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Spaghetti Squash & Chicken

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken,Olives and Sauce
Spaghetti Squash with Chicken,Olives and Sauce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spaghetti Squash & Chicken & Olives

Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite vegetables.  So easy to prepare and so versatile.  It makes a great side dish and does so well as a star in a main course.  

The other day I forgot to take something out for dinner, so it was improvisation time.  A spaghetti squash, some left over spaghetti sauce a great start , a few more ingredients and it was dinner time.

I always keep large cans of chicken breast in the pantry, it’s just as good as tuna in my pasta salad: http://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/worlds-best-tuna-salad . Add some olives and a few more items and voila a great dinner spaghetti squash & chicken with olives.

Ingredients for spaghetti squash & chicken & olives

This recipe serves two:

  1. 1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
  2. 1 13 oz can chicken breast or 1 baked fresh chicken breast
  3. 1 can green olives pitted(no pimento added)
  4. 2 cups approximate spaghetti sauce
  5. 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  6. salt and pepper to taste
  7. Parmesan cheese for topping (Optional)
  8. 2 Tbs butter melted

Directions for spaghetti squash & chicken & olives

Preheat oven to 400º

Take the squash and cut it in half lengthwise.  You’ll need a large knife, and cut carefully, as squash have rather hard skins.  Scoop out the seeds, baste the inside with the melted butter and lightly salt and pepper .  Place the squash halves onto a sheet pan and bake skin side up for 30-45 minutes until the squash is cooked, check by piercing the squash on the cut side, with a fork and if the fork goes easily through to the skin it’s done.

While the squash is cooking prepare the sauce. put all the ingredients except the cheese into a sauce pan and slowly bring up to heat.

When the squash is cooked take it out of the oven and let cool slightly.  Holding with a towel or cloth scrape the strands of squash out of the shell either into a bowl or directly onto a plate.

Just before serving add the mozzarella cheese to the sauce and stir to combine.  Spoon over the squash.  Optional sprinkle with Parmesan.

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Silpat AE420295-07 Premium Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, Half Sheet Size, 11-5/8-Inch x 16-1/2-Inch
Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Four Star 10-Inch Stainless-Steel Chef’s Knife

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ok it’s chicken with spaghetti sauce that’s a winner.  The other stuff not so much, but I could eat around the green things.  Chicken is always 5 paws.

 

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Spaghetti Squash & Chicken & Olives
Serves 2
easy to prepare main course
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
55 min
Ingredients
  1. This recipe serves two
  2. 1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
  3. 1 13 oz can chicken breast or 1 baked fresh chicken breast
  4. 1 can green olives pitted(no pimento added)
  5. 2 cups approximate spaghetti sauce
  6. 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  7. salt and pepper to taste
  8. Parmesan cheese for topping (Optional)
  9. 2 Tbs butter melted
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400º
  2. Take the squash and cut it half lengthwise. You'll need a large knife, and cut carefully as squash have rather hard skins. Scoop out the seeds, baste the inside with the melted butter and lightly salt and pepper . Place the squash halves onto a sheet pan and bake skin side up for 30-45 minutes until the squash is cooked, check by piercing the squash with a fork if the fork goes easily through to the skin it's done.
  3. While the squash is cooking prepare the sauce. put all the ingredients except the cheese into a sauce pan and slowly bring up to heat.
  4. When the squash is cooked take it out of the oven and let cool slightly. Holding with a towel or cloth scrap the strands of squash out of the shell either into a bowl or directly onto a plate.
  5. Just before serving add the mozzarella cheese to the sauce and stir to combine. Spoon over the squash. Optional sprinkle with Parmesan.
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

 

 If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

 Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

  copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved

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Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana
Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

On a recent trip to the green grocer I picked up a very nice large eggplant.  Pondering what to make for dinner , I thought perhaps eggplant parmigiana, but I really didn’t feel like breading and frying the slices.  Looking out the kitchen window I spied the BBQ and thought why not try grilled eggplant instead.  It’s a simple enough dish and it is very easy to prepare.  I have for years peeled my eggplants for all my recipes, but about a year ago I tried one recipe with the skin on and it was just fine, so I leave it on for most of my recipes now,which in this recipe helps to hold the eggplant together while grilling.

 Ingredients for Eggplant Parmigiana

  1. 1 large Eggplant thickly sliced = enough for 2
  2. 2 cups approximate your favorite tomato sauce
  3. 2-3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  4. 4-5 Tbs canola oil
  5. salt and pepper

Directions for Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana

Preheat grill to medium high

Slice the eggplant into thick 1/4 inch or more slices and lay out on a baking sheet.  Lightly oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

In batches grill the eggplant on both sides until you have fairly good char marks and the eggplant is slightly softened.

 

Grilled Eggplant
Grilled Eggplant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Allow the Eggplant to cool a little so that it is easy to handle.In a baking dish large enough to accommodate at least three layers of eggplant, place a little sauce in the bottom of the dish (this helps to keep the finished dish from sticking to the bottom ) now place a layer of eggplant, spoon sauce over and sprinkle with mozzarella, continue to layer ending with a layer of cheese at the top.

Bake at 375 covered for about 30-40 minutes until you can see the sauce bubbling at the edges of the dish.  Remove the cover and baked uncovered for the last 5 -10 minutes to lightly brown the top layer of cheese.

Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes.  Serve as a stand alone dish or with pasta and extra sauce.

