October Recipes
Recipe Archive
Spaghetti Squash Greek Salad
A spin on the classic Greek salad—cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and herbs—that incorporates the most versatile member of the squash family, just in time for the final harvest of the season.
You will need the following ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash (locally grown, if you can get it)
1 large or two medium-sized cucumbers, halved and sliced
10–15 cherry tomatoes, halved
8–10 Kalamata (or other black) olives, pitted and halved
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese, or more, depending on taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil
various herbs (basil, oregano, mint, etc.), fresh or dried, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preheat your oven to 350°. Carefully halve the spaghetti squash and scoop out the seeds and innards (leaving the fruit along the sides and bottom intact). Use 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and salt / pepper to season each half. Wrap the halves in foil and place directly onto the rack of the preheated oven, baking for one hour (could be slightly longer or shorter depending on the size of the squash). Once baked, allow squash to cool long enough (~15 minutes) so that they can be handled safely, then scrape out the fruit into a bowl, preserving the long strands. Let stand for another 15-20 minutes until the squash comes to room temperature, then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the Greek salad ingredients, tossing until well mixed. Serve as a side, or add a protein like bacon, chicken, or mushrooms to make into a main course.
Best Banana Bread
Beguiled by browning bananas? Bake bread!
You will need the following ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk (or regular milk + a tsp of vinegar)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup mashed overripe bananas (typically 2 whole bananas)
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans and / or 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preheat your oven to 325°. Lightly coat 9 x 5 loaf pan with nonstick spray. Blend together wet ingredients in one bowl, and whisk together dry ingredients in another, then combine, folding in the bananas after both mixtures are well integrated. If using pecans or chocolate chips, add those after bananas. Pour mixture into loaf pan and bake for one hour; bread is done when toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Easy Homemade Brownies
I have made these brownies countless times, and they have come out simply delicious every time without fail—best of all, they’re incredibly simple!
You will need the following ingredients:
1 stick butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
Optional: walnuts, pecans, and/or chocolate chips
Preheat your oven to 350°. Grease an 8 x 8 inch glass pan (the brownies taste just as good crumbled, but it is a hassle to scrape them out of the pan). In a bowl, mix well sugar, flour, and cocoa powder. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Then, melt the stick of butter or margarine, and add to the bowl. If you’d like, add nuts or chocolate chips. Finally, bake for 30 minutes at 350°. After baking, to check doneness, you might opt to insert a toothpick into the center of the pan—if it comes out with wet batter stuck to it, the brownies are still underdone. When a toothpick comes out nearly clean, but with a few crumbs on it, they are ready.
Enjoy this timeless brownie recipe as the leaves begin to change color and we progress through the school year!