How to Cook Delicata Squash

After trying Delicata Squash for the first time it quickly became a favorite - super easy to cook, no peeling (that’s a huge plus!), and a delicious maple-y taste without adding any sweetener. This squash is still an unknown to many people so I thought I would share the easy how-to of roasting them. | This post contains affiliate links |

Ingredients:

• delicata squash
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• kale flakes (optional)

How-To:

First make sure to wash and scrub the delicata squash thoroughly since you’ll be roasting and eating the skin as well - you don’t want any gritty dirty from the field left on!

Once it’s clean, chop each end off and cut open the long way. Next scoop out all the seeds and strings with a spoon until it’s nice and clean (like the photo on the right).

Next chop up the squash into whatever size pieces you prefer. We like cutting them into “quarter smiles” about half an inch thick.

Toss with some olive oil to coat and then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. We also love sprinkling on dehydrated kale flakes too - it adds a super subtle flavor and a tiny extra veggie boost too. (We add these kale flakes to most of our meals - love them!)

Now that it’s ready to cook, roast at 425 degrees in a preheated oven for approximately 20-30 mins, flipping halfway through. Cook until it’s soft and starts to caramelize and look burnt. Enjoy!

This squash has become a favorite in our house and I’m looking forward to trying to grow some in our garden next year.

One Minute Fluffy Egg Sandwich Hack

Now that we’re always eating at home and not going out for breakfast it’s great to have a fast and easy no-mess egg sandwich that you can make quicker than than it would take you to sit in the drive-thru line. This trick will make the perfect fluffy egg sandwich start-to-finish in just about ONE MINUTE. For reals. | This post contains affiliate links. |

Really, this “recipe” couldn’t be any easier… the bottom line is you will need an egg, an English muffin (or some type of bread), a microwave-safe coffee mug, and a microwave. That’s it!

You might also want some shredded cheese handy, small diced precooked veggies (leftovers from the night before work great), hot sauce - or any other topping of your choice.

First, crack the egg into your microwave-safe coffee mug and “whisk” with a fork to break up the yolk. Now is also the time to add a generous pinch of shredded cheese (shown here) or a small amount of chopped pre-cooked veggies (leftovers work great). Put the mug in the microwave and cook on high/normal for one minute* (*please note that depending on your microwave model and what you add, you may need to adjust your cook time. Also DO NOT microwave fork.) While the egg is cooking you can toast your bread, if desired.

Once the egg is done make sure it is cooked throughly (it’s opaque with no runny spots and steaming all the way through) by checking with a clean fork and loosen it from the mug. Then simply turn the egg out onto your bread and add any condiments you desire - I personally can’t eat eggs without hot sauce.

And that is it! Once the coffee mug cools, just soak it in the sink to loosen any stuck-on egg and run through the dishwasher like normal. No pans to heat up or clean after which is a huge plus in my book. Enjoy your easy breakfast :)

Disclaimer: Please note that depending on your microwave model and what you add, you may need to adjust your cook time. Make sure your egg is fully cooked before eating.

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My Recipe for "Quarantine Chili"

Yesterday I decided to make what I’m going to call “Quarantine Chili.” Now what is the recipe for Quarantine Chili you might ask? Well pretty much you take whatever fresh veggies or meat you have in your fridge that you worry may go to waste soon and throw them into a big crock pot of chili before they go bad. Waste not, want not!

Now for my chili I started with my typical chili “base”:

• 2 cans of tomato sauce

• 1 can of red beans (rinsed and drained)

• 1 can of garbanzo beans (rinsed and drained)

• 1 can of lentils (rinsed and drained)

• 2 tablespoons chili powder

• 1-2 teaspoons of jarred garlic

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric

• 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

To that I then added all the things I wanted to use up - this will vary depending on what you have in your fridge:

• 1 lb of cooked ground lamb (lamb is definitely an unusual choice for chili. I had originally planned to make lamb stuffed peppers with it, but by using it in chili I am able to stretch it farther and get more meals out of it… And surprisingly lamb in chili is just fine! I was worried it would taste weird but it’s still great)

• a lot of carrots (we had a bag of carrots that have been in the fridge for awhile and were close to being done. I wanted to use them up and not go to waste so I added them to the chili… it was definitely heavy on the carrots but I’m glad we used them up)

• handfuls of spinach (we have a big container of spinach that will be getting wet and smelly soon… better use some of it up!)

• green pepper (the ones I was originally going to make the stuffed lamb peppers with)

• a large onion (that one has been hanging out on the counter for awhile…)

Then combine all ingredients in a large Crock Pot and put on high for several hours until it’s cooked through and ready. We’ll be eating this for dinner for two nights and then I will portion out and freeze the rest to eat later.

Definitely be aware of what you’re using - you don’t want to use any ingredients are actually spoiling (very bad idea!) - but by using up what good ingredients you have by making a healthy, hearty chili you will not let your precious groceries go to waste and will make something nutritious to feed your family during this time.

Stay healthy friends!

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Related Posts:

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• Preparing for the Novel Coronavirus

• Emergency Preparedness Ideas and Planning Tips

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Easy Chopped Greek Salad

Whew, where is the summer going? It seems like just last week school got out - but here we are with just a few precious weeks of summer vacation left. We’re trying to squeeze in what fun we can with family hikes, day trips, visiting friends, - and of course enjoying some of our favorite summertime foods. One of my favorites is this Easy Chopped Greek Salad which can make a perfect dinner on a hot night or a side dish to bring to the neighborhood BBQ. | This post contains affiliate links |

Ingredients:

• 2 cucumbers
• 2 large tomatoes (or a bunch of cherry tomatoes)
• half a red onion (I love red onions and tend to put in a lot... feel free to adjust the amount of red onion to your taste)
• 4 oz canned black olives, rinsed and drained
• 1 lemon
• olive oil (California Olive Ranch Brand is my favorite)
• oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 package of feta cheese
• fresh chives for garnish

This recipe is a great way to use up tomatoes, cucumbers, and herbs from your garden too!

