TikTok Recipe for the win!

 Ok we all have learned so much this past year... FROM TIKTOK... Ha! I know you have learned some hacks that you now use on a daily basis! I know I did! HA!

This recipe is my new favorite! SOOOO GOOD!

Everyone is doing this recipe with pasta and I will do that next time. This is my low carb version (nothing against pasta, I LOVE pasta too) 

Spaghetti Squash Feta tomato recipe!

What you need:

Spaghetti squash

Feta cheese

Cherry tomatoes

Garlic

Italian seasonings (I used a blend I have)

Olive oil

1. Preheat oven at 400F

2. Cut the squash in half, drizzle with olive oil. Lay Cut half down and cook for about 40 mins. 

3. In a separate oven dish, add cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, italian seasoning, garlic and olive oil (i know I don't have measurements here, I did a one serving for myself so only had 8 cherry tomatoes a small chunk of feta, 2 small garlic cloves.drizzled olive oil, baked for about 20 mins watch it sizzle! So depending on your serving, add more or less! I don't think you can go wrong here!

4. Use a fork to pull the strands from the spaghetti squash

5. Mix the cooked feta, tomato into a yummy creamy sauce

6. ADD the spaghetti squash and enjoy!!! SOOOOOO GOOD!

ENJOY!!!!

Check out my REEL HERE!

Be sure to follow Mama T on Instagram for more cooking fun!  @aka_mama_t 

More links here linktr.ee/MamaT

Mama T’s baked Empanadas

My version of baked empanadas! 

I buy these pre-made empanada dough shells at my local Walmart. I keep them in the freezer and always have them on hand for these yummy beef empanadas! 

These can be made with left over chilli (yup) or left over ground beef from taco Tuesday! 

The recipe for the beef stuffing can really be anything you like. Mine is always different. Some ingredients I do love in the mixture though would be, cumin, paprika, adobe seasoning, cilantro diced potato and black beans. (Be sure to drain excess liquid) make the day before and refrigerate the mixture over night so you can scoop in the shells cold. 

Once we have the beef mixture and dough ready, we can stuff them! 

Ingredients for my beef empanadas 

Beef mixture

Empanadas dough 

Cheese (marble or mozzarella, monetary Jack is yum too, really any you like, experiment)

Boiled eggs (cut them up to bite size)

Olives (I usually use the small stuffed ones but I only had these sliced ones today) 

Eggwash 

Baking sheet and parchment paper 

Preheat oven 400F

Follow these steps! 

Scoop beef mixture

Add cheese

Add a piece of boiled egg 

Add some olives 

Brush edges with egg wash and use a fork to press down the edges. 

Brush the full empanadas with egg wash. 

Put them in the oven for 25min or until golden brown 

These are soo good! My family eats these all up! You can put anything in them really! I also made some stuffed with hot salami and cheese! 

I usually make extra  and freeze some for easy lunches, just pop them in the microwave or toaster oven. 

Enjoy! 

Chicken soup purée

Yesterday DH was home with the flu! So I made a big pot of soup for him.

I sautéed onions, garlic, celery and carrots then added organic low salt chicken broth and some water. I then added chicken thighs and backs. Brought up to a boil added cilantro and bay leaves then simmered on low for 2 hours. I also added butternut squash near the end.


While that was cooking and baby K was playing so well in his playpen so I  also made pear, plum and pea purée for him.



Once the soup was ready I took out some chicken, carrots and squash and puréed it for baby K. He tried it yesterday and loved it! I made enough to freeze for the week. Yum!

Tonight's menu, enchiladas!

Under the weather...

Look at this weather we've been having, thunderstorms, snow and hail. It's soo cold too! Today I stayed home from work. I'm feeling "under the weather". (this yucky weather!)

Look what I got yesterday! A new cookbook! There are so many delicious recipes in here that I can't wait to try. There are also some that I have done before. My husband's background is Central American (Honduras) so his mom always makes yummy dishes. Eva's book has a mix of Mexican and Texas style recipes from her upbringing. Can't wait to get cooking!

Have you bought any new cookbooks lately?

Skinny Italian!

I really loved watching RHONJ this year and just loved Teresa! She has 4 little girls, yes 4! and she looks great! She is totally Italian and loves to cook. In her book she talks about Skinny Italian cooking and how Real Italian food is by far from fattening! The people in Italy are not fat at all! They enjoy their food and eating is a social gathering with friends and family. I remember when I was young we lived with my grandparents and when it was dinner or a Sunday lasagna lunch, you were there sitting and eating with the whole family for a couple hours, no running off. (even though as kids we would try and run out to play as fast as we could haha!) Food was to be eaten slowly and enjoyed! We tend to forget this these days with being so busy!

Her book also inspired me to write down some yummy Italian recipes that my grandmother makes. My grandmothers food is by far the best, of course! Ha! One of my favorite meals my grandmother makes is riso e latte. Rice with milk. NOT to be confused with Milk Rice! the sweet one, I like that too but the one I'm talking about is the most soothing meal! Not sweet. Just perfect on a cold day! (I'll get the exact recipe for us soon)

It's funny that being Italian I don't usually cook Italian. We live in a city full of multiculturalism so we love sooo many different types of foods. This will never change, but I want to perfect some of my own favorite Italian dishes to pass down to my kids.


So with all the Italian talk, last night husband and I were talking about the Europe trip we want to take. I've been to Italy when I was younger, I went for 2 months! I absolutely loved it. So I can't wait to get to my roots again soon! Places I've been Roma, Napoli, Modena. I have friends and family in these areas. I just know my husband would love it there too.

Gelato, Pizza, Pasta, cheese... oh my!