spaghetti squash and green bean thing:
pierce spaghetti squash and wrap in plastic wrap and microwave 9 mins each side, let sit 5 mins in microwave.

toast 1 tbsp szechuan peppercorns in a pan. grind.

toast 2 tbsp sesame seeds.

mix together 2 tbsp chunky peanut butter, the szechuan peppercorns, a bit of black pepper, the sesame seeds, salt, about 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp ginger powder, and a splash of water.

blanch green beans.

mix the sauce, green beans, and spaghetti squash meat together and eat. good cold too!

oh yeah, also made lasagna last night:
sauce of canned tomatoes and tomato paste, frozen spinach and broccoli, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and water. layered with won ton skins and sharp white cheddar cheese slices (from trader joe's) in a pan and baked at 350 for maybe 30-45 minutes (the timer broke). uncovered and broiled briefly to brown the cheddar and parmesan on top.

delicious dark truffles at trader joe's today (#1 ingredient partially hydrogenated vegetable oil). became more and more swayed to the idea that milk chocolate is a pale mockery of what real chocolate should be.

cooked some old radishes and they didn't taste very good (kind of a mishmash)--mixed up butter and oil, fried garlic and radishes in it, stirred in some white miso and soy sauce, added salt and pepper.

cooked focaccia using the bread machine, but spread it too thin and it ended up cracker-like:

(approx)
1 cup water
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp yeast

put in machine on dough setting, then let rise 30-40 mins in a warm oven (turn oven to "warm" for 2 mins and then off). spread out in an oiled pan, preheat oven to 400, sprinkle a mixture of minced garlic and olive oil over the top, then sprinkle parsley and parmesan cheese over the top, and bake 30-40 mins.

i stuck a pierced medium-small butternut squash (at least a year old, from grandma) in the oven as well while that was baking, and let it go another 20 minutes or so after i took out the bread.

then made a yummy barley "risotto":
toasted about 1/2 cup total slivered almonds and pine nuts in a dry pan. added the radishes, then some ginger and garlic powder. added about 1 cup moist pearl barley and toasted. added hot vegetable bouillon, stirring and topping off with liquid whenever necessary. put the flesh of the squash into the pan as well and cooked for a while until all soft. added dried cranberries and cherries, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, rosemary. turned off heat, stirred in a pat or two of sweet butter and some parmesan cheese. delicious!