The February committee meeting for the Taste of Ocala went well! We were in and out within 90 minutes and I have a list of tasks to accomplish that I’m excited to dive into, including launching the Taste of Ocala Facebook page and researching how to collect voting data via text message.
We’re hoping to have the people who attend the Taste of Ocala vote on the best dish of the evening via text message. Cool, right? If any of you have insight into a great program I should use to collect data through text messages, I’m all ears!
Lunch
After the meeting, I high-tailed it home to eat lunch.
Yesterday while dinner was cooking, I simultaneously roasted a large spaghetti squash to have on hand for lunch today. (You may see how I roast spaghetti squash in this super-old throwback post if you’re not familiar with the squash.)
I’m glad I had the forethought to roast the spaghetti squash yesterday because there’s no way I would’ve had the patience to wait an hour this afternoon.
I topped a bowl of the squash with marinara sauce, chicken sausage and shredded mozzarella cheese.
It tasted vaguely like deconstructed pizza!
I was quite a fan.
Book Club
For those of you hoping to participate in February’s Book Club, the book of the month (as determined by your votes) is…
The Paris Wife!
We will discuss the book on March 1, when I’ll post my review of the book along with discussion questions for us to talk about in the comments section of the post. Just another reminder that if you post a review of The Paris Wife on your blog before March 1 and email me a link at pbfingers@gmail.com, I’ll be sure to include a link to your review in the post as well.
Happy reading!
And now I’m off to put the finishing touches on a freelance project. Tonight I’m attending my first blogger event in Ocala. Apparently there is a blogging scene in Ocala, it just took me a while to find it. Hoping to meet some fun people and eat lots of good food!
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This is my exact dinner from last night! I had turkey meatballs though instead of sausage. It was my first time eating spaghetti squash…I was pleasantly surprised!
I love spaghetti squash – need to use up the other half. I made a caprese version last week that was delicious!
no way! do you have a recipe posted on your blog or did you just add mozzarella, basil and tomatoes?
I added more than that (including some protein) but it was still pretty simple: http://clairetherd.com/2012/02/03/spaghetti-squash-caprese/
it sounds delicious!
Your dinner looks really tasty! Although, I am not a fan of spaghetti squash. Maybe it’s because I didn’t cook it right? I’m not sure. I would definitely be up for trying it again. Love chicken sausage!
Yumm I need to bring back the spaghetti squash! Have a fantastic time at your blogger event tonight – can’t wait to hear about it!
this is reminding me how much I need to make spaghetti squash! It’s going on my grocery list for the weekend!
I went to a wine tasting event and they did voting by text message– and they created an app for it as well! Maybe research that a bit? It was called Wine Riot.
thanks for the tip! i’ll look into it!
Mmmmm I love spaghetti squash and red sauce!
Can’t wait to get that book and get started on it 🙂
Any excuse to eat cheese for lunch is a win in my eyes!
Have you read The Lost Wife yet? That’s supposed to be out of this world good!
Winter is flying by and I have yet to have spaghetti squash. It just rose to the top of my to eat soon list!
IM DYING to try spag squash! they are not easy to find!
Yay! I started this book last night!
I wish I could find a blogger group in Brevard county, but I can’t find anyone who takes it seriously. 🙂
Looking forward to reading the book with you!
Yay! I can’t wait for this book. I have heard NOTHING but good things about it.
I can’t wait to read this book! It looks interesting 🙂
Google Voice allows people to send text messages for free. You can also create groups that sends mass (albeit personalized) texts to people’s numbers. Great resource.
Also, Whatsapp is another tool.
This looks amazing!! I will definitely have to try this- thanks for sharing!
I’ve never tried spaghetti squash but it looks so intriguing. Maybe I’ll pick one up this weekend!
I cook my spaghetti squash in the microwave and it’s done in about 10 minutes. I just cooked some earlier this week and have been eating it for lunch. Yum!
If you are interested, just cut it in half and scoop out the “guts”. I usually just do one half at a time, so put the half in a bowl with a little bit of water in the bottom, cover with a damp paper towel and microwave for about 10 minutes. You’re done!!
Having the attendees vote via text message sounds awesome! Unfortunately I can’t give you any tips on how to go about setting it up, but I can tell you that if I were attending, I’d love that idea!
Love spaghetti squash! I cooked one up the day before the super bowl for my fiance and I – he wanted to feel like he was eating a lot without being super unhealthy so we did that and cooked up italian chicken sausage, peppers, and onions in the crockpot and put it all together. It was so good!!
way to think ahead! i just put the spaghetti squash in the microwave if i’m feeling impatient and want it fast.
