Another Way I Like My Vodka…

I enjoy a good cocktail from time to time. I’m not a Tequila girl, I’m intimidated by Whiskey and I may have drank too much Rum back in college. But Vodka, I can handle. In small doses. This Vodka sauce though, I could eat a bathtub full of the stuff. It’s that good, I swear.

Paired-up with delicate spaghetti squash? Yes, please. What’s even better? This version of Vodka sauce is lightened up. Does it taste like it? No. It doesn’t. Not at all. In fact, it’s still creamy and rich and packed full of flavor. And because you are eating it over spaghetti squash (which is RIDICULOUSLY good for you), you can go ahead and use your thick slice of garlic bread to wipe your bowl clean.

{Vodka Sauce}

Slightly adapted from Cooking Light

• 1 T olive oil
• 2-3 shallots, chopped
• 1/4 t crushed red pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 c vodka
• 1/4 c vegetable broth
• 1 can italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1/4 light cream
• 3 T fresh basil, chopped
• grated parmesan cheese, for topping

Heat oil in large non-stick skilled over medium-high heat. Add shallot to pan and sauté until tender (about 4 minutes or so). Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add vodka and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by about half. Stir in salt, broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and let cool slightly.

Place tomato mixture in food processor, process until smooth then return to pan. Mix in cream and cook sauce for an additional 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in basil. You may either mix pasta (or spaghetti squash) with sauce or spoon sauce over already plated pasta. Garnish with additional basil (if desired) and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serves 3-4

*For the spaghetti squash, simply pre-heat oven to  350 degrees. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seed and goop from the middle. Place halves cut side down on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. When squash is done, the flesh will be easily scraped into “spaghetti” shreds with a fork.

Edited to add: I was inspired to serve my Vodka sauce over spaghetti squash by Jess over at The Saucy Kitchen.

Butternut Squash Naan Pizza

Aka “brain food”, or so I hope. Why? Because I need to stay focused enough to make it through at least one lecture tonight. And take notes. All the while hoping that my mind doesn’t wander too much or I nod off. Or I get too distracted by this guy:

On to the pizza…

or should I call it, Naan-za? Or Pi-naan? You decide.

  Ingredients:

• 1 piece of whole wheat naan
• 1 cup of chopped butternut squash
• 1/4 red onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup feta
• olive oil, for brushing
• dried parsley, for garnish

I roasted the butternut squash first @425 for about 20 mins. I reduced the oven temperature to 375 and brushed the naan with olive oil. I put the onions on first, then the squash and finally the feta and a sprinkle of parsley. I left it in the oven for about 12 mins (checking every couple of minutes after 8 mins had passed).

Study time!

Stuffed Sunburst Squash

I picked up this guy at the farmer’s market this past weekend. I had never seen, nor heard of, Sunburst Squash before. Upon doing a little research, I discovered that the Sunburst squash is a varietal of the Patty Pan squash. But I had never heard of Patty Pan before either. I liked the name though. It’s sing-songy and fun.

Here he is again. Looking more yellow in this picture. He has no idea what his fate will soon be…

So I preheated the oven to 350 degrees. On the stove top I set about an inch of water to boil. Once boiling, I put in the squash and covered… letting him soften for about 10 minutes.

In another pan, I cooked up a few slices of turkey bacon until browned and removed.

When the squash was done, I carefully sliced off his top half (like you would if carving a pumpkin) and used a spoon to dig out his insides. You need to be extra careful not to pierce his side!

So sorry I’m referring to an inanimate object with personal pronouns, it is seriously only Wednesday?!

Put insides in pan that was used to cook bacon, crumble bacon back into pan, add soft breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Stir around on medium heat until squash pieces are warm. Put all the stuff back in the squash shell. Top with cheese of your choice, put his top back on. Then stick him in the oven for 15 minutes on a pan or oven safe dish.

He will look like this. You’ll “oooh” and “ahhhh”. He will smell damn good. Even puppy sat for this one. Sorry pup, he’s all mine.

Okay, now this is getting weird. I’m sure squashes don’t have sexes. Or maybe I’m wrong. I’ll have to ask my dad. He knows a lot about plants. FOCUS SHANNON.

  Inside, he will look like this, but with your camera probably more in focus. Seriously, I was concerned it wouldn’t fill me up but it did! The blue cheese stuffed slider I made on the side helped too. Before I could take a picture my camera battery died. Oops!

Pick yourself up one of these guys, you won’t regret it. And please bear with my madness, I’ve been listening to/watching powerpoint presentations for the last 3 hours. Night!