Confetti Spaghetti (squash)

unfortunately my family wasn't excited about squash used as pasta so I made up this way to use it as a vegetable - we love this - watch for the time of year that red peppers and spaghetti squash are both on sale

Bake a spaghetti squash - you can pierce it a few times with a sharp knife and throw it in the oven whole (on a pan or foil please, to catch possible drips). Bake about 45 minutes at 350 - or throw it in while making something else. When done, cut in half, take out the seeds and stringy middle, use a fork to scrape out all the spaghetti-like strands.You can do this ahead and freeze or refrigerate (so if you have lots of squash bake two or three, maybe throw in a butternut for soup......) Or put cut-side down in large frying pan with some water and lid and simmer maybe 25 minutes, turn over and simmer 5 more

Sliver a large onion, a red pepper, a green pepper, maybe orange if you have one too - (that means cut into thin slivers so they are close to shape and size of strands from the spaghetti squash). Melt more butter than is healthy (maybe 2 Tb) in a large frying pan and start the onion cooking. When it loses its rawness, add in the squash and peppers and season as desired. I use Penzey's Foxpoint and Rocky Mountain Seasoning, fresh ground pepper. You could add garlic back at the beginning. When its all pretty hot sprinkle and stir in parmeson-romano-asiago blend or whatever finely grated cheese you have that you like, and serve!

I like it as a main dish but it makes a great side for all sorts of things, is quick and colorful on a hot day or fresh and crunchy with more wintery fare.

Split Pea Soup

 Take a ham bone (with a good bit of meat left if possible), put in soup pot and cover with water, add a carrot and an onion (peeled and trimmed but whole).Cover and simmer for an hour or two.

Pour the broth thru a strainer and back into pot (discard carrot and onion, their flavor has gone into the broth) Take meat off bone and cut up while you start the peas simmering in the broth -- add at least a lb of green split peas, probably 1 1/2 lbs for a mostly full pot of soup . Depending on available time, this can simmer quite a while - you'll want at least an hour, or longer if the peas are old. About 45 minutes or so before eating add peeled and chopped potatoes (maybe two-three), sliced carrots (maybe 4-5), and a large chopped and sauted-until-golden onion -- can add some water to get bits off onion-y pan to add (can also add carrots/potatoes to saute a little while for extra flavor if you want).
OR while the broth is in the container you strained it into, brown the chopped onion in the pot (and celery and other things if you like), then you catch all the extra flavor when you put the broth back in and add peas, etc.but you might not want the potatoes and carrots as mushy as they can get with all the time needed to soften the peas.

Put in cut up meat off the ham bone whenever you get it done, use Mrs. Dash and Nature's Seasons or  Penzey's Foxpoint or Mural of Flavor seasonings. Bay leaf is good (added with peas) or other favorite seasonings added some early, some mid-cooking, some near end for layers of flavor. Usually there is enough saltiness from the ham that you don't need salt - check before salting! fresh ground pepper is good.
*Stir occasionally -- and turn down or stir more often if it sticks to the bottom.

Good dish for a cold day - just do one step every once in a while as you go about dealing with home and family till its done for dinner.

for best results serve with Fresh French Bread! (easy recipe in previous post - if you start both recipes early in the afternoon you'll be all set, maybe a little fruit for side or dessert)


for extra fun, if you have yellow split peas, divide up your broth and make half with yellow, half green, then pour both kinds in the bowl from opposite sides, do one careful swirl through both sides and dollop a little sour cream in the center and put on a parsley leaf - how high-class is budget dinner now?

White Bean Salad Sandwich Spread

It's hard to make sandwiches if you don't want to do lunch meat, want lower fat than any good cheese, and you have to be able to take them along in the car - here's something that worked pretty well.  Think chicken or tuna salad, and try spices and ingredients you like in that. Another option is to process everything until smooth (with or without the vegetables) and use in place of Miracle Whip or dressing.
 
-cooked white beans, 1 1/2 to 2 cups or one can rinsed and drained
-finely chopped vegetables, about 1/4 cup each: celery, red, yellow or orange bell peppers, green onion, finely grated carrot
-about 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
-1-2 tsp Tahini (optional - adds fat but also enriches flavor)
-favorite spices: garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, ancho pepper powder, cumin, parsley, whatever you like

Reserve 1/4 cup beans (optional - for texture), put the rest of the beans, spices, juice, and tahini in food processor and process til smooth.
Stir in vegetables and reserved beans (or put all beans in processor if you don't want your family to know there are beans in it - they probably won't guess, you can call it "Summer Sandwich Spread" or "Crunchy Vegetable Dip").
Chill and serve as sandwich filling or cracker spread or veggie dip. Spices are dulled when chilled so you might want to experiment to decide how much you like.

Without the tahini it is a fat-free food and full of nutrients, which is hard to find in a snack food. Try it with toasted pita triangles made from whole-wheat pita bread.