Speghetti... Squash Style

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken in Tomato Sauce

This weekend I decided to experiment with spaghetti squash. I had tried making it before and it wasn’t very good. This time it was really delicious! You can’t really tell from the picture, but seriously folks this was a low-cost, low maintenance, low-calorie, super delicious meal. Here’s how to make it yourself!

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 2.5 cups spaghetti sauce (I got mine at Trader Joe’s, but you can also make your own)
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/3 cup shopped onion
• 1 tbsp capers
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. B had never seen the inside of a spaghetti squash and thought it looked like pumpkin guts. It actually smells a little like pumpkin too!
2. Bake spaghetti squash for 45 mins, guts side down on a baking sheet
3. In a saute pan, combine spaghetti sauce, chicken, garlic, onion, and capers. Bring to a light boil and cover for 20 mins. I added a few italian seasonings too. Once the chicken was cooked, I turned the heat down and just left if on the stove.
4. When the spaghetti squash is done baking,sprinkle salt and pepper over surface of the guts. Use a fork to scrape the inside of the squash. It will create spaghetti like strands. Scrape out entire squash.
5. Put chicken sauce on top and enjoy- no seriously, you will really enjoy it!

Life Is Not A Reality Show

Okay, so I am kind of obssessed with the Real Housewives ! I just love watching the crazy lives of the rich and fabulous. I am always drawn towards the woman that are honest, upfront (some might consider this also called “a little bitchy”), strong willed and passionate about thier work and thier families. I love seeing women that have a devotion for thier husbands and kids portrayed on television. I also love to see women entreprenuers on television. I find most of the RHW shows encompass at least one woman that isn’t a total idiot that I can really draw inspiration from and admire. I think it is really hard in this day and age to be a successful business woman, be a good wife, be a great mother and manage to have a beautiful head of hear to go with it. It is comforting to know that even the wealthy struggle to find balance.

Vicki and Gretchen

In Orange County, I love Vicki’s mothering and her drive to suceed in business. She still seems to be working out the balance when it comes to her love life. Gretchen is really building momentum with her makeup and handbang lines and she always seems to look for the best in every situation.

Bethenny and Family

In New York, Bethenny (yes I know she has been off the show for a while now) is a woman who knows what she wants and continually moves towards it with vigor! Who says you can’t have it all? She didn’t settle and sure she is busy, but she is exactly the type of woman I aspire to be! There is a little too much squaking in New Jersey and Atlanta for me to know the characters very well. I typically can only last about 30 minutes into either of those shows before I have to take a break.

Lisa and Kyle

In Beverly Hills, Lisa seems like she has has the adoration of her children and incredible taste… and I love British people. She and her husband have built an empire of upscale restaurants and she has been the stylist behind it all. Probably my favorite housewife is Kyle Richards. I read her book last week and while it certainly didn’t increase my intellectual prowess, I learned quite a few beauty tips. I also loved the way she described her relationship with her mother and her daughters. She is a girl’s girl, that’s for sure! In honor of Kyle’s excellent tips, I will be sharing a few of hers and a few of mine over the next week!

Healthy Deliciousness

Like so many, I have resolved to do many things in 2012! At the top of that list is to get healthy! In addition to the Biggest Loser competition (with a sweet $250 prize for the winner) we have going on at work, B and I are committed to leading healthy lifestyles! So I am sharing 2 of my healthy recipes!

Ashley’s Pico De Gallo
-4 large tomatoes chopped
-1/2 cup onion chopped
-1/4 cup cilantro chopped
-The juice of one lime
-1 1/2 tsp of garlic chopped
-1 tsp to 1 tbs of cumin (depends on your taste)
1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Use on everything!

My Favorite Lettuce Wraps
-1 package of ground turkey
-1 tbs poultry seasoning
-1/2 cup Pico de gallo
-Romaine lettuce leafs
-1 tsp chopped garlic
-2 tbs fat free sour cream
-1 cup brown rice, cooked
1. Cook turkey in a skillet with poultry seasoning.
2. When meat is nearly done, add pico, rice and chopped garlic.
3. Add sour cream to lettuce leafs and spoon meat mixture on top.
4. Enjoy!

The Last Supper... of 2011

As a farewell to 2011, B and I decided to make a delicious NYE feast! Okay, so I made most of it, but he mixed the potatoes and I made him murder the lobsters.

Lobster tank at Lee Lee's

First I went to Lee Lee’s Asian Market and got two 1.75 pound lobsters (Actually I got two, but I wasn’t a very good lobster keeper because i left them in my car while I went into a couple of meetings. Turns out that cup of ice I left to keep them cool, only really helped one of them. The other died before I got home, so I had to go back and get another. Once I got home I put them in the vegetable drawer on top of damp newspaper and they were both very content there until it was time to take a hot bath.) B and I kept checking on them throughout the day.

At home in the fruit drawer

I think he was a little sad when it was finally time to stick them in the pot.

Mmmmmm Lobster, Delicious

To go with our decadent main course I also made a Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Twice baked potatoes, a gorgeous wedge salad and S’More pie! See the end of this post for the recipes not linked!

Dinner complete with melted garlic butter, cheddar bay biscuits, a wedge salad, twice baked potatoes, lobster and S'More pie

It was a very delicious dinner! We made champagne punch to drink throughout the day and got a nice bottle of Champagne to share to toast in the New Year! We also watched Midnight in Paris, which for me, was amazing! It has a ton of literary and art references and it’s set in Paris. What’s not to love? It’s very Woody Allen and made me not like Rachel McAdams very much, but all in all, I’d say it’s worth renting.

Midnight in Paris

I hope everyone else had a fantastic New Year! I can’t wait to see what is in store for me in 2012! Hopefully lots of adventure and excitement!

Cheddar Bay Biscuit Recipe:

• 4 cups baking mix (Bisquick)
• 3 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon dried parsley

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the baking mix, cheese, and water. Mix until dough is firm. Using a small scoop, place dough on the prepared pan.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown.
4. Combine the melted butter, garlic powder, salt, onion powder and parsley. Brush over baked biscuits immediately upon removing from oven.

Wedge Salad

Wedge Salad Recipe:

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce
• Blue Cheese dressing
• Cherry tomatoes
• 1/4 cup of chopped green onion
• 1/3 cup of chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup of Blue Cheese crumbles

1. Basically just combine everything together and make it look pretty!

Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe:

• 4 large Potatoes
• 1 cup of cheese (I prefer Colby Jack)
• Bacon Crumbles (I just bought it already crumbled and cooked since I had so many other foods to get ready)
• 4 T butter
• 1/2 cup green onions chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup of cream
• Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450degrees F. scrub potatoes and poke holes in them with a fork. Rub them with olive oil. Place them on the rack in the oven and let them bake for about an hour and 15 minutes.
2. Once the potatoes cool, cut them in half and scoop out the insides making little potato boats.
3. Mix the potato with all the ingredients, but save a little green onion, cheese and bacon to sprinkle on top.
4. Scoop the mixture into the potato shells and sprinkle remaining ingredients on top.
5. put back in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15- 20 minutes or until tops are melted.

Happy eating!