Wondrous Spaghetti Squash

I'm freezing today! (Its really only 60 but it seems so cold...gray and rainy....)Kind of hard to believe only 3 days ago it was 90 degrees! I'm afraid summer is over and all those glorious vegetables will soon be gone.....now its time for wonderful squash ...butternut, acorn, pumpkin and one of my all time favorites..spaghetti squash. Have you ever tried spaghetti squash? Its amazing....its great for all you non-carb believers out there....Spaghetti squash is so easy to prepare...you can top it with marinara sauce, pesto, mix it with greens....the possibilities are endless! 
Its really easy to prepare.....

1. cut open and discard the seeds the best you can
2. place in a baking dish, flesh side down
3. add about 1/4 inch of water
4. bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 50-60 minutes until soft

5. carefully turn over and start "shredding" with a fork....its amazing...it looks just like angel hair pasta!
6. place in bowl, toss with whatever strikes your fancy!

spaghetti squash with vegan meatballs and sauce....can you say....yummy!

7. ENJOY!    

Roasted Tomato Soup with Basil

Beautiful sunset on Lake Erie, Erie, Pennsylvania

Labor Day....the end of summer. I know, we still could have some lovely warm days ahead, but let's face it....summer is over :(......I spent a lovely couple of days with my cousins from Erie, Pennsylvania. My cousin Tony had a fish fry...(okay, don't go ballistic on me) in what use to be my Aunt and Uncles cottage in Ripley, New York...lots of great memories there! I brought fresh homemade salsa and fresh guacamole...there where also lots of fresh lovely salads...so plenty for a vegan to eat.

Fresh Garden Tomatoes

I met a lot of wonderful people there...(welcome to my blog for all you first timers!) and it was great catching up with my cousins, second cousins...and my lovely Aunt Jane......91 years old!
After having a lovely breakfast overlooking Lake Erie with my cousin Patty and her boyfriend Gary this morning (they actually made me vegan pancakes....THANK YOU!) we made our way
 back to Ohio....on the drive home I thought about the lovely tomatoes a friend of ours gave us before we left....(my garden was not good this year sadly...better luck next year!) What to make...for some reason I had a real taste for tomato soup and a open faced grilled "cheeze" sandwich....Not exactly picnic Labor day fixins! So if you where lucky enough to have a great garden and have lots of tomatoes...Make this soup! Freeze some so in the middle of winter you can savour those lovely days of summer!

Basil

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP WITH BASIL
2 1/2 pounds of fresh tomatoes
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 large onion, sliced

1-2 tablespoons safflower oil (or canola oil)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 quart vegetable stock (its easy to make your own, just put a bunch of veges in a pot add water to cover, bring to boil, simmer for about an hour) 
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Wash, core and cut tomatoes in half. Spread tomatoes, garlic and onions onto a baking sheet. 

Roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic

Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-30 minutes.
Remove roasted from oven and transfer to a large soup pot. Add 3/4 of the vegetable stock, bay leaves and vegan butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add chopped bay leaves. Carefully place in blender place top on (take out the center part of your top cover off) cover with a towel and blend until smooth or however you like it! Season with salt and pepper......

ENJOY!