Okay so. It’s been a few months. The world has gone bonkers, and I admit I’ve struggled to see where this little family food blog (written by a white woman who lives in a nice house and works from home) falls into all the serious conversations going on. So, instead of hand wringing and writing something that would probably seem inauthentic, I decided to stay quiet. People who are extremely articulate and knowledgeable about issues such as racial justice, epidemiology, and politics have been writing many powerful words, and I hope you are all reading them. I sure am.

But I’m also missing sharing food ideas and recipes and general random thoughts on this blog. So I hope it’s alright if I start back up with the (semi-)regular posts. If anything I write seems tone deaf to anyone reading this, please let me know. I know I’ve said this before and maybe it sounds trite with all that’s happening these days, but I believe good food can be an important source of joy, health, and connection. As my favorite bumper sticker says, “Make dinner, not war.”

Whew, I’m glad I got that part of the post over with. And if you’re still reading, thank you. So, how is everyone holding up? I hope you’ve found ways to get through the pandemic and are staying healthy and hopeful. A quick catch up on my life: My son graduated from high school (what?) and is leaving in three days for college. He’s only going about an hour away, but I’m really having trouble imagining life around here without him. My sister got a puppy (hence the gratuitous puppy photo). And I actually got a job. I’ve been working as an editor on a weekly trade magazine for the outdoor industry, and it’s been a super positive experience that kept me busy (and even inspired) during the spring and most of the summer. Of course there’s been a lot of sadness, frustration, and anxiety around here, but we are all doing as well as can be expected. (And my son’s Covid-19 test yesterday was negative, so that was good news; he needed to get one before moving into the dorms.)

Even though things have opened up a bit here in Colorado, I’m still cooking a lot. One of the reasons for that is my newfound love of an appliance that until recently had been collecting dust in my cupboard — the air fryer. I received it as a birthday gift a couple years ago from my kids, who I suspect thought we’d have french fries every night. Well, the first time I used it, that’s exactly what I made. It took forever, and the fries were mediocre at best. So, I kinda decided the machine was a bust until a friend told me her family uses theirs for everything and loves it, which prompted me to pull ours out and start experimenting.

I soon learned that the air fryer’s biggest flaw is its name — because it’s not actually a magic french fry machine. Rather it’s a countertop convection oven that allows you to roast Brussels sprouts, baby new potatoes, and salmon fillets to perfection without turning on your oven (I know I said my house was nice and it is, but it is also not air conditioned.) It also makes literally the best sautéed shrimp I’ve ever had, again without breaking a sweat over a hot stove.

My air fryer is by a brand called Cosori, and it’s the kind with a basket instead of a tray. I like it because I can give foods a good shake midway through cooking to get the char/heat/seasonings more evenly distributed. It came with a pretty thorough book of recipes, but what I use most is the chart at the front of the book for cooking temperatures and times for various foods. That’s how I made the killer shrimp the first time — I just dumped it in the fryer basket with some olive oil, garlic, and salt & pepper; pushed the “Shrimp” button; and set the time to 8 minutes. The result was not in any way fried, but it was succulent and delicious and perfect on top of spaghetti squash.

If you don’t have an air fryer, would I recommend you get one? Generally I’m wary of kitchen appliances and resist getting new ones until the universe practically screams at me that I HAVE to have it (I’m talking to you, Instant Pot, which by the way I don’t have). That said, if you have the storage space for a thing about the size of an espresso machine, I’d say the air fryer is a worthwhile contraption, especially on summer nights when cooking just seems too hot.

We’ve been eating a lot of spaghetti squash this summer. Usually I will buy two and roast them, and then have the “noodles” ready to go for recipes such as this super simple one. My family eats some version of this at least once a week and loves it. You can easily modify this recipe to include whatever veggies you have on hand, but I especially love it with diced summer squash or zucchini, which, as usual, we have more of than we could ever hope to eat.

Spaghetti Squash with Shrimp and More Squash
Ingredients
Olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 spaghetti squash, roasted and shredded (here’s a post on how to do that), about 1 lb. of squash “noodles”
Olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium summer squash or zucchini, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Splash of white wine (optional)
1 lb. raw medium shrimp, peeled
Salt & pepper
Freshly grated parmesan cheese (It’s so worth it, both in terms of cost and flavor, to buy the blocks of real Parmesan-Reggiano and grate with a microplane.)
Fresh parsley or basil leaves for garnish

Heat 2 tbs. olive oil a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and squash (my garden zucchini is yellow, but of course any summer squash will work great here) and cook until soft and slightly caramelized, then add 2 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 min. more. Add shredded spaghetti squash and continue cooking until it’s the consistency you like (my family likes theirs fairly well done as opposed to slightly “crunchy”). In the meantime, in a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining minced garlic clove and salt & pepper. Preheat the air fryer and cook according to the machine’s directions. (Mine actually has a shrimp setting with a cute little shrimp icon, but if yours doesn’t have that, cook at 370 degrees for about 8 mins., shaking once halfway through.) If you don’t have an air fryer, you can sauté the shrimp in 1 tbs. olive oil over medium heat for 4-5 mins. Add the wine to the “pasta” and cook until reduced and season with salt & pepper to taste. Serve in individual bowls topped with shrimp, herbs, and grated parmesan cheese.

Please let me know what you love to make in your air fryer. I’m still just getting started with the thing and realize the possibilities are endless. Also, I apologize if you received an unfinished version this post. It’s been so long since I posted, I forgot how to use WordPress!