 

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Staub Rectangular Ceramic Baking Dish – White
Weber Genesis 6531001 E-330 637-Square-Inch 38,000-BTU Liquid-Propane Gas Grill, Black

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really can’t get excited over vegetables, other than raw carrots which I adore!  And it was too hard to eat the sauce and cheese around it.  Next time layer it with chicken.  Rule #1 applies- no tasty, no ratey, but everyone else seemed to gobble it up.

 

Grilled Eggplant Parmigiana
Serves 2
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr 15 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 large Eggplant thickly sliced = enough for 2
  2. 2 cups approximate your favorite tomato sauce
  3. 2-3 cups shredded mozzerella cheese
  4. 4-5 Tbs canola oil
  5. salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat grill to medium high
  2. Slice the eggplant into thick 1/4 inch or more slices and lay out on a baking sheet. Lightly oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.
  3. In batches grill the eggplant on both sides until you have fairly good char marks and the eggplant is slightly softened.
  4. Allow the Eggplant to cool a little so that it is easy to handle.In a baking dish large enough to accommodate at least three layers of eggplant, place a little sauce in the bottomof the dish (this helps to keep the finished dish from sticking to the bottom ) now place a layer of eggplant, spoon sauce over and sprinkle with mozzerella, continue to layer ending with a layer of cheese at the top.
  5. Bake at 375 covered for about 30-40 minutes until you can see the sauce bubbling at the edges of the dish. Remove the cover and baked uncovered for the last 5- 10 minutes to lightly brown the top layer of cheese.
  6. Remove from the oven and let stand for about 5 minutes. Serve as a stand alone dish or with pasta and extra sauce.
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

 

 

If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

 Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

  copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved

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Baked Stuffed Zucchini

Baked Stuffed Zucchini
Baked Stuffed Zucchini

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Baked Stuffed Zucchini

This is another of my “use whatever you’ve got” type of recipes.  The opportunities to substitute different items are endless.  For this recipe I use two zucchini which will serve four as a vegetable side dish.

Ingredients for Baked Stuffed Zucchini

  1. 2 Zucchini cut in half lengthwise, pith carefully scooped out
  2. 2 cloves of garlic
  3. 4-6  Tbs finely diced onion (approximate)
  4. 1 tsp dried tarragon
  5. 2 tsp dried parsley
  6. salt & pepper to taste
  7. 4-6 Tbs finely diced aged Cheddar Cheese
  8. Panko bread crumbs
  9. 2 Tbs butter (more if needed)
  10. 1 -2 tsp pepper flakes (Optional)
  11. 1 Tbs Olive oil

Directions for Baked Stuffed Zucchini

 Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and with a melon baller or scoop, carefully scoop out the interior pith of the zucchini being sure not to rupture the sides or bottom.

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 Chop the scooped out zucchini pith into a very fine dice and with the 2 Tbs’s of butter saute with the onion, garlic,tarragon, parsley ,pepper flakes and salt and pepper until the onions are softened. If the mixture looks too dry add more butter, the mixture should look very moist.

Once the onion, zucchini mixture is softened ,empty into a bowl to cool, add the cheddar and stir to combine.  Add enough panko to lightly bind the mixture, it should still be slightly loose and moist.  Carefully spoon the mixture back into the zucchini shells.  Put into an oven proof dish and just before baking sprinkle a little Panko over the top and drizzle lightly with Olive oil.  Bake for about 45 minutes in a 350° oven.

 

Here are a few items to help with this recipe:
Le Creuset Heritage Stoneware 1-Quart Oval Au Gratin Dish, Cherry
Cuisinart DLC-2ABC Mini-Prep Plus Food Processor, Brushed Chrome

 

 

The Official Taste Tester
The Official Taste Tester

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh well another of those vegetable things, not exactly my cup of tea, so I will  put rule #1 into force “No tasty no ratey”.  However I did hear raves from the table so I guess it could possibly rate 5 paws, but I would have added a touch of beef!

 

 

 

 

 

Baked Stuffed Zucchini
Serves 4
Write a review
Save Recipe
Print
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
Ingredients
  1. 2 Zucchini cut in half lengthwise, pith carefully scooped out
  2. 2 cloves of garlic
  3. 4-6 Tbs finely diced onion (approximate)
  4. 1 tsp dried tarragon
  5. 2 tsp dried parsley
  6. salt & pepper to taste
  7. 4-6 Tbs finely diced aged Cheddar Cheese
  8. Panko bread crumbs
  9. 2 Tbs butter (more if needed)
  10. 1 -2 tsp pepper flakes (Optional)
  11. 1 Tbs Olive oil
Instructions
  1. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and with a melon baller or scoop, carefully scoop out the interior pith of the zucchini being sure not to rupture the sides or bottom.
  2. Chop the scooped out zucchini pith into a very fine dice and with the 2 Tbs’s of butter saute with the onion, garlic,tarragon, parsley ,pepper flakes and salt and pepper until the onions are softened. If the mixture looks too dry add more butter, the mixture should look very moist.
  3. Once the onion, zucchini mixture is softened ,empty into a bowl to cool, add the cheddar and stir to combine. Add enough panko to lightly bind the mixture, it should still be slightly loose and moist. Carefully spoon the mixture back into the zucchini shells. Put into an oven proof dish and just before baking sprinkle a little Panko over the top and drizzle lightly with Olive oil. Bake for about 45 minutes in a 350° oven.
Rants Raves and Recipes https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/

 

If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site.  It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .  

Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.

 

copyright © rantsravesandrecipes 2014 all rights reserved