Spaghetti Squash Turkey Taco Boats

Lately the craving for a vegetable-heavy meal has been hitting Joe and I both pretty hard. Fresh Market had spaghetti squash on sale so we picked one up, and I decided to make these yummy turkey taco boats! Obviously you can add any number of things to this recipe; tomatoes, jalapenos, peppers, etc. This is just the starting point for a very delicious and clean-feeling dish! One taco boat (half a squash) was enough for a meal for us both!

Recipe after the jump

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Honey Goat Cheese

Everyone has been saying around here that it's "finally starting to feel like fall". Which has to be a joke, because it has seriously been in the high 80's all week and barely dropping to the low 70's at night. Still, part of me can't blame the wishful thinking, I am desperately ready for fall weather, clothes, and food. I've even been sneaking in little pumpkin treats once in a while to get myself mentally ready.

Something I used to not like at all was butternut squash, but I think it's just the way I had prepared it before. It's one of those foods that kind of needs other foods and flavors with it. I don't like just a mash of butternut squash alone. I decided to experiment with making a butternut squash soup by pan-roasting the chunks of squash and other veggies in bacon drippings before pureeing in the blender with stock. It came out so good! And butternut squash is just so good for you and a perfect vegetable to transition from summer to fall cooking with.

This is a very sweet, thick soup; sometimes I'm in the mood for it, but if you want to spice things up, you can add a little red pepper flakes for a slight kick!

Recipe after the jump

Baked Buffalo Chicken and Shells with Cheddar and Gouda

I think we all get into a rut a lot when it comes to cooking. We find two or three dishes that are super easy and fast and cook them often (I can't even tell you how many times this week I've made myself homemade General Tso's Chicken with rice). Sure, we can add variety by mixing up vegetables and such, but the core recipes are still the same.

I have been planning a lot this month to start actively trying to create and eat different foods. I want to find joy in flavors again rather than just eating because I know I need to eat something. That's a huge problem with having depression and anxiety; sometimes if I have nothing to remind me, I will forget to eat all day until all of a sudden my hunger hits all at once. It sucks.

This is the first of many recipes I hope to share here. It's super simple, and I was honestly just trying to throw something different together to satisfy my PMS craving for hot wings. It worked pretty well, and I got the added bonus of cheese as well. My husband even approved enthusiastically, and he's usually confused by my pms craving induced meals!

I hope you all enjoy!

Recipe after the jump.

Slow Cooker Ham & White Bean Soup

Some days I can plan a full meal, baking chicken, sautéing vegetables, and maybe even baking some fresh bread.

Other days (more often than not) I'm lazy as all get-out. On these days I have a choice: either make something quick and, most likely, not very healthy, or throw some stuff into the crock pot and let it go for a few hours. I prefer the latter option as often as possible. I decided to share one of my favorite slow cooker recipes with you!