Simple Arrabbiata Sauce

Simple Arrabbiata Sauce (from Allrecipes, Total Time: 45 minutes, Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

·         2 Tbsp. olive oil

·         1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

·         4 cloves garlic, minced

·         1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.       In a large saucepan, combine tomatoes, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes, or until sauce is thickened.

2.       Stir in garlic, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in basil, salt and pepper.

I served this sauce with spaghetti squash.  It had a good heat, not too much, though, so my husband could eat it.  The sauce is very thick and chunky.  I like that it’s easy to make and has a robust flavor – you can really taste the garlic and red pepper flakes.  I used minimal salt and pepper, but I did use dried basil, maybe about 1 Tbsp.  The fresh basil in our garden is definitely done for the season.  Enjoy!

Cajun Pasta Fresca

Cajun Pasta Fresca (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Total Time: 25 minutes, Servings: 4)

Ingredients

·         1 spaghetti squash, cut in half with seeds and inner membrane scooped out

·         2 Tbsp. olive oil

·         1 tsp. minced garlic

·         1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

·         1 tsp. dried parsley

·         1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

·         ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place spaghetti squash on baking sheet, cut side down.  Bake for 45 minutes.

2.      Remove squash from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Using fork, scoop out inside (should look like spaghetti strands).

3.      While squash is cooling, briefly sauté garlic in oil. Stir in tomatoes and remainder of juice. When tomatoes are bubbly, mash slightly with a fork. Stir in parsley, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes more.  Add Cajun seasoning and Parmesan and cook 2 minutes.

4.      Toss squash with tomato sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella if desired.

The biggest change that I made to the original recipe is that I didn’t use pasta, I used spaghetti squash.  I am currently in a love affair with this variety of squash – I love the taste and texture and it serves as a healthy alternative to pasta.  I also used canned diced tomatoes instead of buying 13 plum tomatoes!  Looking back, I should probably have upped to 1.5 or 2 cans of 28 oz. size, but hindsight is 20-20. 

This dish is really easy and quick to make, even the spaghetti squash is pretty easy – just be careful when forking out the innards, no burns allowed!  The sauce was very thick and chunky, which is why I think more tomatoes would have been a good idea (or petite diced).  I liked the soft texture of the tomatoes against the firmer squash.  My sauce was slightly spicy, just a hint of heat, and full of flavor.  I feel that each element stood on its own, the garlic and parsley were not overpowered by the tomatoes or the Cajun.  I also only used the Parmesan and not the additional mozzarella called for in the original recipe – even the Parmesan felt a bit overwhelming with only the 1 large can of tomatoes.  The cheese and Cajun seasoning work nicely together with a bit of a flavor explosion!  If I used more tomatoes, I’d probably keep the other seasonings the same, or increase just a tad, and add the mozzarella.  I hope that you make this dish because my mouth is watering just writing about it!

Spaghetti Squash with Chili

Spaghetti Squash with Chili (slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, Servings: 4-5, Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 2-lb. spaghetti squash

·         8 oz. Morningstar Farms Burger Crumbles

·         ½ cup chopped onion

·         1 clove garlic, minced

·         1 (14 ½ oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained

·         1 (11 oz.) can no-salt-added corn, drained

·         1 (8 oz.) can no-salt-added tomato sauce

·         2 Tbsp. no-salt-added tomato paste

·         2 tsp. chili powder

·         ½ tsp. dried oregano, crushed

Directions

1.)     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Halve the spaghetti squash lengthwise and remove seeds and membranes. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until tender. Cool slightly. Using a fork, shred and separate the spaghetti squash into strands.

While squash is cooking:

2.)    In a medium saucepan, cook crumbles, onion, and garlic until crumbles are thawed and onion is tender.

3.)    Stir in undrained tomatoes and green chiles, corn, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder, and dried oregano. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until desired consistency.

4.)    Serve sauce with spaghetti squash. If desired, sprinkle with cheddar or Mexican shredded cheese.

I am in love with Spaghetti Squash!  My obsession started in December when I ate at Ruby Tuesday a few times and ordered their Spaghetti Squash Marinara.  Tired of the high-sodium option, I decided to make my own dish.  Instead of using a spaghetti sauce, I decided to use this recipe.  I made a spaghetti squash dish some time ago and it did not turn out well – I’m not sure if I didn’t roast the squash long enough or what, so I was hesitant to try again.  I’m glad I did!  This dish is excellent!

I didn’t change much to the original recipe, mostly just using Burger Crumbles and a couple of heaping teaspoons of chili powder.  The whole dish has a very creamy flavored and the chili is not overly “tomatoey” – the garlic and other spices work well with the dish.  The squash is a nice base and, similar to rice, absorbs some of the tomato sauce and flavor of the chili.  It is healthy and satisfying!

Chambersburg, PA Restaurants

My husband and I had to spend some extended time in a Chambersburg, PA hotel due to an unfortunate situation around Christmas.  While there, we found ourselves eating at a couple of chain restaurants that we wouldn’t normally go to.  I will say that based on my experiences, I do intend on eating at Ruby Tuesday more often.

Ruby Tuesday

The Ruby Tuesday in Chambersburg is connected to the hotel that we were staying in.  Through the main entrance, you are immediately greeted by the Garden Bar and a hostess stand.  There is a small seating area to the right as well as a bar just behind the hostess stand and seating area.  There is a larger seating area to the right.  We went there twice while we were in town – the first time, the service was great!  The second time, not so much.  The food was delicious both times.

Both times that we went, I ordered the Spaghetti Squash Marinara.  The first time, I also ordered the Garden Bar.  It has pretty standard fare for a salad bar and the vegetables looked and tasted fresh.  I think that they could stand to have a few extra options for salad dressing, but that may just be my opinion.  The Spaghetti Squash is really what I want to focus on.  The roasted spaghetti squash is tossed with red pepper marinara and zucchini.  And it is delicious.  My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. The squash is very tender with just a hint of crispness added by the zucchini.  The marinara is thick and they definitely do a good job at providing just the right amount for the dish – not too much and not too little.  The menu indicates that the dish is only 260 calories!  Looking at the nutritional guide, it also has some good numbers for fat, carbs, fiber, and protein.  The sodium sticks out like a sore thumb, though!  I found that this dish was enough for two meals.  It is served with Garlic Cheese Biscuits (although on our second trip to the restaurant, we did not get these).  The biscuits are served warm with just a hint of cheese taste, but a lot of garlic.  They are a little crispy.  Unfortunately, each one will cost you about 110 calories.  Oh well, it’s worth it if you have the Spaghetti Squash!

Hoss’s Steak & Sea House

Not really the restaurant you would expect to see here, but when in Chambersburg…you get it.  We went to Hoss’s with some members of my family and lo and behold, there was nothing on the adult menu for me to eat.  Luckily, the cashier was OK with me ordering off of the Kids’ Menu.  I ordered the Cheesy Pizza with Smiley Fries (love those!).  It came with the Soup, Salad, & Dessert Bar, so I started my journey there.  I couldn’t eat any of the soups, but I did make myself quite a large salad.  Again, like Ruby Tuesday, I think that there could have some additional options on dressings, but it worked.  They also have chips with cheese sauce and some pasta salad, so if you need to go, then there are options other than the Kids’ Menu. 

When my pizza came, I think I could have eaten it in one bite!  So small.  It didn’t taste great either, bland and what I remember frozen cheese pizza tasting like when I was younger.  I would not order this again!  The Smiley Fries were great, though. 

I did appreciate the Dessert Bar – lots of options, cookies, cakes, pies, soft serve ice cream.  I sampled some small pieces of cakes and pies and was very pleased with the taste.