How-to:

1. Chop cucumbers and tomatoes into bite sized chunks (remove seeds from tomatoes if they’re too “sloppy”).

2. Dice up to half a red onion (adjust amount of onion to taste).

3. In a separate bowl, make the dressing: juice one lemon, and add a splash of olive oil. Add about a tsp of dried oregano, and salt and pepper. Whisk together and add more olive oil or herbs/spices to taste.

4. Combine veggies, black olives, and dressing in bowl and mix well.

5. Add feta cheese and chives to garnish before serving.

6. Enjoy!

I make this salad just by “winging it” each time and don’t have exact amounts for olive oil or spices - really it’s up to you and your personal taste. Just experiment and see what tastes good to you.

| Plates are "Mikasa - Italian Countryside" |

Inheriting Family Recipes - Interview in The Wall Street Journal

I was recently interviewed by the Wall Street Journal about inheriting family history through recipe cards.  I was honored to share a little bit of my Great Aunt Stefie’s legacy and love for cooking with them.  WSJ also interviewed experts on the best way to preserve these treasures!  You can find the article in print in today’s newspaper as well as online. 

If you'd like to read the full article without subscribing, the Twitter link from Leah Latella, photo editor from WSJ should hopefully get you there.

(The Wall Street Journal also used a few different photos I took of Great Aunt Stefie’s recipe cards in both the print and online versions of the article.)

Protein + Fiber Packed Turkey Chili Recipe {and Instapot Giveaway!}

It's been cold and snowy here in New England these last two weeks (like 3 Nor'easters in two weeks snowy!), so what better way to warm up than with a bowl of hearty and healthy chili!  This recipe was done in our crockpot but could be made in less time in an Instapot.  Don't have an Instapot?  You're in luck - I've teamed up with several other bloggers to give one away!  {Scroll down to enter the givewaway}

This chili is super easy to make and can be adjusted to your taste with whatever veggies you'd like to add.  I often make chili as an excuse to use up all the extra veggies we have in the fridge - once all the flavors meld together you can hide just about any vegetable in there (perfect for picky toddlers or husbands).  While not in this current batch, I've often added things like mushrooms, spinach, sweet potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, squash, etc.  As far as using canned beans and tomato sauce I always buy store-brand organic varieties when I can - they tend to have less additives and salt than non-organic and are cheaper than the name brand ones!  

Ingredients

• 1 lb of lean ground turkey (can also use lean ground beef if you prefer)
• 2 cans of low sodium tomato sauce
• 1 can of red kidney beans
• 1 can of garbanzo beans
• 1 can of lentils (adds a lot of protein and you won't even notice them mixed in with the ground meat!)
• 2/3 cup of frozen corn (using frozen veggies is a great shortcut)
• 1/2 cup of frozen chopped peppers
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon chopped jarred garlic
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (turmeric has great anti-inflammatory properties)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• shredded cheese and/or crackers to garnish

Directions

1. Brown ground meat in a skillet, pouring off excess fat.  

2. Add meat and all remaining ingredients (except for garnishes) to crockpot.  

3. Cook on low in crockpot for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until veggies are soft and flavors have melded.  

4. Garnish with shredded cheese and crackers, if desired.  

Looking for a way to make this yummy recipe faster?  Use an Instapot! 
I've teamed up with several other bloggers to give one away to a lucky follower.  Enter below for a chance to win - good luck!  

Instapot Giveaway!

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Inheriting a Piece of Family History

My Great Aunt Stefie passed away a few months ago at 100 years old. I was lucky enough to inherit some of her recipe cards which is so very special. Cooking and taking care of everyone was such a huge part of her life. I’m looking forward to trying some of these recipes myself, though she never used recipes for all her best cooking - it always came from the heart.

Grandma Dot's Apple Cookie Recipe

It may not be Fall right now but that doesn't mean we can't still enjoy yummy apple baked goods!  This recipe is for a soft-baked cookie - lightly spiced and not too sweet, just perfect.  
Besides, it's my Grandma's recipe so you know it has to be good.  

Now I never actually met my Grandma Dot - she passed away before I was born. But from the stories I’ve heard she was a hard worker, very outspoken, and feisty. Whenever I make these cookies I think of her and am honored to carry on a piece of her. We make these cookies pretty regularly throughout the year, especially when we get together with family (they are my Dad’s favorite cookies).

Before you start don't forget to read our 5 Tips for Making Perfect Cookies - Everytime!  

Grandma Dot's Apple Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen, 2-inch cookies.  

CREAM
-  1 cup sugar
-  1/2 cup shortening
-  1 tsp vanilla
-  Add 2 beaten eggs

COMBINE
-  2 cups flour
-  1 tsp baking soda
-  1/2 tsp salt
-  1/4 tsp allspice
-  1/4 tsp nutmeg
-  1/2 tsp cinnamon

Sift dry ingredients together and add to creamed mixture.  
Fold in 1 1/2 cups diced raw, unpeeled apples, coated with 1 tbsp brown sugar.  (I usually chop my apples a little on the bigger side.)  Dough will be crumbly.  
Drop by small teaspoons full and BAKE at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  

These cookies are best enjoyed the same day you make them; they tend to get soggy the longer they sit because of the moisture in the apples.  Usually they're gobbled up fast though, so this generally isn't an issue.