Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin

I'm not a huge fan of the cold but Autumn is my favorite season. I love boots, scarves and cozy sweaters. I love the bright reds, oranges, and yellows on the trees. I love apple cider & hot cocoa (especially piled high with whipped cream).  I had high hopes of a long autumn and a short winter but, alas it's just mid November and there's been a foot of snow outside for a week now.

I'm trying to fight the temptation of rich oey-goey pack on the calorie deliciousness which is even harder to do when it's a cold day. I found this recipe online and thought it was delicious! I had three helpings plus ate the leftovers for lunch the next day. It's a keeper in my book. I think it's the perfect alternative to cheesy potato casseroles. This will be joining my list of side dishes at the Thanksgiving dinner table this year.

Spaghetti Squash Au Gratin
Serves 6

1 medium spaghetti squash

2 tablespoons butter

1 small yellow onion, cut in half and very thinly sliced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy/omit if you don't like heat)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

½ cup light sour cream

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds.  Place in a covered dish with a ¼ inch of water and microwave for 10 -12 minutes or 375 degree oven for 30-40 minutes.  In a medium sized skillet over medium heat, add the butter, onions, red pepper and thyme and cook until the onions are slightly brown in color.  Salt and pepper to taste.  

Using a fork, scrape the insides of the squash and transfer to a small bowl.  Combine the squash, onions, sour cream and half the cheese together and mix well.  Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish and top with remaining cheese.

Place into a 375º for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown on top. 

*I found it on Pintrest. Original picture and recipe by Dandy Dishes

Return of the microwave

It's been four and a half months since we pulled the microwave out of the kitchen. I loved the extra counter space and leftovers taste so much better when they aren't "zapped". Winter is upon us now and my household is missing the convenience of warming soup, chili, and (a favorite after school snack) frozen burritos in the microwave rather than stove top.

So, the microwave is back. I'd like to think it taught my kids some patience but they were arguing over who got to use the microwave first to heat up their after school snack yesterday. Sigh. At least they appreciate a 90 second cook time for a burrito rather then 15 minutes on the stove or even longer in the oven.

Admittedly, I used the microwave yesterday to bake a potato, defrost ground turkey for dinner, and re-heat a cup of tea. I'm honestly surprised we went that long without it, or that my family didn't put up a big fuss sooner.

The jury is out as far as it being harmful to our food, other than killing off some of the nutrients that it contains.  I think it can make a difference based on the container it's being 'nuked' in (like a styrofoam take out container).

I told the kids they do need to clean up any messes left behind or it will be taken away. Any luck, I wont ever have to open the microwave to any surprises.

Garden

I have thoroughly enjoyed gardening this year. I loved coming home after a stressful day at work and loosing myself in the garden for a while before tackling the rest of my day. The fresh air and sun on my face was rejuvenating  Our puppy, Copper, would usually join me as I watered and gathered ripe veggies.  I made my lunch right from the garden often. Food tastes so much better fresh from the garden, and growing it yourself makes it that much better. It was fun trading produce with neighbors, co-workers and family. Here's a look back at the season:

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

Inside the tomato "greenhouse"

 

Harvests

The first snow has fell and the gardening season is over but I am looking forward to next year and I will enjoy growing herbs in my sun-room throughout the winter. Some things turned out great (such as tomatoes & herbs) while others failed miserably (like the watermelon & cabbage). I would say it's was a huge success over all and next year should be even better. 

Volleyball

 Ashleigh's volleyball team placed 

3rd at state championships!

We had a blast at Ash's games this season. The last day of Championships were back to back games for three hours. Ash did great and my voice certainly reflected cheering for hours non stop the next morning.

I bought the team maroon polish for their nails to match their jerseys and I tied maroon ribbons in their hair the day of the finals.

The first team they won against had been undefeated all season! It was a huge upset and the kids were so pumped! They played together beautifully and had become pretty good friends by the end of the season. I'm proud them.

I have to admit, our lives will be a lot less hectic now that volleyball is over but I sure had a great time cheering her on all season. I loved watching Jackson cheer for his big sister and his school.

Living Room Before and After

I've been on a home improvement tangent for the last couple months. It's amazing what a can of paint and an afternoon can do for you. I absolutely love the my new sectional couch but it left the walls lacking.

I wanted to post a pictures after I painted so you can see why it's my favorite room in the house. This room was an add on to our original house and I'm pretty sure it was done by some very frugal and very creative d.i.y. homeowners.

 The walls were done with the same exterior wall paneling that's on the outside of the house (ugly). I have always hated it. Since the expense of sheet-rocking the entire room was not in my budget, I decided to try my luck at filling all the paneling grooves with joint compound. It worked! After a couple coats and some sanding, you can hardly tell there was every paneling there in the first place. It worth the extra time to fill and sand the grooves.

This room has been a few different colors since I moved in six years ago but this shade of gray is by far my favorite. Which got me thinking and I went hunting for some old pictures. Can  you believe what it used to look like? This was when I first moved in. Looking at it now it might be the ugliest living room I have ever seen. Funny how proud of it I was at the time though. All hand me down furniture and things I had collected. The entertainment center and love seat from my mom, the floral chair from my aunt, and a hope chest my dad had given me as a little girl I used for a coffee table. It has changed many times since this picture but it sure has come a long way.

"The better to see you with"

Jackson was having trouble seeing the board from the back of the classroom so off to the eye doctor we went. 

We played a joke on Ashleigh by sending her a picture of some very unflattering frames. They looked down right terrible.When she got home Jackson asked what she though of his glasses. Bless her heart, she was trying so hard to be nice,  "Um, they aren't what I was expecting but they look good".

The glasses he really picked look great on him. Jackson was very nervous to wear them to school the first time but his friends really like them and said he looks smart.

Parent teacher conference

I love my kids school. I wish I had discovered Charter schools when my kids were much younger.  My kids actually come home and tell me about their day. In spite of wearing uniforms everyday, they like school (as much as a kid can like school). I love all the projects and hands on experiences they have rather than just reading out of a text book.

My kid's teachers know this is their first year at this school so besides asking the usual questions about how they like it, they also wanted to make sure they are settled in socially and making friends. I appreciated them asking, knowing how important it is for kids to feel accepted in a new place.

Jackson got to show of Serpico, the baby snake in his science class. He, of course, now wants a pet snake. Ashleigh, however wants a pet turtle which are the pets in her science class.

Both kids got good reviews and I was told by multiple teachers that Ashleigh and Jackson are great additions to the school.

Serpico has since gone missing somewhere in the school! They now have a baby albino snake and are hoping Serpico will turn up somewhere.