Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns

Did you know you could make Hash Browns with Spaghetti Squash!!!??  My family is not the biggest fan of potatoes but we do like hash browns. I had purchased a spaghetti squash on my grocery trip but had no real plans for it. I made Scotch Eggs for dinner and needed a side. My husband suggested potatoes of some sort but I just wasn't feeling that...so I started poking around and found talk of Spaghetti Squash Browns and thought that would be perfect!
My kids were skeptical but one taste and they were TOTALLY convinced. They LOVED them!!!







1- 3-4lb Spaghetti Squash, baked, seeds removed and strands scraped out
(Mine yielded about 1 lb of strands)

2 TB flour(GF if necessary)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

1/4 cup butter


Squeeze the liquid out of your spaghetti strands as much as possible (Give them some MUSCLE!)

Gently toss with flour, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and salt.







Preheat a griddle to 350. Add 2 TB butter and allow it to melt.










Place a good sized scoop of the strands onto the hot griddle and press down firmly.

Repeat with remaining.

Cook 7-9 minutes until golden brown. Add 2 more TB butter and melt, then gently flip and cook 6-8 minutes more.

Serve with a touch of hot sauce, or any hashbrown toppings you like.

Baked Scotch Eggs

Delicious "Breakfast for Dinner" tonight!!! Now I know someone will say these are not "proper" Scotch eggs, but they are still yummy anyway!!!


If you want to lighten them up a bit, ground turkey could be substituted.

Makes 9 Scotch Eggs

Scotch Eggs and a glass of Scotch....perfect------------->






I served with Creamy Mustard Sauce* and a Side of Spaghetti Squash Hash Browns(next recipe).







1.5 lbs ground pork
1.5 TB balsamic vinegar
1 TB dried parsley
1.5 tsp black pepper
1.5 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp onion powder
1.5 tsp dried basil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp crushed red pepper(for mild, double for hot!)
1/2 tsp fennel
1/2 tsp oregano
salt to taste

1/4 cup onion, chopped fine

1 clove garlic, chopped fine

10 eggs

1/3 cup flour (GF mix works well if you need it!)

3 TB water

1 cup breadcrumbs, (again GF if you need them)

(you can use seasoned if you want, or season them up yourself, I prefer plain so they don't distract for the pork sausage)

Combine pork with seasonings and mix well, set aside to allow flavors to mingle.

While the pork is flavoring place 9 of the eggs in a deep pan, cover with COLD water by 1 inch. 

Turn up your burner to medium high (closer to the high side) and bring them to a full boil.

Once they are at a full boil, pull them off the heat, cover and let stand for 10-14 minutes. (Less if you like your eggs softer, more for a hard boil.

When the time is up immediately submerge the eggs in ice water. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then peel them all up.

Add onion and garlic to pork mixture, mix well

Assembly:

Take the remaining egg, and beat it up with water in a bowl, set aside.

Place bread crumbs in another bowl, set aside

Take 1 egg, roll in flour and tap off excess

Take about 3 ounces of the pork mixture and pat it into a thin burger

Place floured egg in the center 

Gently roll the meat around it, it takes a little massaging to get it to spread out so go slow.

Dip the meat ball in the egg, turning to coat

Then roll in breadcrumbs.

Set on a greased rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the eggs and pork

You can pre-make them to this point and refrigerate them. Take out 20-30 minutes before you plan to bake.

Right before you throw them in give each ball a light spray with cooking spray.

Bake at 400 for 30-35 minutes until the meat  is no longer pink near the egg. Serve with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Creamy Mustard Sauce:

1/4 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup plain greek yogurt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and allow to mingle at least 15 mins!

Cinnamon Apple Noodle and Cheese Stuffed Crepes

I got a Kitchenaid Spiralizer attachment for Christmas so I have been spiralizing everything! My 11 year old had requested Crepes so I decided to make up my own filling. It is not overly sweet like you find with most crepes too!

My photos may be a little lacking as I was doing far too many things at once.







Crepes:

1 cup  all purpose flour (I used Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose)
1/2 TB sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
2 tsp melted butter


Cheese Filling:
2/3 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1/2 cup plain non fat greek yogurt
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 TB sugar

Cinnamon Apple Noodles:
2 medium sized fuji apples
1 TB butter
2 tsp cinnamon
1 TB sugar

To start the Crepes:
Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth.
Pour in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

For the cheese:
Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth.




For the Apple Noodles:

Spiralize your apples......if you do not have a spiralizer don't worry, you can just core and dice your apple!

In a pan over medium heat melt butter. Add apples, cinnamon and sugar. Cook until the apples are tender crisp.
Keep warm and set aside.




Bake to the Crepes:

Heat a medium sized pan over medium low heat. When it is hot spray it with a little non stick cooking spray.. Holding the pan off the heat pour a scant 1/4 cup and quickly tilt the pan to cover the bottom complete. Return to heat. Cook until the edges are just starting to lift(about 45-60 seconds). Carefully flip and cook on the other side for about 30-40 seconds...remember just like pancakes the first side always browns more evenly than the second, dont worry if it is not perfect, you really dont want them OVER brown anyway.

Repeat with the rest of the batter, keeping the finished ones warm


Filling:
 Place about 2 tablespoons of the apple noodles












Then scoop on about 3 tablespoons of the cheese filling.











Roll Gently and place on plates, repeat until the ingredients are gone.

Top with some warm syrup and serve immediately.

Or to serve at a later time, place each one in a greased baking dish seam side down

(I ended up needing two pans so they weren't over crowded.)
Cover with foil and stick them in the fridge up to 12 hours.

Take them out 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350l and bake for 30 minute until heated through.

Yummy Mini Meatloaves

I realized that I didn't have a "regular" meatloaf(I have Italian, Taco, Salisbury and Pizza meatloaf but no standard kind!) on here so I decided to whip one up! I did Mini loaves today, but you can throw this all in a meatloaf pan for a full sized one. I served mine with some Spicy Jicama Fries!





1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef *
1/2 lb lean ground pork
3 TB non fat plain Greek yogurt
1 egg
1/2 cup tomato sauce, divided
1 TB worcestshire sauce
3/4 cup bread crumbs
and salt black pepper to taste

1 TB brown sugar

*I used 90/10, some people prefer higher fat for meatloaves but I find it unnecessary


Combine onions, garlic, beef, pork, egg, Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup tomato sauce and worcestshire. Mix gently (I prefer by hand but I know some people don't like to touch raw meat). Add bread crumbs as needed to get to your preferred consistency. Some like it on the wetter side, some like it dryer. In my personal opinion 3/4 c was just right. Season to taste





When it is mixed you can shape it into 8 loaves and place on a greased, rimmed baking dish.....or you can shape it into a loaf pan.












Mix the remaining 1/4 cup tomato sauce and 1 TB brown sugar.

I prefer to put my topping on prior to baking so I just slathered it on the raw meat. Some people prefer to wait and add it at the end of baking time....that is up to you!





Bake in 350 degree oven......mini loaves take about 35-45 minutes, if you are doing a  loaf , increase temp to 400 after 45 minutes. Bake 20-30 minutes more. Make sure your temp is a minimum of 160.

When it is done cooking allow to set for 10 minutes before serving (or slicing)