Mashed Cauliflower and Chicken & Spaghetti Squash Medley

I found the recipe for the mashed cauliflower on the blog, A Taste of Home Cooking and it looked really good. So after work yesterday, I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some cauliflower, when I saw some Spaghetti Squash. My mom used to make it a lot when I was kid and I hadn't had in a very long time. Before I knew it, I had picked up one and put it in my basket. I didn't even know what I was going to make with it! Thus, the beginning of a very interesting meal. I knew you could substitute spaghetti squash for a healthier version of pasta.

I threw together what became our meal and it came out really good. I have gotten to the point with David, when it comes to making anything new and interesting, to not ask him if he wants it but to just make it. He ended up liking both recipes a lot, especially the mashed cauliflower. He couldn't figure out what it was, but knew that it tasted really good and was very similar to mashed potatoes. The plus side is that both are very healthy and easy to make. I calculated the weight watchers points, for the mashed cauliflower and it is about 1 point a cup compared to 5 points for mashed potatoes. You gotta love that!





Mashed Cauliflower
Source: A Taste of Home Cooking
Servings: 4
Weight Watchers Points: 1 point per cup

Ingredients:
1/2 head of cauliflower
5 garlic cloves sliced
1 tbsp of cream cheese
splash of milk
1 tbsp of butter
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Cut the cauliflower into small pieces and boil with garlic for about 15 min. Once the cauliflower is tender combine with cream cheese, milk and butter in the food processor. Puree until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken & Spaghetti Squash Medley
Source: Me
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1/2 spaghetti squash
2 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
1/2 bunch of asparagus or about 8 spears
2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1/4 of Parmesan

Cut squash in half and remove seeds and pulp. Boil in saucepan for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Meanwhile, in frying pan combine chicken, asparagus, olive oil, seasoning, salt and pepper and cook till chicken is cooked through. Once squash is done remove from water and separate strands by running a fork through pieces of squash. Add squash and Parmesan to chicken and asparagus mixture and toss. Add more salt and pepper if needed.



I also made a very yummy salad. I used fresh baby spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, tofu, red onion and feta cheese. The hubby even commented on how he didn't even taste the tofu which is great!

Hair Freak Out

I have always considered myself very lucky when it comes to visits with the dentist. I have never had anything major done on my teeth. I did though crack two wisdom teeth on two different occasions. Since they weren't impacted the whole pulling experience went really well. On the second occasion, I even went straight from the dentist to girls night. Only problem I had was that I couldn't eat anything and Jenni's food smelled amazing. I was a drooling mess!

I went to the dentist yesterday though, to have a cavity filled and it was definitely an experience. I almost freaked out, well maybe it was a freak out. It wasn't from the work the dentist was doing. I love me dentist. He is awesome. But, it was all my hair's fault. I know I said my hair, I'm not nuts I swear! I had my hair in a ponytail and while I was sitting in the chair it started to hurt because it was pushed up. Well I kept thinking about it and everyone knows if you think about it only makes it worse.

I starting fidgeting and feeling like I couldn't breath. I don't think the device holding my mouth holding open, sucking thing helped either. I wanted to jump out of the chair and run away. Then the cavity was a lot bigger than my dentist realized and it took forever to fill. I was in the chair for about an hour. Just thinking about the whole experience is making me tense!

Who would have thought I would get all worked up over my hair and not because of the big needles or the drill. Maybe I am nuts! :)

Photo Source: iStockphoto.com

Spaghetti with Chicken, Garlic and Spinach

I really like this dish and I am now hooked on using fresh spinach in recipes! I found the original recipe on the Technicolor Kitchen and have made several modifications to the recipe. I originally made it for David and I with, no real changes to the recipe and we really enjoyed it. When it came to my turn to host girl's night, I thought this would be a different meal than we have had in the past. I decided though the girls would probably like it with chicken, so I went ahead and added it. It was a great addition and everyone loved it. I will definitely make it again. I was thinking though it might be fun to use tofu one day instead of the chicken. Ah! So many possibilities!

Sorry for no pictures either!

Spaghetti with chicken, garlic and spinach
Source: Technicolor Kitchen
Serves: 8

1 box spaghetti
1/3 cup (80ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup diced bacon
4 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
sliced red chili, to taste - I couldn't find this so I substituted, 2 tsp. of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup of white wine
3oz spinach - I used a whole package of baby spinach as it wilts down so much
salt and freshly ground black pepper
small handful finely chopped parsley
finely grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling water as directed on the packaging.

Meanwhile, in frying pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and bacon. Cook until almost crispy. (If you want a healthier version, drain off the bacon fat after the bacon is cooked and add 1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable broth) Add the chicken, garlic and chili and cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, for about 20 seconds.

Drain the pasta and add to the frying pan with the spinach. Toss to coat in the sauce until the spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the parsley.

Serve with lots of Parmesan.

Blogging Brick Wall

It's been exactly a week since I last blogged, which is kinda sad. I feel like I have hit a blogging brick wall. All last week, I kept trying to think of something to blog about. I would think of something and then think to myself, nah no one would be that interested in reading about that. Maybe I am over analyzing it too much? Or we just had a boring week, I don't know.

I didn't even cook anything that I found too interesting to share. I did make Chicken Stuffed Shells, which I found on Annie's Eats. Everyone said they loved it, but I didn't really like it so that's probably why I didn't blog about it. I think what happened was that while eating it, I realized that I am not really into heavy pasta dish's like lasagna or mostacolli. If you like these types of dish's I really suggest trying this recipe.

Anyways, I am getting off topic. Back to the blogging brick wall, is there anything that you guys like reading about? Anything you want to know more about the hubby and I?