I second the microwave idea! It’s so easy and fast!
I made what I thought was spaghetti squash one time but it ended up not working out the way I thought it would, so I still question whether or not I had the right squash. Someone I worked with brought in a whole bunch of different ones from their garden so nothing was labeled. I want to try it again properly for sure.
I’ve never tried spaghetti squash, but after seeing how delicious your photos look, I’m going to look for one this week! Thanks for the idea!
An easier way to cook spaghetti squash – in the microwave. Poke holes in the squash and put in a microwave sage bowl. Cook for 6 minutes on high, turn and cook for another 6 minutes. Remove and let sit. Squash should be firm but squishy – have a little give. Cut in half, clean the insides and scrape the “pasta”.
PS: I would love to hear your review on this book. It is one of the few books I just could not finish!
I tried chicken sausage for the first time ever last night! I am NOT a sausage fan, but loved the chicken (Italian style) sausage! I first cut it up, then browned it in a little bit of oil, added a little bit of white, vodka sauce, and roasted tomatoes with garlic and mixed it all together to let it simmer while I had pasta noodles cooking. Once everything was ready, I mixed it all together and baked it for 20 minutes with cheese on top. It was quite the random creation! The joys of finding random things in your fridge/ cabinets. 🙂
I’m so happy the Paris Wife won! I literally can’t stop reading it every time I get off the subway. In fact, I’ve started to also read it on my phone while I walk places. Not normal! haha 🙂
You should try polleverywhere.com The down side is that you’d need to pay for an account for a large number of people to be able to vote But, I’ve used this website before and it has worked really well.
I simultaneously roasted one at lunch the other day for an upcoming dinner. Boy do I love me some spaghetti squash but I hate the wait.
Spaghetti squash and chicken sausage = Love. I actually have some Trader Joe’s chicken sausage in my refrigerator right now. Unfortunately, no spaghetti squash. Also, quite ironic you posting this since I had the craving last night! Ugh – now it’s worse!! Good going… 😉
Is there any use for the rest of the squash after you remove the “noodles”? I like spaghetti squash, but I never knew what, or if there is anything, to do to the remaining squash. I just hate throwing out food.
I think spaghetti squash is the only squash I haven’t tried! Looks great!
julie, i’m not really a tech person, but i know we occasionally “vote” on stuff via text at church on sunday mornings, and they tally everything pretty quickly. you could contact someone at new cov in fresno, ca. http://www.v2.newcov.com i’ll see if i can get a contact person for ya.
Yay! Bloggers in Ocala! I hope it is fun!!
That book is wonderful!!!!
loooove spaghetti squash! that lunch looks great!
I’m reading this at the moment! Also have another book tip for you – A grown up kind of pretty by Joshilyn Jackson. It’s SO good! Best book I’ve read this year, completely addictive and intriguing.
Poll everywhere is a free site where you can create an account and set up a text poll. I believe there is a small fee if you want a large group ( several hundred or more) to be able to vote.
mmm love spaghetti squash!! i think i burned my husband out on it though haha
I made spaghetti squash last week and loved it! Even got my husband to try it, which was a success in itself.. 🙂 I am excited to read the Paris Wife, that was my vote!
Hi 🙂
I’ve noticed that you attend church every Sunday.
How committed would you say you are to God? And what your religious beliefs are? 🙂
I was just wondering how you see this blog evolving. We’ve been stuck in a very bland pattern lately–you seem to only post about every meal you eat, and maybe a conversation you and Ryan had. I, for one, can’t wait to see some more innovative content. I know you’re in a kind of in-between phase right now with your life, but do you have ideas for using this blog to SAY something?
I know you like to keep it light, but we can’t continue elaborating on mundane details of your day ad infinitum until you’re retired or something! What else have you got to say?
julie! I simultaneously roasted a quarter of a cabbage this evening while cooking tonight’s dinner so that i’ll have that for lunch tomorrow?!?! funny 😀
+1 to polleverywhere.com!
If you still have some squash remaining, try it mixed with hummus…SO yum!
My dad is planting spaghetti squash in his garden this summer. I’m so excited because it tends to be pricey at the grocery stores here!
Confession…..I think I ignored the word Spaghetti in your spaghetti squash posting because when I came home with a butternut squash my boyfriend told me it would not end up looking like noodles and more like mashed potatoes. Well determined that I was right, I continued to cook my butternut squash following your directions. Needless to say, he was right 🙁 I had NO idea that there were different types of squash!! oooops 😉