Recipe #12 "Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti"

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti with Garlic Toast

What you need:
- 1 or 2 (2 pound) Spaghetti Squashes. (1 makes plenty for 2 if you serve it with a side like I did, but more   people means more squash needed)
- Favorite low calorie pasta sauce
- Raw Carrots
- Zucchini (I do this dish the exact same week I do this dish  (http://ihavenipplestoo.blogspot.ca/2013/05/recipe-11-zucchini-pizza-boats.html) since they both require the same sauce. It saves on groceries.  I do the Zucchini Pizza boats first so the first night and two days later do this dish, so that the hallowed out zucchini doesn't get soft.
- Black olives (optional)
- Diced white onions (optional)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Finely Shredded Parmesan cheese
- No salt added seasoning blend (I use Mrs Dash but anything goes)
- Buns or bread for the garlic bread
- garlic powder
- parsley (optional)

Steps:
1) Preheat over to 425 degrees, Slice Spaghetti Squash in half length wise

2) Using a fork get all the seeds and "pumpkin stuff" out of there. It should look like a boat, don't worry the spaghetti squash stuff is still there under the thin layer.

3) Sprinkle on some of your no salt seasoning around the hollowed out part.

4) bake in the oven on an oven tray for 55 minutes.

5) Make the sauce (or if you made the "Zucchini Boats" earlier in the week then microwave or reheat in a sauce pan just before the squash is done.) pour spaghetti sauce in a bowl, and finely dice the carrots (I use my "SlapChop"), zucchini, white onions and black olives.

6) Once squash is done cooking use a fork to scrap out the squash spaghetti strands and place them in a medium (or large) bowl.

7) make your garlic toast, butter or margarine on a bun half, add some garlic powder (I use roasted garlic powder) a bit or parsley flakes and shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake till brown. (2-5 minutes)

8) Once all strands are out toss the strands in the bowl with 2-3 tablespoons of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese. add some salt and pepper to taste.

9) Plate some spaghetti squash like you would regular spaghetti and top with some sauce and some more Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy with a lovely glass of red wine (or two glasses depending on how the kids were that day)!!

Pancake Fun Shapes

Holidays bring three things around to my house.

1) In-Laws or Family.

2) Babysitters (said in-laws or family babysit while my wife and I go out with a friend couple we don't get to see enough)

and

3) PANCAKES!!!!

My father in-law loves making pancakes for everybody, and we love eating them.  I think we have created quite a friendly competition between his pancakes and my world famous crepes (http://ihavenipplestoo.blogspot.ca/2013/03/recipe-7-my-world-famous-crepe-recipe.html) with the ladies enjoying the benefits of a friendly rivalry.

I think I win because whenever my crepes are done there are none left for leftovers, while there are always pancakes leftover no matter how many people are eating them.

Which left us a bit of a problem.  What to do with all those leftover pancakes?

Here is a great mini solution for your toddlers and kids at home.

Take their favorite shaped cookie cutter and cut them fun shapes.

They can then "dip" them a small container of syrup.

Great for taking to preschool, school or the park.  Fun for all the kids and like we learned in this blog post (http://ihavenipplestoo.blogspot.ca/2013/03/secret-sanity-tips-of-stay-at-home-dad.html) one new thing makes all old things seem new to kids. So even if they won't eat the big round pancakes, I almost guarantee you they will eat these ones.

Enjoy.

Recipe #11 Zucchini Pizza Boats

Recipe #11 Zucchini Pizza Boats

What you need: 
- 1-2 Zucchini's per person (get ones that are fairly thick as you are gutting them)
- 1/2 a jar of Spaghetti Sauce (I made "sloppy joe's" earlier in the week and used half for that recipe and half for this recipe you can also make this (http://ihavenipplestoo.blogspot.ca/2013/02/recipe-1-grilled-stuffed-mini-peppers.html) recipe in the week too so that you aren't wasting spaghetti sauce.)
- 2 Long carrots
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Mini Grape Tomatoes (optional)
- Black Olives (optional)
- a side of your choice I chose Couscous, but Quiona works as does rice. or a salad if you prefer with garlic toast.

Step #1
Preheat the over to 450 degrees.
Cut the ends off of your zucchini and wash them.

Step #2
Cut the zucchini's in half length wise and using a knife and a spoon, gut the insides making a canoe.
SAVE THE INSIDE STUFF IN A SEPARATE BOWL.

Step #3
Take the saved inside stuff and dice them really small (I used my "Slapchop" for quick work)
Peel and dice the two carrots the same way.

Step #4
Mix the diced carrots and zucchini in a bowl with the spaghetti sauce, stir them together really well.

Step #5
Arrange the hollowed out zucchini boats on a baking tray and take a spoon and fill the hollowed out zucchini boats with the sauce, not all the way to the top as they will bubble and boil while being cooked.

Step #6
Cover the sauce filled zucchini boats with shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with sliced mini grape tomatoes and sliced black olives if you like.

Step #7
Put in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (or until the cheese is melted and turning brown), the longer you cook it the softer the zucchini will be.

Step #8
Make your side while the zucchini is cooking.