P.S. I am so glad the spelling function is working again because I am the worst speller in the world! :)

Over The Top

I can't believe how so many action movies are so completely and utterly unrealistic! Yesterday afternoon, the hubby and I watched, Die Hard with a Vengeance, which he had gotten on Netflix.com. There were several points in the movie where I wanted to walk away as it was so over the top. I restrained myself, as I wanted to see how it ended though.

Action films in the past, have never really bothered me and I would watch them if David wanted too. In the end, I normally ended up enjoying them as well. I have noticed though, the last couple that I have watched, I keep finding myself saying, "That would never happen! That would be such a huge General Liability claim!” Hehe!

Now for those of you who don't know me IRL, I work for an electrical construction company in the Safety/Risk Management Dept. I get to report all the auto, workers compensation, and general liability claims along with doing a bunch of other random stuff. I haven't had this job very long, so that would probably explain the recent disgust in action movies. I think the part that always amazes me, is that our jobs affect us in so many more ways that we ever realize. We think we leave our jobs at the door when we leave at the end of the day, but in reality we really don't. If you think about it, most people spend more time at our jobs in a week than we do at home, if you exclude sleeping! We are all working for the weekend. Such a shame!

Proposal & Engagement

David proposed on May 27, 2006 down at Huntington Beach. All of our friends and family braved the unusually cold and windy beach to see it happen, they were all in on it! I had absolutely no clue and was completely shocked!







Here is a little video of David popping the question.






Engagement Photos:

I absolutely loved our engagement photos! Our photographer Marlin Munoz did a wonderful job. I will forever cherish these photos.

Green Thumb?

I have been a major slacker and still haven't downloaded pictures of our trip to San Diego, so that post is going to have to wait. We had a good weekend though. Lots of time for relaxation and catching up on my reading, which I have severely neglected.

Anyways, yesterday we worked on our little backyard that we have. I am horrible at estimations, but its probably 20' by 10' and is all dirt. When we moved in, there was a little bit of grass and no plants. Well a year later, the weeds had taken over and it was a mess. At one point, the weeds had grown over the roof, white trash I know! The other weekend, Scott came over and helped David clean out the dead leaves and pulled all the weeds. The weather has been absolutely gorgeous lately, in the high 70's, low 80's for all you non Californians, don't hate now! We decided yesterday to work on the strip of dirt. We planted some wildflower seeds in one section and the rest still needs a lot of work, but its a start. I am totally gun ho now, for finishing the rest of it. After getting back from dinner, I spent the rest of the evening picking out flowers I would like to plant.

I definately need to take a class in desert/tropical plants 101 though, as this Midwest gal would love to plant tulips and other plants, that would keal over and die in two seconds with the type of weather we have here. I don't want to plant anything major like shrubs or perennials, since we don't plan on living there to much longer. I think I will stick to mostly annuals and some vegetables for the summer. I am already looking forward to seeing the little plants popping their heads out of the ground though! Hopefully, I won't kill them!

Photo Source: DiscoverLife.org

bbquEWW!

Hyped up food is really a let down, especially when it turns out gross! Last night, the hubby and I went to Raxx BBQ and Brewery, in Riverside to celebrate, his friend Matt's birthday. David had previously been there for a bachelor party and said the food was amazing. He has never let me down before when it comes to food. Well, scratch that, because he told me the sweet tea was amazing and I don't like it at all! But generally, he is right on the mark, except this time.

We shared the short ribs , with mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. Let's just say, the whole thing was horrible. The ribs were all fat and even when I was eating the meat part it had fat in it. The sides were not good either, as the mashed potatoes were plain and had no flavor to them and the macaroni and cheese was bland as well. I am not sure if short ribs are normally that fatty, as I have never had them before, but I didn't like them. If we ever go back, I might try their baby back ribs, but I was really disappointed in the sides as well.

We did have a large party though and the service was still great and the company was good. Matt seemed to really enjoy his birthday dinner, so thats all that really matters. David wants to go back, so they get one more chance in my book and if its bad again then they are off the list!

On another note, my friend Rachel who is pregnant, just had her first ultrasound at 19 weeks. The baby is healthy and doing well! Wohoo! They didn't find out the gender though, so we get to wait to see if its a boy or girl. :( It seems like it was yesterday that her and her husband Scott, told us that they were pregnant! Now she is almost half way through her pregnancy!

Help a girl out!

My friend Brenda and her fiance Edgar, have been selected as finalists in contest for a free wedding photographer for their wedding. This is where you guys come in, the photographer is taking votes for which couple should win in his comment section. Please go and vote for Brenda and Edgar, as they really deserve to have some amazing wedding photos!

Maloman Photography

Also, you can read about Brenda's version of what has happened on her blog: Devious Moon. Go and vote! Help a girl out!

In my world, I took yesterday off from work as I was sick again! I slept the entire day, in hopes of kicking this colds butt! I also, watched some America's Next Top Model that I had on tivo. I made myself some chicken tortilla soup for dinner. It was yummy! David and I, then went and voted. I couldn't let this cold stop me from participating. Our voting place was right around the corner which was nice but it was at a mortuary which was a little weird.

The weekend was good, but went by oh so quickly. Lunch and gab fest with the girls on Saturday. On Sunday, we had a few people over to watch the Superbowl. We had lots of good food and I also made my own salsa. This is a huge feat for this Midwestern girl, as Mexican food in my house growing up was the premade hard taco shells and some ground beef cooked in taco mix! Going out to eat mexican food consisted of going to Taco Bell! So thanks to the girls at work for giving me advice on how to make some good salsa, so I didn't have to serve some from jar!