I used to get nervous about cooking for people. I mean obviously when you cook, people are going to eat it, taste it, and either like it, not like it, or just think its alright. But the more I cook, well, the more confident i've become that it'll be the shiiiit! ok, but really, I've come to realize that when its good company, it doesn't matter at all what it ends up tasting like, because a good friend will appreciate the gesture, the time invested. so there's nothing to worry about, whether cooking with them, or for them, just have fun! (hmmm ...same as with life. no one to impress. to be "more" for. to be "better" for. simply be. be who you are. wherever in life you are. doing what you do. those who love and appreciate you, will continue to love and appreciate you, regardless. Regardless good times, not-so-good times, in-a-bad-mood times, broke-no-job times, bad-hair-day-out-of-shape-gained-20-pounds-non-of-my-clothes-fits-past-my-ass times, way-too-much-to-drink times, family-drama-too-down-to-go-out times, and yes, food-gone-bad times) If the dish does end up being nasty, like non-edible, well then it'll be good laughs making fun of it! ... then proceed to open up a can of tuna and feed your hungry friend. :)
ok so...Spaghetti Squash! I had been wanting to try it for a while. I figured if it actually tasted good it would be an awesome alternative for those processed pastas/pasta dishes. and it is! So easy too. all you do is cut the squash in half and place in the oven face-down. simple. once baked, you literally scrape out the "noodles" with a fork and it does look like spaghetti. kind crazy actually, but pretty awesome. oh and btw...
Spaghetti squash: good source of beta-carotene, potassium and folic acid.
I tried the recipe for the first time making dinner for my friend Andre and I. yea, it could have been...umm.."not so good", but it was good, and fun to try with someone else. so far this is one of my favorite recipes to try. the spaghetti squash is just so unique (specifically the texture) & the house was filled with an amazing aroma of fresh made from scratch spaghetti sauce, whole tomatoes, bay leaf, garlic... yumMmmmm!
I highly highly recommend it.
PALEO SPAGHETTI (http://paleodietlifestyle.com/paleo-spaghetti/)
Ingredients
* 1 Lb ground grass-fed beef. (the fattier the better);
* 2 tbsp butter, lard, tallow or duck fat;
* 1/4 cup chopped bacon (optional)
* 1 large onion, chopped and diced;
* 3 cloves garlic, minced;
* 3 carrots, diced;
* 2 celery sticks, diced;
* 2 tsp dried oregano;
* 2 tbsp tomato paste;
* 1 bay leaf;
* The equivalent of 2 cans whole meaty tomatoes
* Optional salt and pepper to taste;
* Fresh parsley for garnishing.
Technique
1. Heat a large dutch oven or pot and add cooking fat. You can use less fat if your ground beef is fatty, but it’s really a question of taste. Cook the ground beef and bacon for about 5 minutes.
2. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. Use the same dutch oven or pot to cook the other ingredients (carrots, celery, onion, garlic and oregano). Cook the vegetables until soft at medium heat.
4. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, ground beef, bacon and bay leaf. You can break the tomatoes a bit, but the cooking process will break anyway.
5. Optional: season with salt and pepper. You can also add some chili or hot pepper flakes for more heat.
6. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 45 minutes.
7. In the mean time, heat your oven to 350 F.
8. Cut your spaghetti squashes in half length-wise, remove and discard the seeds.
9. Put the halves cut side down on a baking sheet and put in the oven for about 28 to 35 minutes. Check on them at around 25 minutes with a fork. It should easily break in strands to form pastas. Make sure not to overcook them because they will become mushy and won’t make pastas.
10. Once your bolognese sauce is cooked, you can add about 1/2 cup to a cup of heavy cream. This will make the sauce less acidic.
11. You can now pour a generous amount of the sauce directly on the squashes halves so that it forms its own bowl or you can break the squashes in strands yourself and serve on a plate with the sauce.
12. As a final touch, when you put the sauce directly on the squash half, you can add some grated pastured and grass-fed cheese on top and broil in the oven for about 5 minutes. This is completely optional and only do this if you consume cheese.
13. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
