Welcome back to another addition of “I am trying to teach myself how to cook”. I am happy to report that things have progressed over here!
I have remade a few of the recipes I shared in my last recap (you can read them here) in hopes of improvement so my list today of new recipes is short but sweet.
I baked for the first time and made some great options for meal prepping if you’re into that sort of thing. Check out the recipes below!
Spaghetti Squash Alfredo Casserole
This is another one of Carissa Stanton’s recipes and I have to say, I am loving spaghetti squash guys. It has a great texture and aside from it being a real bitch to cut open, I think it’s an awesome carb alternative!
This recipe calls for alfredo sauce but I had some leftover pesto so that went into it too. I once again made way too much so next time I’ll have to cut the ingredients in half. She has a recipe for a cauliflower alfredo sauce if you want to be super healthy but I opted for a jar of traditional sauce from Trader Joes.
I would give this a 6/10 not because it’s a bad recipe, but because I don’t think I baked it as well as I could have. The bread crumbs and parmesan on top definitely browned but it was really difficult for me to get the entire thing to cook through. I think because I was making something else at the same time, so instead of immediately putting the spaghetti squash/chicken/broccoli/sauce mixture into the baking dish and then into the oven I waited for 20 minutes while I finished my other stuff. So then the spaghetti squash and cooked chicken cooled down big time and because there was so much I had to fill the dish to the brim.
Next time I will be cutting the ingredients in half, adding peas (I love peas in a white cream sauce), and immediately transferring everything back into a dish and straight into the oven!
Get the recipe here!
Lazy Girl Pasta
Okay so this isn’t really an actual recipe and more of just a critical winter life hack for all of you lazy girls out there who, like me, appreciate easy carbs.
Every year I always pick up a jar of Trader Joe’s truffle alfredo sauce (any other truffle addicts?!) and while I wouldn’t exactly call it restaurant-worthy I would definitely say it is the perfect pasta sauce for a cozy night in.
I picked up some pappardelle pasta and added peas and red chili flakes. It took me less than 15 minutes to throw together and was the perfect weeknight treat.
Pumpkin Cake
This pumpkin cake has proven to be my pride and joy over the past few weeks and I truly cannot get enough.
It is probably one of my favorite @broccyourbody recipes because it was so easy, so delicous and made me feel like a real grown up.
I did a test run a few weeks ago and after tasting how insanely tasty (and so moist!) it was I decided to bring it to Thanksgiving!
The best part is that it’s a pretty healthy version of what could definitely be a real fatty affair. It’s dairy-free and still a delight so you know it’s good.
Get the recipe here!
Roasted Lemon Garlic Artichoke
I LOVE artichoke. Drizzle some lemon on top and dip that bad boy in some aioli and I am a happy girl. So I wanted to make some roasted artichoke for the first time.
It was…not my best.
I followed the recipe pretty exact other than putting the chokes (lol) on a pan instead of in a baking dish but could that really have made such a difference???
I’m wondering if I didn’t allow them to sit in the lemon water for long enough. They just didn’t take on any of the delicious, wonderful flavors that they were covered in (hello: lemon, garlic, rosemary, etc.).
Also, I don’t know why I am a fool and didn’t make/buy aioli because DUH.
Next time I’m going to try keeping it simple and steaming them instead. Any tips you want to share in the comments would be so appreciated!
Get the recipe here.
Roasted Potatoes & Jalapeno Salmon
This jalapeno salmon is outrageously good and it has literally one ingredient: Trader Joe’s jalapeno sauce! I got the idea from Carissa Stanton again (am I creepy?? I can’t not try everything she recommends ya know?) so if you want to see her post about it click here!
I bake the salmon for 400 for 15-20 (I like it on the rarer side so I just wait for it to be barely not pink if that makes sense) after coving it in the sauce with lots of salt and pepper. It’s a dream! So spicy and flavorful.
I also roasted some potatoes and honeslty I feel kind of like a loser even listing this because it’s such a basic cooking 101 thing but I did it and we must celebrate progress!
I chopped two red potatoes into cubes, tossed them in a bowl with olive oil, rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Then into the oven they went for 15 at 450 and the last 5 on broil to get em nice and crisp (I asked my cousin how to do this I cannot take credit for that). I’ve been dipping them in barbeque sauce like a real child. It’s been wonderful!
What are your favorite winter recipes? Tell me in the comments below!
Xo,
She
