The more cheese, the better!

Summer Squash Three Cheese Enchiladas Casserole
from Not your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook


Ingredients:
1 tbl olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb green zucchini or other summer squash, ends trimmed, and cut into 3/4 in thick rounds
1 lb yellow scalloped squash or other summer squash, cut into 3/4 in rounds
1 tsp dried oregano or 2 tbl minced fresh oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup fresh corn kernels, or frozen corn-thawed
2 cups finely shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 bottle green chile enchilada sauce
1 dozen soft corn tortillas, each cut into 4 strips
8 oz queso fresco or rinsed and well drained mild feta cheese, crumbled


Saute onions in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini/squash and saute a few minutes until brown. Add the spices, garlic and corn. Remove from heat. 

Combine the Jack and Cheddar cheese.  Pour 1/2 c of the enchilada sauce mix into the slow cooker and spread it around.

Layer the 4 items, 1/3 tortilla strips, 1/4 enchilada sauce, 1/3 sauteed veggies, 1/4 cheese. Sprinkle 1/4 queso fresco on top of the layer. Repeat layers two more times, ending with the queso fresco. 

Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hrs or on LOW for 4 hrs. The casserole will begin to brown around the edges, but do not allow it to burn.

Just another quinoa recipe

Quinoa Patties

from Eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com

2 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup uncooked)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, Splenda, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick. Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side. Makes approx. 10 burgers

Eggy-Nest Syndrome

Eggs in A Nest

from Barbara Kingsolver's Book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

serves 2

1 cups uncooked brown rice

Olive oil – a few tbsp

1/2 medium onion, chopped, and

2 cloves garlic

2 thin carrots, chopped

4 cup dried tomatoes, chopped

1 really large bunch of chard, coarsely chopped

smoked paprika

red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

4 eggs

1. Cook rice with 2 cups water in a covered pot while other ingredients are being prepared.

2. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil in a wide skillet until lightly golden.

3. Add and sauté for a few more minutes, adding just enough water to rehydrate the tomatoes.

4. Add chopped chard, mix with other vegetables and cover pan for a few minutes. Spice it up with red pepper flakes, a dash of smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

5. Uncover, stir well, then use the back of a spoon to make depressions in the cooked leaves, circling the pan like numbers on a clock.

6. Break an egg into each depression, being careful to keep yolks whole. Cover pan again and allow eggs to poach for 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the eggs. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Slow Cooked Moroccan Lamb Stew

Slow Cooked Moroccan Lamb Stew

from epicurious

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds trimmed boned lamb shoulder, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
• 1 cup dried apricots (about 5 ounces)
• 2 large plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons (packed) grated lemon peel

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb to skillet and cook until browned on all sides, turning occasionally and adding 2 more tablespoons oil to skillet between batches, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to slow cooker.

2 Add onion and tomato paste to drippings in skillet. Reduce heat to medium; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add a little broth and scrap up brown bits, add to slow cooker.

3. Add garbanzo beans, apricots, tomatoes, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and lemon peel to slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.)

Transfer lamb and sauce to bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over rice.

Black Fried Rice with Ginger Tofu

Fried Black Rice and Ginger Tofu and Spinach

from Whole Living

• 3/4 cup black rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 bunch spinach, large stems removed and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into six 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
• Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Bring rice and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside

2. Steam spinach, covered, in 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes; set aside. Saute garlic, ginger, and scallion whites in remaining oil until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tofu and Sriracha and cook until tofu is golden, about 6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside

3. Add rice to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until crisp, about 2 minutes. Serve with spinach and tofu. Garnish with scallion greens and serve with lime.

Bean There, Done Patty

This is one of our go-to recipes when we want something hearty yet vegetarian. Great with pineapple rice seen from a previous post. They are kind of fussy, so we usually make a double batch so we can have leftovers for the next day (they keep well).

Cuban Black Bean Patties

from Cooking Light March 2007

2 cups rinsed, drained canned black beans (1 15 oz can)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1 large egg white

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1. Place 1 1/2 cups beans, garlic, cumin, salt in bowl. Partially mash with fork. Place 1/2 cup of remaining beans and egg white in food processor; process 30 seconds or until well combined.

2.Add bean puree to beans in the bowl, then add cheese and onion. Stir until combined.

3. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal patties. You may need wet hands to do this.

4. Put cornmeal in a bowl and dredge both sides of the patties in the cornmeal.

5. I usually chill my patties for 20 minutes or so because it helps them stick together while you are cooking them.

6. Once they have been chilling. heat heavy pan over medium high heat. Add some olive oil to pain and cooking patties about 3 minutes on each side.

