Spaghetti Squash: Officially the Weirdest Food Ever!

No recipe this time...just the strange tale of a yellow gourd turned pasta...

My mom gave me this spaghetti squash and I knew I needed to just bite the bullet and cook it, even though I had no clue how to turn this large gourd into a tasty pasta...

First of all, it took me a LONG time to even cut it in half.  But, I was persistant...

Gross looking, I know...  According to Google (seriously, what did we do before Google?!), you have to scoop out the seeds...just like a pumpkin.

Done.  Now place the squash, cut side down, on a cookie sheet sprayed with Pam. Bake for about 45 minutes on 350.

Here's the weird part.  Once it's finished baking, you just take a fork and lightly shred the sides of the squash....and voila...spaghetti...or something that resembles spaghetti.

Weird, I know...

I decided to keep with the "healthy" theme of the night and make my sauce with ground turkey.  Honestly, by the time I spiced it up, you couldn't tell the difference...in the sauce that is.  The noodles were different.  Not bad.  Just different. 

Okay, I wasn't completely healthy...

 

 

I made yummy Parmesan  garlic bread.  

YUM!

Delicious Enchiladas!

I made Pioneer Woman's enchiladas tonight for dinner. They were easy and wonderful--or as she describes them: "Simple & Perfect."  Obviously...we devoured them before I could snap any pictures. Here's a link to the recipe on her website:

Simple. Perfect. Enchiladas.

Honestly, her recipe isn't much different from what you already do...however, her few changes make them delish.  Try them!  Soon!

An Agglomeration of Food Photos

After a week in Houston with my family, there were just too many delicious dishes to post recipes for each one.  So, here's a few photos of the gourmet meals we enjoyed...

smoking the turkey...yeah, it says ideal. if only this picture was scratch-and-sniff.

dad, carving the bird.  he has a secret recipe for cajun-smokin' a turkey. mm-mmm good!

the wine that accompanied the meal...yeah, is says '96!

aged to perfection...notice the crumbled cork...tasted like silk!

less was definitely more this year!  we decided to just do a few delectable dishes, instead of all the "fillers."

menu: cajun-smoked bird and pig, dressing (not stuffing)*, not your mama's mac and cheese (maybe sarah will be nice enough to post the recipe on her blog later), and cranberries (don't forget the wine!)...oh yeah, and giblet gravy for the men who like that nasty stuff!

*secret family recipe!! don't even bother asking for that recipe! :)

breakfast of champions=coffee and irish cream

day after christmas meal...no leftovers for us! try ribs and pork chops!

not just any ribs...dad's special "can't keep 'em on the bones" ribs!

the 27th made sarah 25! happy birthday, sis!

a cookie cake and a steak dinner?

happy, happy birthday, sarah!

I know I missed a lot of delicious meals (and wines) that we devoured!  But, you get the idea!