Moroccan-spiced Spaghetti Squash

This weekend, I attended the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. It was a whirlwind tour of culture through cuisine. It inspired me to try my hand at cooking foods from other countries, instead of just making my usual Italian fare. Today when I went to the market, they had several varieties of squash to choose from. There were acorn, butternut, buttercup, and spaghetti squash. I usually cook spaghetti squash as the name suggests, with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese. Today, I decided to learn what spices constitute Moroccan flavors. Moroccan cooking uses lots of the same spices I love and already had in my spice rack: cumin, allspice, cayenne, ginger, and coriander. I applied my usual method of making a recipe by finding a few I liked and combining ingredients to make it my own version. Not only is this side dish loaded with flavor, but it's also a good source of fiber and vitamin C. I added the chick peas and almonds for some protein, substance, and crunch.

1 spaghetti squash, 3 to 4 lbs
Pierce skin with knife in several places. Bake squash whole in 375 degree oven for one hour until soft.
Let cool before slicing in half. Scoop out and remove seeds. Scrape pulp of squash into bowl with fork to make strands.

In skillet on medium heat, add:
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter (I used 1 Tbsp and it was fine for me)
Saute onion and garlic in oil and butter until soft. Season with salt and pepper

1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cayenne

Mix onion/garlic with squash, then add spices and stir well.

Add:
1/2 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup almonds, sliced and toasted
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro, or flat-leaf parsely
zest of orange, just before serving

Mussels

I don't know what it is about mussels, but it's one of the 5 foods I am obsessed with. Ever since my friend, Bonnie, and I had Cozze en Bianco at our local Italian restaurant chain, we've been on a hunt for the best mussels in Palm Harbor.  Some are too big, some have disgustingly sweet red sauce from a jar, and we've even had some (gasp!) that were not fresh. She has a knack for picking out which are fresh and which are frozen. We finally agreed the best mussels in town are the ones we make.  The following recipe is a combination of many variations on the dish. You'll see that I've developed most of my recipes that way. I just take what I like from one recipe and something from another and make it my own. I made this dish tonight and my 13 year old said, "Awesome, Mom!" That's the best compliment I could ever hope for. As for wine, I chose a Sauvignon Blanc.  Babich Black Label from New Zealand has a 2008 that was fruity, but had a strong body that went well with the mussels. I used it in the recipe and also served it with the mussels.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup shaved fennel bulb
1 Tbs minced garlic
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup Sambuca (or other licorice flavored liquor)
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 stick butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice and zest of one lemon
3 lb mussels, scrubbed and debearded
chopped basil, parsely, oregano

Saute onion, fennel and garlic in oil until soft. Add red pepper flakes, Sambuca, butter, lemon juice and zest, and wine, bring to boil. After mussels are cleaned, add them to the pot, cover, and reduce heat to medium. When mussels start to open, add fresh chopped herbs, and stir pot so broth and mussels mix well.
Serve in large bowl with plenty of bread to soak up the broth.

My son likes red sauce, so I throw in a can of diced tomatoes along with the wine, then serve it all on top of a plate of spaghetti.

My first blog

Hey everyone! I am new to this blogging thing, so bear with me. I wanted to start a blog so I can share my adventures in cooking with everyone. I don't know if I'll be entertaining, enlightening, or funny, but I hope to share my cooking experiences with you. Let me tell you about myself. I am 100% Italian, although my ex-husband will say I am 10% Hungarian or some other Slavic nationality (no offense), but I am definitely true to my Italian heritage when it comes to cooking, eating and entertaining. I panic whenever I have friends over because I think.....I don't have enough food! I proceed to make another list and head out to the grocery store and buy three more bottles of wine and 5 more pounds of chicken...."just in case". It always turns out fabulous and everyone goes home fat and happy. My intent for this blog is to share my recipies and adventures in cooking with you. Tonight I grilled New York strips, grilled portobellos, red peppers and asparagus for me and my 13 year old son. I cook for my friends, my family, my son or even just myself. I do it not only because it relaxes me and is therapeutic, but...yes, I'll admit it......I love to eat!! I will share my recipes I make up myself and the ones I make with my friend Bonnie and her family. Whenever I show up to their house, it's an instant party..even if it's a Tuesday. More to come. Tomorrow I'll be teaching Bonnie and family how to embrace Asian cuisine. Trying to teach an old dog new tricks? Maybe.