7. Serve with plantains and pineapple rice for a delicious Cuban meal!

Fal-La-FULL

My husband and I love falafel. The best we've had is sold at a cart in Astoria where they serve up some amazing Middle Eastern food. The owner of the cart has a license plate on his truck that says "falafel1". That pretty much sums it up.

Cooks Illustrated does a great make at home version. This was actually my first time deep frying something and it wasn't as scary as I had made it out to be. This recipe is now a staple in our house (with some gluten free pitas of course).

Falafel

8 oz. dried chick peas, rinsed, picked over, and soaked overnight in water to cover by an inch
6 scallions, chopped coarse
½ c packed fresh parsley leaves
½ c packed fresh cilantro leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Vegetable oil for frying

Drain chick peas, discarding the soaking liquid. Process all the ingredients except for the oil in a food processor until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed.

Form the mixture into small disks and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. (Falafel can be refrigerated at this point for up to 2 hours.)

Heat the oil in a 5-quart dutch oven over medium high heat to 375 degrees. Fry the falafel, a few pieces at a time, stirring occasionally, until deep brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet using a slotted spoon and keep warm in the oven. Return oil to 375 degrees and repeat with the remaining falafel.

Serve on pita bread with hummus, lettuce and tomatoes. Pickled beets are a bonus.

Freeze! This is a ribbery!

Our new spices have inspired us to try out new recipes and even get creative and come up with some of our own. We made one of the most delicious chili's I have ever had with a bottle of beer (GF) and a ton of smoked paprika. Dustin mixed up a spice rub (chili, cumin, red pepper, paprika, lots of other good stuff) and cooked up some fall-apart-tender baby back ribs. I took on the challenge of braising up short ribs for the first time for Valentine's Day and came up with my own recipe by pulling together ideas from various foodie websites. And damn, they were rich and delicious. See the recipe below.

Frenchie's Tall Order Short Ribs
serves 2 people

1 lb short ribs (bone-in)

2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 onion, minced
2 carrots, minced
1 celery stalk, minced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 bay leaves
2 tbsp tomato paste
few shakes Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chicken broth (preferably home made)
1/2 bottle good red wine

1. Dry off meat well with paper towel, salt and pepper. Brown meat very well on all sides in medium-large dutch oven on medium-high heat. I used a little canola oil here but you don't need much. This step is imperative as you need to render off much of the fat so your ribs are gristly and fatty at the end. Really brown the heck out of them. Remove meat to the side. Pour off much of the fat, leaving about 2 tbsp.

2. Turn down heat to medium. Add aromatic veggies (carrots, onion, celery, garlic). Saute in leftover oil, make sure garlic does not brown. Add spices (garlic, paprika, bay leaf).

3. Return meat to pan when veggies have softened. Add tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, wine and broth. **You may need to modify your liquid amount here depending on how many ribs you have and how big your pot is. The liquid should reach up to about 1/2 up the side of the meat. Put cover on dutch oven.

4. Put dutch oven in COLD oven turned to 200 degrees for 2 hours.

5. After 2 hours, increase the heat to 300 and cook for another 2 hours. Check periodically to see if the braising liquid is too low, if needed, at some extra stock or wine. (I didn't have to do this).

6. Meat should be pull apart-fork tender when done cooking. This is a low and slow recipe so don't even attempt to speed this one up! You will just end up with some gross, rubbery meat.

7. Remove from oven. Check and season sauce with salt and pepper accordingly. You can choose to reduce the sauce a little bit if it is too loose for your liking. (Make sure to spoon some sauce over the meat.) Serve over soft polenta, mashed potatoes or this white bean and garlic puree (which I did and was delicious!).

Kiss Fall Goodbye

This fall, my husband and I took a trip up to upstate nyc during the fall for some hiking and relaxation. We stopped off at a local farm stand and bought some delicious local produce, including a small sugar pumpkin. We used it as decor but my intent was to make something tasty with it at some point. But there it sat. And sat. And sat some more. Until I decided that my cut off was December and I had to use it before then.

I followed this recipe from Dorie Greenspan. I have to say, it completely blew my expectations and tasted amazing. Now I wish I had a few more pumpkins hiding somewhere so I could make it weekly! You could have this as a side dish (serves 4) or a main course (serves 2). We had ours with the rest of our Thanksgiving dinner, which paired perfectly. It also would be good with a nice simple green salad on the side.

Savory Stuffed Pumpkin

1 pumpkin, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds

4 ounces stale bread, sliced thin, then cut into 1/2-inch chunks (**I used GF bread)

4 ounces cheese, (She recommends Gruyere, Swiss, Blue, or Cheddar; I used a combo of monteray jack and gouda which was excellent) cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2-4 cloves garlic (to taste), peeled, germ removed and coarsely chopped

About 1/3 cup heavy cream

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. I used a Dutch oven to bake the pumpkin in. Just add a little vegetable oil to the bottom of it so it doesn't stick too much. Try to use a nice looking one because then you can bring it all right to the table. You could also use a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.

