Roasted Yellow Squash Boat

Preheat the oven to 400.

Cut a large yellow squash in half, chop off the ends, and scoop out the seeds.

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, ginger powder, oregano, and sea salt. 

Bake for 15 minutes.

Fill with quinoa and top top with pork tenderloin. 

(today's pork was rubbed with garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, and cumin) 

Due to the size of the squash, the skin may be too tough, but you can eat the inside!

Cumin-Rosemary-Ginger Pork

This is the first time I cooked pork in the oven instead of in the crock-pot or on the stove-top.  I had originally intended to stick the 1 1/2 pound tenderloin in the crock-pot to make some of my delicious apple-cider cinnamon pulled pork, but I never quite got around to getting out the crock-pot.  So, I decided to use the oven for once.

I coated the pork with ginger, cumin, and rosemary, and stuck it in the 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.  Then, I flipped it over and cooked it for another 30 minutes.

I had some for dinner along with zucchini spaghetti (sauteed in olive oil with garlic and ginger) and quinoa. 

It was delicious.  

New Year's Eve

This was the 3rd or 4th year in a row for my annual NYE dinner party.  I make all the food, and just ask that guests bring whatever they want to drink.  I've made guacamole and spinach dip every year, but those are probably the only menu items that have stayed consistent.  I feel like my kitchen expertise has grown by leaps and bounds in the last year, and I put a lot of thought into making this year's menu the most spectacular spread of food I have ever accomplished.  

Due to various conflicts, only a handful of people were able to make it this year, but those of us that were there had a great time and agreed that the food was amazing.  

Sweet Potato Cannelloni

filled with crab, onion, celery, cream cheese, alfredo

Cider-BBQ Pulled Pork

pork tenderloin rubbed with flour & cinnamon

slow-cooked in the crockpot for 9 hours

Slider Rolls

choice of plain or cider

Mini-Quiche

choice of bacon or mushroom

Quinoa Salad

with carrot, celery, broccoli, mushroom

olive oil/garlic/ginger 

Cole Slaw

choice of honey & mustard or mayo & ranch

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

spinach, artichoke, cream cheese, alfredo sauce

Guacamole

avocado, lime juice, salt, garlic powder, tomato

Pumpkin-Cheesecake Truffles

choice of dark chocolate or white chocolate

The biggest hit!

I'm told they "melt in your mouth"

I didn't eat any of the white chocolate ones, but I definitely devoured some of the dark.

I'm gonna have a tough time beating this menu next year!  

But I will find a way...of course.

As a side note: as far as I'm concerned, the year ends in June and starts in August.  Which means there are about 5 more months to get through before the year ends. 

But for those of you who go by the number you write at the end of the date...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Quinoa with Shrimp

1/2 c quinoa

1 c water

salt

olive oil

1/2 c chopped onion

1 medium carrot

2 small stalks of celery

ginger root

1 clove garlic

garlic powder

mustard powder

frozen shrimp

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, then bring it to a boil with the water and a dash of salt.  Once it boils, turn down the heat and simmer until the water is gone and you can see the germ ring in the grain.  Chop the vegetables.  When you turn down the heat on the quinoa, put the chopped veggies in a pan with some olive oil.  Grate some ginger root onto the vegetables.  Chop a clove of garlic and add it to the pan as well. Thaw shrimp under running water, then chop into thirds.  When the veggies are soft, add garlic and mustard powder.  Add shrimp.  Stir well, put some in a bowl, eat up. 

yum.

I went back for seconds and added 1/2 an avocado.

double yum.