I know last blog post (http://ihavenipplestoo.blogspot.ca/2013/04/its-not-vegetables-fault-its-food.html) I promised to share a Brussel Sprout recipe to prove that posts point, but I forgot to take pictures of the meal. I will post that recipe soon I promise, but this recipe proves that point too!  I never ate Zucchini as a kid or young adult and I love it now. Thank you "Food Network".

It's not the Vegetables fault, it's the "Food Networks" fault!!

I've come to the realization that I don't actually hate cooked carrots.

I hate the way my mom cooks carrots!!!!

Growing up I dreaded seeing cooked carrots on the plate, because they were always soggy and tasted too much like butter.  I always thought that one of the best parts of growing up was not having to eat cooked carrots anymore.  I'm an adult and if I don't want to eat cooked carrots then I won't.

I would go to buffets and load my plate with a smorgasbord of meats and seafood, but NO veggies.  Thinking that they would taste awful. I remember one time a complete stranger asking me one time "You gonna put any veggies on that plate?" and me saying without a beat: "If I wanted veggies one my plate I wouldn't have moved out of my parents house".

The truth of the matter is I have avoided all kinds of vegetables:

Cooked carrots

Brussel sprouts

Zucchini

Asparagus

Spinach

Egg Plant

But this isn't the vegetables fault. It's my mothers fault. Or maybe it's the "Food Networks" fault!!

If the "Food Network" aired in the 1980's, then it's quite possible that the way I used to look at food would have changed completely.

My mother may have learned that it doesn't take 30 minutes to cook a pork-chop, and that pork-chops don't only need to be served only with "cream of mushroom soup" poured over them.

My mother may have learned that carrots don't only need to be "steamed" till they are almost soup, but that they can be sauteed, fried, BBQ'd or "lightly steamed".

My mother may have learned that there are more cultures of food other than her own, "Chinese food" and "Italian". (I never tried Vietnamese food until I was in my 20's and Sushi until I was in my late 20's, that's my parents fault because they never introduced me to the amazing flavors of the many nations of the world.)

The truth of the matter is my mouth, tongue and taste buds are loving my late 30's eating experience. I am trying to cook new things and I am enjoying eating new things.  I am loving the many ways to eat cooked carrots be it in a Sushi roll, Steak roll, soup, sauteed or grilled.

I can't blame my mother for her cooking skills as I still have to see her all the time.

So I blame the "Food Network"!!

Don't get me wrong "Food Network" I love you!

I love the 1 hour of silence I get when the "wifey" watches one of your shows.

I love the new flavors and tastes my mouth experiences when the "wifey" cooks a new recipe she learned from that 1 hour of silence.

I love the fact that there are more "F-Bombs" per 30 minutes on your network than HBO.

And I love Chopped! Oh what will the mystery basket reveal next episode?

PS: I still hate "sweet potatoes" and "Yams"!!!

PPS: I have a great Brussel Spouts recipe which I will post later this week which will solidify this blogs statement.

Recipe #10 Steak Veggie rolls (Cowboy Sushi)

Balsamic Glazed Steak Rolls: 

I saw this recipe on Pintrest and thought I'd make it last week for my wife for date night.

It turned out awesome!! (Great way to get my wife to eat steak, small portions are nice)

Ingredients: (makes 8-10 rolls)

* 8-10 thin sliced sirloin

* Salt & Pepper (according to taste)

* 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

* Any steak seasoning you like (I used Thai sweet chili to off set the Worcestershire sauce) 

* 1 tbsp olive oil

For the Veggie filling -

* 1 carrot

* 1 bell pepper

* 1/2 a zucchini (depending on size)

* 5-6 green onions

* 2 cloves of garlic

* 1 tsp Italian herb seasoning

For the Balsamic glaze sauce-

* 2 tsp butter

* 2 tbsp finely chopped shallots

* 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

* 2 tbsp brown sugar

* 1/4 cup beef broth

Method:

1)  Start by prepping the steak. Trim of as much fat as you can, and cut the steak into 3 inch wide strips. You can then tenderize the meat with a meat hammer (if you’re using sirloin it doesn't need any tenderizing but you still may want to make it flatter)

2) Season the steak pieces generously on both sides with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce and your choice of steak sauce. And let them sit in the marinade for at least 30 mins if not a couple hours.

3) While the steak is marinating you can prep the filling for them. Chop up the carrot, bell pepper and zucchini into matchstick size pieces, little longer than the width of the steak strips. I used a mandolin slicer to jet thin sliced and hand cut them to make matchsticks. I then cut the green onion in a similar size and sliced them in half length wise. For the garlic, simply peel and crush the cloves with the flat side of your knife, just enough to bruise them.

4) Now for the sauce, melt the butter in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Add the finely chopped shallot and saute it for a minute or 2 until they turn soft and translucent  Add the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and beef stock and stir to mix everything well. Allow the sauce to come to a boil and reduce to almost half its volume. You’ll notice it starts becoming thicker and have the consistency of syrup. The butter also starts separating and comes to the top. Turn the heat off and transfer the sauce to a bowl.

