Asparagus Quiche with Spaghetti Squash Crust

Here’s another side dish recipe you’ll want to try for the holidays. I’ve been looking for recipes that are off the beaten path, so to speak; something different from the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes. This one was so interesting to me because it uses spaghetti squash to make the crust, foregoing the usual flour based pie crust.

Even though I was interested in it because of the unique crust, I have to tell you I didn’t think it would work out. I thought it wasn’t going to hold up, or it would stick to the pie pan or something. Am I ever glad I was wrong! It turned out excellent, and is one of those foods you want to keep eating just to keep enjoying that flavor!

It comes from Tasty Kitchen, by the way, and I did tweak it in my own special way. ;-) I cut down on the onion slightly, and I added in grated carrot and rosemary. It came out so good, I just know you’ll love this.

 So, let’s get cooking!

You’ll need to first bake the spaghetti squash. Cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Grease a sheet pan and lay the squash halves cut side down. Bake at 375° for 30-40 minutes, until tender inside.

When they’re cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape out the inside, which comes out looking like angel hair spaghetti. My beautiful assistant chef, my daughter Megan, loves doing this part and she’s very good at it.

While the squash is cooling, grate the carrot, peel and mince the garlic, mince the onion, and cut the asparagus into 1 inch lengths.

In a skillet with a little oil, sauté the minced onion for about two minutes. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook a minute more.

While that’s cooking, press the 3 c of spaghetti squash into a greased pie pan with your hand.

Mix the carrots into the asparagus and add to the pie pan. Whisk the eggs and milk together, along with the salt, pepper, rosemary, and Swiss cheese. Pour it on top of the veggies.

Bake in a 375° oven for about 40 minutes. You want a knife stuck in the center to come out clear, and the top to be lightly browned.

Enjoy! ~TMMF

Asparagus Quiche with Spaghetti Squash Crust

1 small spaghetti squash
13 oz asparagus
2 Tbl minced onion
2 cloves garlic
1 small carrot
5 eggs
½ c milk
1 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
½ tsp each salt & pepper
1 c shredded Swiss cheese

Best Green Bean Casserole

A little story about me and green beans. Growing up, my 4 siblings and I would spend the night at our Grammie and Grampie's house in Roslindale, MA, individually, for a special time with them. On one of my turns, Grammie served green beans, and I hated them. I wouldn't eat them, and Grammie said I had to stay at the table until I ate them. After an hour, she finally let me get up. I never did like green beans until I was well into adulthood with children of my own. And then, I would only eat them plain or cooked Chinese style.

Anyhoo, this is a recipe from All Recipes, by Jan, it says. I’ve never been a fan of green bean casserole, never ate more than a taste, probably because with the usual ingredients, it just never sparked much interest. But when I saw this recipe, I was persuaded to try it, especially because it added cheese. But I didn’t stop there, I tweaked it by adding some sour cream, and good gravy Marie, was it ever good. Try this tweaked version of Best Green Bean Casserole at your holiday table this season and see what happens!

So, let’s get cooking!

Assuming you’ve cooked the frozen green beans, shred the cheddar cheese.

In a large mixing bowl, place the cream of mushroom soup, milk, sour cream, salt and pepper, ¾ c of the cheddar cheese, and 4 oz of the French Fried onions.

Mix together and add the beans.

Grease a 9 X 13” baking dish. Pour the whole ball of wax in and level out. Sprinkle the other ½ c of shredded cheddar cheese on top, and then the rest of the French Fried onions. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

Enjoy! ~TMMF

Best Green Bean Casserole

24 oz frozen cut green beans,
   Cooked
1 10.75 oz can cream of
   Mushroom soup
½ c milk
½ c sour cream
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 ¼ c cheddar cheese, divided
6 oz French Fried onions

Garlic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

So, we all know that many people don’t like Brussels sprouts. Even I didn’t like them for years. I would have eaten them only with someone holding a gun to my head. Enter Garlic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon. This is *the* recipe that will turn people’s hearts around toward the lonely little cabbage-like veggie. Because….bacon. ‘Nuff said.

This recipe, from Allrecipes, originally had some chicken broth to cook the sprouts in, and some oil. I didn’t want to boil them, so I excluded the broth, and I switched the oil out for the grease left from the bacon. It came out so delicious, we carefully rationed out the leftovers at lunch, wishing there had been more.

So, let’s get cooking!

First, cook the bacon in a skillet. Most people like their bacon crispy, and the recipe did call for it that way, but I like it a little softer, so I made it my way. Set the bacon aside after it’s done cooking, but leave the grease in the pan.

While the bacon is cooking, peel and mince the garlic. Cut the ends off the Brussels sprouts and slice in half.

When the bacon is done, toss the Brussels sprouts into the skillet and sauté over medium heat, stirring several times. I covered the pan and cooked them about 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so. Add a couple teaspoons butter if needed. I did.

Add the garlic and stir, cooking a minute more.

Chop up the bacon and add to the sprouts, stirring thoroughly until heated through. Add the pepper.






And they’re done. A great dish to make for a holiday gathering this season. Enjoy! ~TMMF

Garlic Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

1 lb Brussels sprouts
½ lb bacon
2 huge cloves garlic
2 tsp butter
½ tsp pepper

Cheesy Cauliflower & Ham

This is a recipe I made based on my Baked Macaroni & Cheese recipe. I was trying to cut down on the carbohydrates, so I used cauliflower and added ham. It would have tasted fine without the ham, but I love ham in this kind of dish, and my little carnivore Timmy always asks, “Is there any meat in it?” ;-)

The only changes I made to it were….oh wait, it’s my recipe! Haha

So, let’s get cooking!

Cut the cauliflower into florets. Cook in a large pot with water halfway up the cauliflower, covered, until just tender.

Cube the ham into ¾ inch chunks.

Shred the cheddar cheese and cube the Velveeta cheese.

In a large sauce pan, melt the butter and mix in the flour with a whisk to make the roux.

Slowly add the milk, stirring continuously, until thickened. You’ll want the heat at slightly more than medium, but make sure it doesn’t burn and as soon as it’s thickened, turn the heat down a couple notches.

Add the salt, pepper, and all three cheeses, stirring, until cheeses have melted. Look at the stringy cheese!

Drain the cauliflower after cooking. Add the florets and the cubed ham to the cheese sauce. And look at all that yummy stringy cheesy goodness! Enjoy! ~TMMF

Cheesy Cauliflower & Ham

2 heads cauliflower
3 c cubed ham
5 Tbl butter
½ c flour
4 c milk
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
6 oz Velveeta
1 c sharp cheddar cheese
1 c mozzarella cheese