2. Using your pumpkin carving skills, cut a cap off the top of the pumpkin. (You know, just like how you carve a jack-o-lantern.) Clear away any seeds and strings from the cap and hold it aside while you scoop out the seeds and filaments inside the pumpkin. I saved the seeds and roasted them. Season the inside of the pumpkin with salt and pepper and put it on the sheet or in the Dutch oven.

3. In a separate bowl, toss the bread, cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg together then add it to the pumpkin. The filling should come to near the top of the pumpkin (you can add more or less filling as needed.) Add the cream right to the pumpkin; it should come about 1/4 or 1/3 of the way up--no more than that. You don't want the ingredients to swim in cream, but you do want to get a feeling that they're moistened.

4. Put the cap back in place and bake the pumpkin for about 2 hours. Take the cap off the pumpkin the last 30 minutes so it gets nice and brown on top. The flesh should be tender and you should hear the insides bubbling away.

5. I brought the crock pot right to the table, used a sharp knife to cut the pumpkin into wedges. I think next time I will add a little precooked bacon and some sage. The garlic gets nice and mellow and wonderful.

Salmon Rush-deez patties into your mouth (title by Dustin)

These take about 15 minutes and can easily be adapted to whatever is in the fridge or pantry. It would be excellent served hot on a bed of fresh spinach, drizzled with a dill-lemon vinaigrette (which I will be doing next time for sure!) or more simply with a slice of lemon wedge and roasted asparagus.

Greek Inspired Salmon Patties
by me

2 cans (7.5 oz) red salmon (I used Trader Joe's brand which was really good)
1 scallion, white and green parts chopped
1 egg
2-3 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
1/ 4 cup breadcrumbs (gluten free in my case)
1-2 tsp Old Bay
salt and pepper
butter and olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In large bowl, use fork to flake salmon and remove any large bones and skin. Add in scallion, egg, bread crumbs, feta and seasoning. Mix until combine and will hold together easily.
3. Heat a non stick oven-safe skillet with oil and butter (use both to bring up the smoking point) on medium heat. Make 4 or 5 patties with your hands and put into the hot skillet.
4. Cook until nicely browned on one side for about 3-4 minutes. Gently flip over to other side. (Be careful--they break apart easily!!). Put into oven for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Me!

I recently decided to go gluten free for various reasons....which sadly means no bread, cookies, pastries, pasta and much much more. Looking on the positive side, it has opened a new world of recipes and ways to think about food. Here is one of the first main dishes I cooked to satisfy our GF palate. It was so good I would even make it if I didn't have such restrictions!

Polenta Mock-sagna
Taken from Sunset Magazine

Ingredients

5 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 med yellow onion, halved lengthwise then cut into wedges
1 medium bell pepper (red, green, orange or yellow), cut lengthwise into thin slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 pound Italian sausage (removed from casings), sweet or spicy
2 pounds of prepared polenta, 1/2-inch slices if using prepared polenta in a tube (can use one recipe of creamy polenta, leave out the cream cheese)
1/2 pound (8 ounces) fresh mozzarella, 1/4-inch slices

Method

1 Preheat oven broiler on high. Heat 3 Tbsp of oil in a 2-3 qt saucepan on medium heat. Add tomatoes and oregano, simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.

2 While the tomatoes are cooking, in a large frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage, stirring and breaking it into small pieces as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Cover the pan and cook until vegetables are tender and the sausage is cooked through, about 5-8 more minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes.

3 While the sauce is cooking, coat the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan with a 1 Tbsp oil. Add the cooked polenta (or slices) to the pan. Coat the top of the polenta with the remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil. Broil the polenta about 4 inches from the heating element until golden brown and crispy, about 10-15 minutes.

4 Pour sauce over broiled polenta, then arrange Mozzarella slices over the top and return the casserole to the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Indi-yum

Sweet Potato and Cashew Korma over Coconut Rice Cooking Light March 2005
Regular coconut milk gives the rice a rich, slightly sweet flavor; you could also use light coconut milk for more subtle coconut flavor. Butternut squash can be used in place of sweet potatoes. Garam masala is a spice blend that can be found in most well-stocked supermarkets. The extra liquid in the korma is quickly absorbed by the rice. Prepare and refrigerate the korma up to two days ahead, the rice up to one day ahead. Before serving, reheat both, separately, in the microwave.

