Leeks

I have gone for almost 30 years assuming that I don't like leeks. I believe it started 10 or 15 years ago when my mom made some gross leek soup and I just assumed it was the veg I didn't enjoy, not her recipe. One day, I ended up getting a bee in my bonnet that I needed to try them again. I found a simple recipe where you braise them in butter then chicken broth (or not chicken broth, as I always say), put a little salt, pepper, and lemon zest, and that's it. Turns out leeks are really good. I have already gotten them at the grocery store again so that I can make this same recipe this week!

I had them as a side dish to the fantastic Asian chicken meatballs.

Breakfast of champions

On weekdays, my regular old breakfast is oatmeal. It's warm and filling. And boring. On the weekend, I put slightly more effort and this has been my new go-to. Earl gray (cannot live without said tea), scrambled eggs with scallions, and 2 uncured, maple smoked, apple and cinnamon breakfast sausages. I have been incorporating more pig products back into my diet, and these are fantastic. I could eat them every day. They have just the right amount of smokiness and sweetness. I highly recommend them!

Spaghetti squash spaghetti

January is the time of new diets and health kicks. As part of mine, I decided to make the plunge from using noodles to squash when having spaghetti. I thought I would just try it and see if it was good enough to have every once in awhile. Turns out it is super great. I think it would be going to far to say I don't care if I never have another noodle again, but I honestly am not missing them in this application. And since it makes for a completely vegetarian dish (vegan if you don't put parm on top) I have started to have this at least twice a week.
To cook the squash, you just need to halve and clean them, put them face down in a casserole dish with a little water, and cook for 45 min or so at 450. In the time it takes to make the sauce (see here or here for examples), the squash will be done. Take them out of the oven and scrape with a fork, and voila! This is a smash hit in my house, even with the kiddo. He can't get enough.