Make Squash Casserole

I must have been in a generous mood when I first tried this casserole, because it is a little more adventurous than I usually am. However, the entire family liked it - even the previously winter-squash-and-green-pepper-hating ME. It was simple to prepare and, surprisingly, the only complaint was that we wanted MORE. 

Squash Feta Casserole

Ingredients

2 cups winter squash, cut in half

2 eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

4 green onions, chopped

½ - 2/3 of a green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

2 strips bacon, chopped

cracked black pepper to taste

*optional* sliced tomato 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium (9x9) casserole dish.

In microwave, heat squash for 9 minutes to soften. Remove from heat, and cube. In a medium bowl, blend the eggs and heavy cream. Mix in the squash, green onions, bell pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Top with feta cheese and sliced tomato, if desired. Season with pepper.  Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.

Ride in the rain. Again.

I was signed up to ride in Goldilocks this morning. So of course, after many weeks of beautiful weather, it poured.

We shortened our ride, and then shortened it again when one of the ladies with us got sick. She was the driver, so we came in. :-)

Six hours later, it is beautiful outside.

I think I could end the water shortage in Utah if I just signed up for rides regularly. I am starting a collection to fund the experiment.

The end.

Make Italian Wedge Salad

I LOVE the wedge salad at Johnny Carino's, so I was disappointed when the Carino's near us in Sandy closed. Disappointed may be too mild a word. I howled "Nooooo!" And acted like a drama queen which I usually try not to be.
Then I went home and tried to find a knock-off recipe that I could duplicate. There are a few out there, but none that had all the ingredients AND the dressing recipe. So, here for your eating enjoyment, are the closest recipes that I could find for the salad AND the dressing.

• 
  
• Italian Wedge Salad
• 1/6 of a wedge of crisp iceberg lettuce
• Top with:
• bacon crumbles (save yourself some time and get the pre-cooked bacon, it is so very worth it)
• candied pecans (NOT sugared pecans- there is a difference!)
• Gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• diced Granny Smith apples
• diced roma tomatoes

Top with GARLIC RANCH dressing from allrecipes.com

This guy even has instructions on how to make candied pecans should you not be able to find them at a store.

Make Spinach Feta Empanadas

This recipe comes from the Food Network. The pastry dough is a little different than usual, but let me tell you, it makes all the difference! I tried it with my regular pie dough, and it was good. The cream cheese dough, however, is fantastic!
To kick it up a notch (this does come from Emeril, after all), we substituted 1/2 cup Feta cheese for 1/2 of the cottage cheese. We thought it was awesome this way, but we do love us some Feta at our house. If you don't care for it, follow the original recipe as is.


Spinach Empanadas