsp butter
flour
milk
8oz sharp as hell cheddar cheese, shredded
melt the butter over low heat. add pinches of flour until you have a paste. add milk until the paste becomes creamy. shred and add the cheese. I add the cheese in thirds, smoothing out with milk as I go. You dont want the mixture to be watery but you do want it smooth and even. you can up the heat to medium to ensure the cheese melts nicely.

Cook one box (16oz) of pasta. I prefer noodles that are shaped to catch the cheese like nuggets or shells, but any noodle works.

Drain noodles and add to a lightly greased casserole pan. stir in cheese sauce, making sure it is spread evenly.

Mix 1/3 cup bread crumbs with enough melted butter to wet but not soak the crumbs (between 1 and 2 tbsp. I usually melt two tbsp and only use as much as needed. you want the bread crumbs to be able to pack loosely) mix in 1/3 cup shredded asiago cheese and spread over top of mac and cheese. This will get delicious and crispy when you bake it.

Bake uncovered at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until mac and cheese starts to get lightly toasted looking.

my after Thanksgiving favorite.
This is not a precise recipe, and it does change a bit every time i make it. but the basics are as follows.

Save the drippings from the bottom of the turkey pan (i used a cool whip container). refrigerate over night/until you are making delicious soup. Skim fat (opaque layer) off. the bottom layer should look like jelly. that is the good stuff. plop it into a crock pot. add twice as much water as turkey gloop. add in any leftover turkey. I usually use the leg and wing meat and whatever bits people failed to pull off the turkey proper. add about a cup of barley and wild rice (by a cup i mean a few handfuls. dont overdo it with the barley. it sucks up water and expands!) for veggies this year i copped out and used a dried veggie mixture. basically you want onion, carrot, celery, and some leeks in there. you can add parsnips and turnips if you are feeling adventurous. Cook for 5-6 hours on low. Add salt and pepper to taste. I like my soup a little on the salty side. i stir every now and then, and sample, adding more salt or pepper as needed. You can also use premixed seasonings like Mrs Dash, but that gets a little too strong for me. I actually like the turkey broth flavor. If you want a thicker soup, add some corn starch or tapioca. i eat all of my homemade soups with a lot of bread. may i recommend Marco Polo loaf?

see? ridiculously easy, and fantastically customizeable. and a good way to use up leftovers.

you can also make turkey stock by boiling the...well, the carcass (appetizing word choice, eh?) seasonings, and veggies for an hour or so, and then straining all the bones and bits out. and then use that as a soup base. thats usually round two for me. first batch of soup is from the drippings. second batch is from the big turkey carcass i have stuffed in the corner of the freezer until i need more soup.

either way, it will be blander than if you used store stock, so DO test as you cook and add salt, pepper, celery salt, whatever catches your fancy. you can toss in some peppers for a bit more kick as well.

honestly one of the tastier ways to spend a cold afternoon. my house smells DELICIOUS right now.

creamy peanut butter pie! ridiculously easy recipe!

2  packages (8 oz each) cream cheese
1 cup sugar
i jar creamy peanut butter
2/3 cup whipped topping
14 peanut butter cups (optional)
either a graham cracker or oreo cookie crust (premade at the supermarket, or you can make one in a 9 inch pie pan)


beat the cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar until smooth and fuffy. stir in whipped topping. coarsely chop half the peanut butter cups, stir into mixture.

spoon into crust.
quarter remaining peanut butter cups. arrange over the top.

refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

DEVOUR.