foodie wednesday: sesame pasta

i love this pasta!  it's great as either a side or an entree, and delicious cold, warm or room-temperature!  if you bring this to a party, i guarantee you'll get several requests for the recipe : )

credit {here}

sauce ingredients:
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

pasta ingredients:
1 pound pasta, such as angel hair
2 large carrots, grated
1/2 pound snow peas, strung and washed
thinly sliced scallions for garnish             

credit {here}

1. mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

2. cook the pasta in boiling water. one minute before pasta is done, add the carrots and the snow peas to the pasta pot. drain pasta and vegetables immediately, but do not rinse.

3. place pasta and vegetables in serving bowl. pour sauce over; toss well to mix. garnish with scallions.

serves 4 as a main course or 8 as a side or starter.

bon appetit!

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foodie wednesday: baked spaghetti squash

i've had a spaghetti squash sitting on my baker's rack for a week now, and i finally decided to do something about it.  after surfing the internet for a short while for inspiration, this is what i came up with : )  this stuffed spaghetti squash recipe is both hearty and healthy and is a great option if you're trying to cut back on your pasta intake.

1 large onion, chopped
1 spaghetti squash
1 cup pea shoots
½ tbsp butter
¼ cup grated parmesan
1 tbsp minced garlic
2/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp bread crumbs
olive oil
salt & pepper

preheat oven to 425

1.      split squash in ½ length-wise (this will take some muscle!) and scrape out seeds.  put on baking sheet and drizzle both halves with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  bake for 30-40 min until flesh is tender.

2.     while the squash bakes, sauté onion in olive oil.  after onion cooks down a bit, add garlic and continue to sauté until onion is caramelized.

3.       take squash out of oven and allow to cool.  scrap out flesh and in a large bowl, mix with onions, yogurt, parmesan, pea shoots and season with more salt & cracked pepper.

4.       refill squash with mixture.

5.       melt butter and mix with bread crumbs.  sprinkle evenly over top 2 refilled squash halves.  put back into 425 degree oven for another 10-15 min until top is golden brown.

allow to cool for 5 min before serving.  this recipe will serve 4 as an entree (1/4 squash each).

bon appetit!

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foodie wednesday: bbq onion pizza

this past weekend, we attended a post-holiday party thrown by our wedding photographers, a husband and wife team...who are both awesome, by the way.  i offered to bring an appetizer and was trying to think of something creative as i stared into my fridge.  what to make...?  and then it came to me...bbq onion pizza : )  yum!

1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 to 1/3 cup bbq sauce, your favorite
1/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1/4 dough recipe {here} (or one store bought crust or ball of dough)
olive oil
salt & cracked pepper

preheat oven to 425

1. saute onion in a bit of olive oil until lightly caramelized (season with salt)
2. prep your pizza stone or baking tray with some olive oil and corn meal
3. spread the dough and top evenly with bbq sauce
4. when onions are done, distribute them evenly over the crust as well and then sprinkle with bleu cheese
5. top with a bit of cracked pepper and drizzle with oil olive
6. bake for 15-20 min until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown

before baking

allow to cool for 5-10 min before cutting if you want to enjoy it right away : )

after baking : )

mangia!  mangia!

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foodie wednesday: world's best turkey burger

ok, i know "world's best" is quite a bold claim, but these burgers are damn-near close.  all the yummy add-in like bbq sauce and caramelized onions make these babies super-moist and tender.  they are delish on a fresh baked ciabatta roll, on focaccia or atop a salad. 

credit {here}

 1 pound lean ground turkey meat
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup grape jelly
1/4 cup bbq sauce
2 tablespoons mustard
2-3 teaspoons curry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 onion, chopped and caramelized

1. saute chopped onion in olive oil until caramelized. (this will take15-20 minutes.)

2. put ground turkey in a large bowl and add ketchup, jelly, bbq sauce, mustard, curry, salt, pepper, egg, bread crumbs and onions. mix thoroughly until well-combined.

3. form into 6 patties.

4. prepare a large cast iron skillet heated on medium to medium-high with a tablespoon of olive oil.

5. cook burgers (partially covered) 4-5 minutes each side or until juices run clear.

top with cheese, if you wish.  this recipe also makes for terrific meatballs and also great sliders : )

credit {here}

 bon appetit!

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