No pictures, but I have forced myself to actually cook two Mondays in a row (last week was penne alla vodka). At some point a couple years ago, in the midst of one of my (ongoing?) bouts of depression, I lost all interest in cooking. I could manage baking, mostly, but cooking? Not so much. So we’ve been going out to eat or living on prepared foods Michael could easily make.

But I want to start cooking again, so this is a small start.

Dinner was squash and spinach over spinach linguini, and dessert was cannoli cream with fresh strawberries.

Squash and Spinach Pasta

1/4 cup onion, minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon regular olive oil or canola oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced fine
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon peppercorn, ground
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon parsley, freeze-dried
1/2 medium zucchini squash, chopped
1/2 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups spinach leaf
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the past water.

Do all your mis en place, and press the garlic into the tablespoon extra virgin olive oil.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add table spoon oil, then saute onions. Add garlic and spices and saute briefly. Add in squash and ignore for several minutes while squash sears/cooks.

Start pasta (assuming ~12 minute cooking time).

When squash looks about halfway cooked, add tomato.

As tomato cooks, add more spices as desired. Carefully pour white wine (it may have been closer to half a cup) into pan, and carefully stir. Right before pasta is finished, add fresh spinach.

Serve over pasta with Parmesan cheese.

~450 calories including pasta and cheese.

Cannoli Cream with Fresh Fruit
15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
(1 tablespoon lemon or orange zest)

Put everything into the food processor.

Process until smooth.

Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve over fresh fruit.

1/4 cup cream is 140 calories.