Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Chunky Red Herb Sauce

What an awesome, delicious, light and easy summer/anytime meal we had last night.

There's really not a lot to it, but the simplicity and fresh herbs really hit the mark.

The chunky red sauce has fresh basil and parsley, along with a few dried herbs, then served over some oven roasted spaghetti squash. The hubby liked his with just a sprinkling of fresh Parmesan, but I added some sauteed garlic shrimp on top of mine.

Very yummy!

Linked with Weekend Potluck and Foodie Friday.

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Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Chunky Red Herb Sauce

1 spaghetti squash, roasted
2 tbsp olive oil, divided use
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
15oz petite diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp salt and pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 cup fresh basil, chiffonade or chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly grated parmesan

Heat the oven to 400*.

Cut squash in half and clean out seeds and membrane. Drizzle with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side up on a baking sheet and bake 40 minutes or until tender. Cool; remove strands with a fork and keep warm.

While squash bakes, heat up the remaining oil in a medium size sauce pan. Add onion and saute until it starts to turn translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook 1-2 more minutes. Add tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, salt and pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes; add fresh basil and parsley and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Keep warm.

Serve tomato sauce over squash with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and more fresh parsley.

For the shrimp: I just used some thawed, peeled and deveined large shrimp, which I sprinkled with Old Bay seasoning, a pinch of salt and pepper, then let hang out in the fridge for a few minutes.

Heat a pat of butter and a couple of tsp of oil in a small skillet. Add shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes on the first side, turn and cook another couple of minutes along with 2 cloves of chopped garlic, then sprinkle with parsley.

Baked Parmesan Chicken with Ratatouille

I really liked the combination of this Parmesan chicken with the ratatouille sauce.

It's easy to make, the chicken is crispy (and baked), and the sauce is healthy, fresh and light. Oh, and you get to enjoy gooey melted fresh mozzarella. I mean really, what's not to like.

Linked with Weekend Potluck.

Baked Parmesan Chicken with Ratatouille

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

Pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 squash, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tsp red wine vinegar

15oz crushed tomatoes

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

4 chicken breast, boneless and skinless

2 tbsp butter

Salt and Pepper

Oregano

3/4 cup panko

3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan

4oz fresh mozzarella

Heat oil in a large skillet; add onion and cook until it starts to soften. Add garlic, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Saute 1-2 minutes; add squash, zucchini and bay leaf and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in red wine vinegar and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until thickened.

Heat oven to 450*.

While sauce cooks, melt butter, set aside. In another bowl, stir together panko and parmesan cheese. Season chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper and oregano; dip in melted butter, then into panko mixture pressing coating into chicken. Put the chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet, spray with a quick burst of cooking spray and put the sheet in the middle of the oven. Bake until the chicken is golden and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Place a slice of fresh mozzarella on top of each chicken breast and place under the broiler until hot and bubbly. Serve with sauce on top.

Farmer's Market Tortellini Salad

This recipe is slightly adapted from one I tore out of SouthernLiving magazine.

It's perfect for this time of year with all the fresh fruits and vegetables available.

The parmesan vinaigrette is light and wonderful, and would be good 

used on most other salads or as a marinade.

Linked with Weekend Potluck and Foodie Friday.

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Farmer’s Market Tortellini Salad

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

2 small squash, thinly sliced into half moons

1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips 

1 cup fresh corn kernels 

1 cup diced firm, ripe fresh peaches (about 2 medium)

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions 

Parmesan Vinaigrette

8oz fresh cheese filled tortellini

2 cups shredded chicken (about 10 oz.)

1/3 cup torn fresh basil

1/3 cup torn fresh parsley

Toss together first 7 ingredients in a large bowl, and let stand 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Add hot cooked pasta and chicken to tomato mixture; toss gently to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving platter, and top with basil and parsley.

Parmesan Vinaigrette

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon zest

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Process Parmesan cheese, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, garlic, pepper, and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add basil and parsley; pulse 5 or 6 times or just until blended.

Fruit Pizza

Ok, so this recipe has been in my family for ages and I made it for my 

hubby the first time a couple of nights ago. 

He told me it is now his favorite dessert that I have ever made him, then asked if it was a new recipe. Of course I told him no, that my family had been making it for years. 

He looked at me with this incredulous look on his face and has been talking about me holding out on him every since. He wants one every week for the next month to make up for it, lol.

 It is awesomely good and easy to make so yea, I can do that. 

Oh, and he wants me to make one for MY birthday, instead of cake.

This picture is before the delicious fruit juice reduction, isn't it beautiful.

You can use any fruit that you want but I make sure I use at least one can of something for the juice. I found that the combination of pineapple and mandarin orange 

makes a great combination for the glaze. Oh, and I need to mention the crust.

It is AWESOME. Almost like a buttery shortbread. Not too hard and not too soft. 

It supports the fruit when cut and has a perfect bite.

Linked with:
Weekend Potluck
Meal Plan Monday

FRUIT PIZZA

CRUST

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE

8 oz cream cheese, room temp.

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

FRUIT TOPPING

20oz can pineapple, drain and reserve juice

11oz can mandarin oranges, drain and reserve juice

Strawberries

Blackberries

Kiwi

GLAZE

1 cup reserved juice from canned fruit

2/3 cup sugar

2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp lemon juice

Heat oven to 350*

Mix flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter and vanilla. Press onto a round pizza sheet or stone. Bake 12-15 minutes (cooking time of the crust is approximate so check it as it cooks) or until light brown. Cool.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla; spread over cooled crust.

Arrange fruit of your choice on top.

Stir together glaze ingredients and boil until thick; cool, then pour over the pizza. I used a sauce brush to help spread it on the fruit.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3 Birthdays and the 4th of July

Leah (my sister) is what you would call "the hostess with the mostess".

She's very generous and love's celebrating special moments.

With a large family that can be a bit much, especially with 

3 birthdays in July plus the holiday. 

So this year she combined my dad's, mom's and my birthday 

along with the 4th of July. It was a blast!

Everything was so festive.

This is her potting shed all decked out for the 4th. Love it!

Nothing says the 4th like tossing raw eggs at each other. 

Huge fun and my partner and I actually won the 2nd game. Thank You!

This was also a birthday celebration so of course we had to have cake.

And what a cake it was. Not only was it delicious, it looked awesome. Leah has a huge talent for making and decorating cakes. Gorgeous!

Just because I think this bird is awesome.

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