Stuffing squash with lasagna

0

Despite her passion for food coming early on in life, Amanda McGuire Rzicznek doesn’t like the term
"foodie." She says, "It sounds snobby."
No matter how she references it, food and cooking is an important part of her life. As a young child she
enjoyed reading and said her favorite book was a children’s cook book. Neither her enjoyment of the
written word nor food have left her.
Her career finds her working at Bowling Green State University as a lecturer in the general studies
writing program, a post she has held for the last nine years of her 10 total at the university. She
mostly instructs the freshman composition classes.
Beyond just cooking, McGuire Rzicznek also takes an avid interest in local and sustainable foods. She has
been the food editor for an online magazine, Connotation Press, as well as a food columnist for the BG
News campus newspaper. She also has created a food blog.
She and her husband, Dan, are involved in supporting locally grown foods through their participation as
subscribers to a CSA (community supported agriculture.)
Which brings us to the recipe she is sharing with readers in today’s Cook’s Corner column. Squash is a
regular staple in their food box, yet her husband of 10 years is not a squash fan.
So she found a way to incorporate the squash into their gluten-free diet. The diet was necessitated for
medical reasons but welcomed by the couple.
She created the Lazy Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash by modifying her mother-in-law’s "Lazy Day
Lasagna Penne Pasta" recipe.
"I thought what if I did that with spaghetti squash," she said. "I melded her recipe with
how to prepare the squash and made it my own."
McGuire Rzicznek added, "I modified and adapted it from recipes I saw online."
For her, she loves the way it retains the texture and crunch of the spaghetti squash while retaining the
dominant flavor of the lasagna for Dan.
"It’s really good," she said. "It’s naturally gluten free and also very versatile."

McGuire Rzicznek said she also often "doctor’s up" the sauce by adding other vegetables from
their CSA box. She has added mushrooms, onions, green peppers and even spinach to the sauce.
She said it can be prepared ahead as noted in the recipe. Though she prepares it with meat for the
couple, she said she has also made a vegetarian version for friends.
The squash replaces the lasagna noodles keeping it gluten-free. She said the preparation time is
reasonable and it is not complicated to make. It is an ideal size recipe for two people using one
squash, with two squash used to serve four.
Aside from her BGSU classes, she also teaches yoga. McGuire Rzicznek offers instruction both at
Movementality Yoga and Wellness Center in Bowling Green and also at the BG Community Center.
"I am able to teach two things I love – writing and yoga," she said.
The yoga is founded in her lifestyle of keeping things basic and grounded.
"It’s important to have a firm understanding of alignment – how to be in the pose. I just base
everything on the foundations," McGuire Rzicznek said.
Healthy and naturally gluten-free, this recipe is very versatile. Vegans and vegetarians can omit the
meat, and use a wider variety of vegetables: kale, eggplant, mushrooms, sweet peppers, etc. Dairy-free
folks can omit the cheese and sprinkle a mixture of breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, and olive oil on top
of the squash before baking. Easily made ahead, this recipe has an elegant presentation ideal for
entertaining.
Serves 2 (but can easily be doubled or tripled)
Lazy Lasagna Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 lb ground venison, beef, turkey, or Italian sausage
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons Italian blend of dried herbs
pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 small bunch of kale, chopped
1 jar of prepared spaghetti sauce (homemade or store-bought)
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 400. Cut the squash lengthwise in half. Scoop out the seeds. Rub each half with a ½
tablespoon of olive oil. Place cut-side down in a large baking dish. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the
dish. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in large skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft,
3 minutes. Add garlic, sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add meat. Cook until browned. Drain meat.
Return to skillet and add fennel seeds, cumin, dried herbs, and crushed red pepper, cook until fragrant,
about 1 minute. Set aside.
After squash is fully cooked, flip squash so it’s cut-side up. Let cool. Using a fork, shred the
“spaghetti” strands from the squash, placing them in a large mixing bowl.
On top of the “spaghetti,” add the meat mixture, mozzarella, kale, and sauce. Mix well. Spoon filling
into the squash shells. (At this point stuffed shells can be covered and refrigerated up to one day.
Just add 10 minutes to cooking time.) Top with parmesan and bake uncovered at 400 for 30 minutes.

No posts to display