Italian herb roasted squash

I was wanting to make a simple roasted squash and this fit the bill. 


Italian Herb Roasted Squash 
1 acorn squash, seeded and cut into 8 
Oil Italian herbs 
Salt and pepper 
 Parmigiana 


 Dressing 
3 TBS Extra Virgin olive oil 
1 TBS Red wine vinegar 
Salt and paper 
1 tsp Italian herbs 
Combine ingredients and set aside 




 Toss the cut squash with the oil, then add the herbs and season with salt and pepper.


 


Bake at 400 about 40 minutes until nicely browned and soft. To serve to with cheese and dressing for dipping.

Homemade Pita Chips

I made more pita the other night to go with some hummus and realized that I was not going to eat them all before then went bad. Turning them into chips was a great way to extend their life, especially after they are a day or so old. You can also flavor them in any number of ways; fresh or dried herbs, any spices from za'tar to garlic to italian to hot peppers, or top with cheese... The possibilities are endless


Pita Chips
pita
oil
salt and pepper


Pre-heat oven to 350. Cut the pita in half to create two circles then cut into wedges. 







Brush the pita with oil and season with salt and pepper and any other flavoring.





Bake for about 30 minutes until crispy. Enjoy!

Red Lentil Soup

Here is a great simple lentil soup. I was luck enough to have some paprika my in-laws brought back from Isreal, which added a nice touch, you can use Turkish paprika instead.


Red Lentil Soup 
olive oil
1 medium onion, diced 
1 - 2 celery stalks, diced 
1 carrot, diced 3 - 4 cloves garlic, diced 
1 - 2 tsp cumin 
1 - 2 tsp peprika 
2 bay leaves 
1 cup red lentils 
4 cups stock or water 
Salt and pepper to taste 


 Prepare the veggies. Then sauté in a large pot with a touch of oil and salt.


 


 After about 7 minutes, as the begin to soften add the garlic and cook another minute.


 


 Then add the spices, cook another minute and add the lentils and water.




 


 Cook over medium heat about 30 minutes until the lentils are soft. Then purée in a blender or use an 
immersion blender.





Season with salt and pepper. To serve top with a splash of hot sauce.