Stuffed Acorn Squash.

Fall is the best. Best weather, best clothes and best food! Since fall is my favorite season I will be posting a ton of fall inspired dishes. I picked up an acorn squash at the store the other day and told myself I wasn't going to do the same boring thing with it.. so I stuffed it with a few of my favorite fall spices!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 cup of barley
• 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms chopped
• 1/2 white onion chopped
• 1/4 cup of raisins
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock (low sodium is fine)
• about 6 sage leaves
• 1 clove of garlic chopped
• cinnamon 
• 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (optional)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

Preheat oven to 350. Slice the squash down the center and lay face down on lightly greased pan and bake for 25 minutes

-Meanwhile follow instructions and prepare the barley.
-In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic, when hot add the onion and saute until brown, add in the mushrooms- brown for about 5 minutes.
-Mix in the barley, stock, sage leaves, season with salt, pepper and a dash of cinnamon. Cover and let simmer until the liquid has dissolved (5-10 minutes)
- Fill the squash with the mixture, sprinkle with chopped walnuts and cinnamon. Return to the oven for 10 minutes.

Enjoy the taste of fall.

First Post- Simple Ribs.

I think it's only appropriate that my first entry is the meal I made the day I thought of the name of my blog. On Sundays I've been trying to get in the routine of making a big 'Sunday Dinner', have friends over then watch a few favorite shows together, like Dexter! Last night was a success!

I love ribs, they are effortless to make and always a hit. Living in the city I'm sans grill, which can put a damper on nights I'm in the mood for barbeque. Luckily my dad is meat genious and shared this recipe with me.

Simple Ribs

Ingredients:

• Baby back ribs
• Sauce of choice (I use "Sonny's" - My favorite BBQ joint in Florida)

Heat oven to 300. Line an oven pan with foil. place ribs in pan and brush generously with BBQ sauce. Cover the ribs with tightly with foil and bake for 2.5 hours. After an hour brush with sauce. When time is up set oven to High Broil, uncover ribs and broil for about 10 minutes until brown.

I served this delish dish with corn on the cob, brown jasmine rice, and jalapeno cornbread.

Hi There!

I've been wanting to start a cooking blog or a while now, but had one major set back...a name! For months I drove myself nuts trying to think of the perfect blog name. Then yesterday, while watching hours of football and thinking about what I wanted to make for 'Sunday Dinner', it came to me- Wannabe Phoodie. It might not be perfect, but it's pretty accurate.
I'm Jess, I grew up and in Florida and moved to Philadelphia a year and a half ago. Everytime I tell people that the next question is WHY PHILLY?! Well I needed a change, got an awesome new job..so I packed up a u-haul, my cat and was Philly bound with no idea what to expect. Philly surpassed all my expectations. I love it here! The city, 'philly fans', the people, the culture, the four seasons, and most of all the food. I have always had a love for food. With an Italian mother and Greek father, food was always a given.. The purpose of this blog is to share my love for cooking and food. Enjoy.