Two For One: Spaghetti Squash and Salmon Patties

I've been making mild attempts to cook for myself more recently, since I've gotten into the bad habit of picking up food on my way home from one of the myriad of kosher grocery stores or restaurants that are within a 2-block radius of my apartment. (As my mom points out, I am lucky that this is an option!) Especially on those weeks when I have a dinner meeting one night, and an event the next night, and dinner plans the next - it almost doesn't make sense (at least, to me!) to buy ingredients and cook for the one night I am home. So I'm just being economical by buying a $15 dinner, instead of spending $15 on ingredients that will just end up going to waste, right? (Humor me.)

So, somehow spaghetti squash made its way into my head last week. I have no idea why - I've literally never cooked with it before. But that was what I wanted to make, and by god, I was going to make it good! (Tomato sauce and cream and caramelized veggies and cheese will do that to any ingredient!) I also decided that I needed a protein to go with it, and decided that salmon patties would win; I have really amazing memories of going to my grandmother's house as a kid for random dinners during the week where she'd serve us salmon croquettes. She'd mash a potato into the mixture and fry up a ton of onions with them. That smell is one that I still remember to this day! Since I can and will never make them as good as my little grandma, I decided to make my own version of her classic - this is not your grandmother's kosher kitchen after all!

Once I finished cooking everything and writing it all down, I realized that by swapping/omitting just a few ingredients, this could be a great Passover dinner! So, guess what I'll be making in a couple months again...if not sooner!

Spaghetti Squash with Creamy Tomato Sauce and Vegetables
serves 2 large portions
 
1 Spaghetti Squash
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 large onion, chopped
oil
1/2 jar marinara sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 bag shredded mozzarella
handful of frozen peas (omit if on Passover)

1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out just the seeds.
2. Place both squash halves cut side down in a microwave safe dish and fill with 1 inch of water.
3. Microwave for 12 minutes (rotating the dish halfway). Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, sautee sliced mushrooms and onions in oil on medium-high heat, until browned.
5. Add marinara sauce and allow to start to bubble. Stir in cream.
6. Using a fork, scrape the spaghetti squash halves so that all the "spaghetti strands" come out. Save the squash skins to use as a bowl (optional).
7. Add the spaghetti squash strands to the marinara mixture and stir to combine. Add half of the mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, and the peas; incorporate.
8. Put half of the squash mixture back into each of the squash "bowls" (optional, or just put into a small casserole dish). Top with remaining cheese.
9. Bake at 425 until cheese is browned, about 10 minutes.

Salmon Patties with cucumber dill sauce
serves 2-3
 
Leftover or store-bought poached salmon (or 1 large can of canned salmon with no bones/skin), flaked - I used 2 store-bought fillets of poached salmon, about 8 oz.)
1/8 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1/8 cup chopped dill
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 large onion, chopped
3/4 cup panko crumbs (or more if the mixture feels too loose and doesn't hold together) - (on Passover, use matzo meal instead)

1. In a large pan, sautee mushrooms and onions in oil. (I sauteed the veggies with the spaghetti squash veggies from above, and then just used half in each recipe.)
2. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. (If the mixture is very moist, add more panko.)
3. Form patties; I got 5-6 from this mixture.
4. Heat 1/4 oil in a large sautee pan; pan-fry the patties for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
5. Serve warm with cucumber dill sauce.

Cucumber Dill Sauce
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped dill
1 persian cucumber, peeled and seeded, chopped very finely
1/2 tbsp. dijon mustard (omit if on Passover)
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
salt and pepper
1/4 cup cream (or milk or water)

Combine all ingredients, adding cream (or milk or water) until desired consistency. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Crisp-Filled Apples

Happy new year! I figure, new year, new recipe, new blog post - let's see how long I can keep this up!

After a month of Chanukah parties, family holiday gatherings, work events, volunteer events, travel, huge Shabbos meals, New Year's parties, and more, I was D-O-N-E. I spent my final day before heading back to work after the long New Year's weekend wandering the aisles of the grocery store, before heading home and cooking for a few hours, and finally eating the fruits of my labor - literally! - while watching Real Housewives and Downton Abbey. What did YOU do that sounds any better??

I don't always have one, but yesterday, my sweet tooth was out in full force. I wanted to bake something warm and comforting to battle the snow and arctic blast that are heading our way this week. But, being that it's right after New Year's, and there are all these resolution shmesolutions, I wanted something that seemed a little healthier. So fruit, specifically, baked apples, sounded perfect to me! But then I kinda mucked it all up (and by "mucked it all up," I mean that I made it infinitely more tasty!) by adding brown sugar and oats and margarine and cinnamon and all the best parts of an apple crisp, stuffed inside a hollowed-out apple, baked with a gooey caramel sauce on the bottom, served it warm and steamy, and topped it all off with a nice scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt (because, moderation) on top. And: scene.

Fresh out of the oven, all hot and crackly and bubbly

The perfect crisp-filled apple

Check out that baby sliced open - filled with all that crisp topping. It's the perfect bite, every time!

Crisp-Filled Apples
serves 4

Crumb topping:
4 tbsp. margarine, room temperature
3/4 cup oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon

4 apples
1 tbsp. margarine
Sprinkle of cinnamon
1/2 cup water

Caramel syrup:
3 tbsp. margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1. Make the crumb topping: combine all topping ingredients by hand until fully incorporated and crumbly. Set aside.
2. Prepare apples: slice a small slice off the bottom of each apple to level the apples so they stand upright.
3. Using a paring knife, carve a circle around the stem of each apple, about 1 inch down. Using a spoon, scoop the inner stem part of the apple out to create a "bowl" to hold the filling. Do not scoop all the way to the bottom, but go pretty far down to be able to pack more crumb topping in there!
4. Pack 1/4 of the crumb topping into each of the apples, packing down.
5. Prepare caramel syrup: in a microwave-safe bowl, melt the margarine, brown sugar, and cinnamon for 30 seconds, or until the margarine is melted, then stir to fully combine.
6. Grease an 8"x8" dish and pour the syrup on the bottom. Arrange the apples on top.
7. Thinly slice the remaining 1 tbsp. of margarine and put a slice on top of each apple. Dust the entire dish with cinnamon.
8. Pour the 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the apples are soft and begin to crack.
9. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream and the caramel sauce drizzled on top.