5) In the same pan (no need to wash it) add a touch of olive oil and toss in the garlic cloves to allow them to flavor the oil for a few minutes. Turn the heat up to high and toss in the carrots, bell pepper and zucchini (there’s no need to cook the green onion) and stir fry the veggies for no longer than 2-3 minutes. Season them with the the Italian herb seasoning and salt and transfer the veggies to a bowl.

6) To assemble the steak rolls, simply take a strip of the marinated steak and lay it with the short side towards you. Place the veggies (don't forget the green onion!) in the middle and roll the beef up over the filling, securing it with toothpick. Repeat the same with the other rolls.

7) Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a touch of oil swirling to coat bottom. When hot, add beef rolls, seam side down, not touching and pan fry for a couple minutes. Then turn roll and cook it on all sides in the same way. Cook until you’re desired done-ness. (Thin steaks don't take long to cook at all) 

8) Remove the toothpick and serve with the balsamic glaze sauce spooned over the top of each roll.

Splash Park & Wading Pools in Calgary

Now that "Spring" is almost here, I've decided to compile a list complete with photos of my daughters favorite splash parks we visited last year (and will again this year).

Most Splash Park hours are (9 a.m. - 9 p.m.) and open mid June to September long weekend

1) Riley Park

Location: 800 12 St. N.W.

Park hours: 5 a.m. - 11 p.m.

- Wading pool - typically open mid June to September long weekend

- Picnic sites

- Playground Washrooms (seasonal)

- Water fountains (seasonal)

- Concession (independently operated)

2) Eau Claire Market 

Location: 3 St. & Riverfront Ave. S.W.

*Bonus take the c-train, pack a lunch and make a day of it.  

- Eau Claire Market - one of a kind shops and restaurants

- Wading pool/spray park

- Playground (near the wading pool, but a bigger one just across the bridge in the park) 

- Washrooms (seasonal)

- Water fountains (seasonal)

- Amphitheatre

- Pay parking available

3) Prairie Winds Park

Address: 223 Castleridge Blvd. N.E.

- Picnic site with cover

- Playground

- Wading pool and spray park - seasonal (9 a.m. - 9 p.m.) 

- Concession (seasonal)

- Massive hill perfect for rolling down

4) Rotary Park

By far my favorite of the splash parks (there isn't a great photo as the splash park was just renovated so I just copied an image from "Google Maps") 

 Location: 617 1 St. N.E.

Park hours: 5 a.m. - 11 p.m.

- New spray park (9 a.m. - 9 p.m.) - typically open mid June to September long weekend

- Playground areas 2 massive playgrounds for ALL ages of kids.

- Washrooms (seasonal) are directly in-between the splash park and the playgrounds.

- Water fountains (seasonal)

5) Canmore Park (Not in Canmore it's actually in the NW of Calgary) 

Location: 2836 Canmore Rd. N.W., parking lot located off 19 St. & Chicoutimi Dr. N.W. 

- New spray park now open! 

- Ball diamonds

- Washrooms (seasonal)

- Water fountains (seasonal)

- Pathways

- Benches

- Picnic tables

6) South Glenmore Park (Also known as Variety Park)

Address: 90 AV SW & 24 ST SW 

- Splash Park (seasonal)

- Playground 

- Washrooms (seasonal)

- Everything is all together and fenced in. 

7) Valley View Park

Address: 3103 28 ST SE

- Splash Park (seasonal)

- Playground

- Washrooms (seasonal)

- Water fountains (seasonal) 

Recipe #9 Italian Sausage with Pasta

Italian Sausage with Pasta

Ready in less than 20 minutes

Recipe serves 4 with leftovers for lunches.

What you need:

- 1 package of mild (or hot) Italian sausages (usually 6 in a pack)
- Pasta your choice (Penne, Spiral, bowties, spaghetti...)
- 1 package of "KNORR" Pasta Seasoning "Sun-dried Tomato Parmesan" flavor
- Black olives (if your family likes them, my family loves them)
- Green onions finely chopped
- 1 Pepper (Green, Red, Yellow or Orange you choose the color, I tend not to use green as we already have green in the dish from the green onions) NOT the hot kinds just the pepper kind.
- Mushrooms (fresh not canned unless there is no salt added) finely chopped
- Parmesan cheese (grated over top for a nice flavor kick)
- Fresh ground pepper for flavor after

Step #1
Take all the sausage out of it's skin.


Step #2
Cook pasta according to directions


Step #3
Place sausage out of it's skin in a frying pan set to medium/high Cook until it is no longer pink, it should look like ground beef when done.

Step #4 
While Sausage and Pasta are cooking chop all veggies for and place them in the frying pan with the cooked sausage.Turn heat down low and cover, stirring occasionally to make sure veggies are cooked.

Step #5 
Drain Pasta when ready. Put pasta back in Pot once drained and add the KNORR Pasta seasoning "Sun-dried Tomato Parmesan" following the directions on the package.  Mix it really good so all pasta is covered.

Step #6
Place pasta and add Sausage & Veggies on top of  the pasta.  Grate some Parmesan cheese on top, fresh pepper and serve.