Ingredients

Rice:
2 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
1 cup coconut milk
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups uncooked basmati rice

Korma:
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped peeled sweet potato
1 cup water
2/3 cup chopped plum tomato
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon chile paste with garlic
1 (14-ounce) package reduced-fat water-packed firm tofu, drained and cut into (1/2-inch) cubes
3 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
2 tablespoons finely chopped dry-roasted cashews

Preparation

To prepare rice, bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice, and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

To prepare korma, while rice cooks, heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add the onion; cook 7 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add ginger, coriander, garam masala, and garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add sweet potato, 1 cup water, tomato, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until sweet potato is tender. Stir in cilantro, chile paste, and tofu. Serve korma over rice, and top with yogurt and cashews.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 cup rice, 1 cup korma, 1 1/2 teaspoons yogurt, and 1 teaspoon cashews)

O-love Tapenade

Grilled Chicken and Tapenade Sandwiches
From Cooking Light June 2007

This is a great recipe to use left over chicken. You can also just broil up a breast or two if you don't have access to a grill.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups diced seeded tomato
2 tablespoons finely chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
5 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
4 (2-ounce) ciabatta sandwich rolls, halved

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl. Add 2 teaspoons oil; toss gently to combine. Let stand 15 minutes.

Prepare grill.

Brush chicken evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from grill. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing thinly.

Add cheese and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to tomato mixture; stir gently to combine. Arrange sliced chicken evenly on bottom halves of rolls. Top each serving with one-fourth of tomato mixture, and cover with top halves of rolls. Serve immediately.

Yield

4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Make-your-own-takeout

Pad Thai

I promise that after you make this, you will never want to buy take out again! You can find tamarind paste at your ethic Asian market. It comes in many forms but the one I use looks like a brown brick.

(From the New York Times Magazine, Jan. 06)

8 oz. rice noodles
1 tbsp. tamarind paste
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
4 cups of broccoli florets
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
16 large peeled, deveined shrimp
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
1/3 cup chopped salted peanuts
3 tbsp cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
sesame seeds
red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Either follow directions to prepare rice noodles on back of package-but cook al dente, or place noodles in bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together tamarind paste, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and 1/4 cup water; set aside. Lightly steam broccoli and carrot; set aside.

2. Drain noodles. Set wok over high heat for 1 minute, then add the oil and heat until almost smoking. Add the garlic and ginger, saute for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and saute until almost cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to plate.

3. Add the noodles and stir fry for 1 minute. Pour in three-quarters of tamarind sauce and toss to coat the noodles. Add more sauce if needed. Cook until noodles are al dente, then push them to one side of wok and scramble the eggs in the remaining space. Add shrimp, broccoli, carrot, scallions, bean sprouts and half of the peanuts. Toss to mix. Garnish plates with remaining peanuts, cilantro, lime wedges, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes.

Serves about 4.

Best Pesto Recipe

My favorite Pesto recipe from Joy of Cooking. We make a huge batch every summer from the fresh basil in our garden--freeze it into ice cube trays and then have delicious pesto throughout the year.

Process to a rough paste in food processor (or blender):

2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted in dry pan over stove top or in toaster oven
2 medium garlic cloves
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (please do not use shakey kind)

With machine running, slowly pour through feed tube:

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

If the sauce seems dry, add more olive oil. It should be a thick paste. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add to warm pasta.

Use immediately, store in covered glass jar in fridge for 1 week or freeze into ice cube trays.

Fall Favorite

One of my favorite dishes that has been pulled together through various trials. Meat and vegetarian options are equally delicious. This dishes serves large crowds easily.

Autumn Harvest Squash
(serves 4, 1/2 squash per person)

2 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded
oil olive
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 package wild rice
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2-4 links chirizo or good quality sausage OR 1 can chick peas
1 package goat cheese
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, diced and divided in half.

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Line cookie pan with foil.
1. Cook about 2 cups wild rice on stove or in rice cooker.
2. Either bake or microwave squash until cooked through.
.3 Meanwhile, heat up oil oil in large pan. Saute onions and peppers until tender. Add half of fresh rosemary. If using sausage, pull them out of casings and add to pan, browning them and using spoon to break into small pieces.
4. When sausage is browned and rice is cooked, combine rice and veggies in large pan. OR for vegetarian option, add chickpeas to stuffing. Add dried cranberries.
5. Fill inside of squash with stuffing (be liberal) and place squash on cookie tin. Dollop with crumbled goat cheese. Put in oven about 5-10 minutes until goat cheese is golden and warmed.
5. Garnish with the rest of the rosemary. If desired, place extra stuffing around plate/dish that squash is served on.