alot of things happened today

okay so the original inspiration for this was on tastespotting : it was a roasted spaghetti squash filled with tomato sauce and meatballs and mozzarella and parmesan. however, once i started i couldn't figure out how i was going to get two spaghetti squash halves to last the whole week...



instead of using prepared spaghetti sauce i made my own & i am using my mini-party frozen meatballs that i just heat up a few when i am eating (microwave). so i cooked down one HUGE onion one yellow bell pepper, garlic, oregano, red chili flakes, and a giant jar of whole plum tomatoes with basil. (my onion to tomato ratio was way off - not enough to try and fix but i have a ton of onions and not enough tomato...probably should have used tomato paste as well).



BUT OMG i used my dehydrated mushrooms that i made a while back. i just poured hot water over them while things were cooking, chopped them up a bit, & added it mid-way so that they could cook a little bit.

i put half in the fridge for dinner this week AND FROZE THE OTHER HALF FOR PASTA NEXT WEEK. yesssssssssssssssssssssssss



i also roasted the squash seeds and then made a vinaigrette of the items above.



before and after roasting...



i should have used less liquid but these suckers didn't last at all. like they were consumed immediately. i dumped the left-over liquid into the tomato sauce. (i <3 worcestershire sauce)



pre-roasted squash above; finished product below. i roasted it at 350° for like 45 min and then 425° until it was fork tender (i have no reasoning for those degrees or time lengths.)



the goods:



the cadaver:



snack:



DINNER:



FOURTH MEAL:



tomato sauce on toast with MOZZZZ. i couldn't figure out how to reasonably make the mozzarella i bought portion into a week's worth of meals so guess what, I MELTED IT ON THINGS AND AT IT. sometimes i didn't even melt it so DEAL WITH IT.

pasta

this one is kind of boring but i photographed it so here it is

i only allow (or try) to let myself eat pasta once it gets cold out & we are allowed to gain like 5 lbs for the hibernation season. otherwise i just sit there eating like 8 servings of pasta a day. but we all know how cheap it is.



not pictured: the enormous amount of garlic that went into this, roll tide!



so i cook the garbanzos & peas down & then kind of smash them all up. it makes it really hearty and with the garlic & chili flakes is AWESOME. made this twice now & honestly has been like $3 for a week's worth of dinners.



near the end of the week when i am completely bored with the pasta i just cook up my mini-party meatballs & VIOLA (BECAUSE DUH mini-party meatballs make everything better. when i am really depressed i just pull out my toothpicks & pretend i am at a party)

HEY Y'ALL

wooooah! i haven't posted in. a. minute.

BUT its because this has been a super busy few weeks.

FIRST! i went down to mississippi to visit MEGHAN! it was ridiculous. more on that later. then i had to get a tattoo & then it was halloween. and i am just barely recovered financially & like physically...

but of course megnation and i did some TAILGATE COOKING (which is the best kind obviously)



we made two things! i was in charge of a cheesy asparagus pouffff pastry tart thang. ^^^ blind baking of said pastry


cooked down onions



smothered in cheese, duh.



the beginnings of meg's dish (which i don't remember the name of) but was awesome poached eggs in a tomato-y brothy thing - so good.



the base! i see tomatoes, onions, AND MUSHROOMS.



POACHED EGGS SECURED.



invite us to your tailgate, y'all. we bring (fucking awesome) things



all we took! don't judge on the butt-plug champs. the walmart didn't have much of a selection.



this was the final spread. the hostess was a completely amazing cook. she made sausage balls (which are the essence of tailgates), sweet potato biscuits with sausage gravy, and badass bloody marys. i was so full of great food and disgusting champs that it hurt.

(what we also didn't discuss is that i bought us one of those like roasted chickens of which i ate a majority of before this potluck. i am disgusting)