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I remember the first time I had ever heard of spaghetti squash. My friend and neighbor Sally gave me the rundown on this very versatile vegetable. I was shocked to learn that you could substitute flour pasta for this squash. I wasn’t so sure about all of that until sally made me a pile of the stuff covered in marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese. How many ways are there to say “yum?” So, when dear old Sally brought another spaghetti squash recipe to my attention I was all ears.

You won’t be eating this dish as a spaghetti meal but rather as stuffed squash. You won’t believe how flavorful this all turns out. Yosemite Sam would be so proud of this dish that he just might calm down for a minute to eat with us. Seriously, this recipe rocks and your whole family will roll with it.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Tasty Kitchen.

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Quick Tip: Make sure to liberally grease your baking dish with Pam cooking spray to avoid sticking.

As far as easy comfort food goes, particularly for the cooler months of the year, it’s hard to beat a good, savory soup. This Easy Taco Soup has a hearty flavor to it, and after a bit of prep,  the slow cooker does the rest of the work for you.

After making my second batch of spaghetti meat sauce for the season not too long ago, I was looking for something a little different. (Don’t get me wrong; I love the spaghetti sauce recipe that I adapted from what Mother used to make, but I do like to mix things up, and it would be a shame to get bored with something like that.)  This soup recipe keeps it really easy and low-hassle, and it has some of that Southwestern flavor in which I like to indulge, now and then.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Simple as That

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Quick tip: Instead of tortilla chips you could serve this with fresh, homemade bread.

This Santa Fe Chicken and Lentil Casserole is just as healthy and delicious as it is colorful and festive. It’s loaded with plenty of delicious chicken and vegetables and makes eight servings at about 380 calories per serving.

Hey, I like a good helping of that filling, good-old comfortable “guilt food” now and then, too, but sometimes, it is nice to push the boundaries somewhat and find something healthy and tasty outside the usual comfort zone. I haven’t used lentils often in my cooking (they just weren’t something Mother used much in her cooking, so I never really got good exposure to them at a young age), but I have to say, this is a really tasty casserole, and it manages to be relatively low-cal and low-sodium (each serving contains just 22.5% of the daily recommended amount) and have good helpings of dietary fiber, lean protein, and complex carbs. Kudos to Olena at iFOODreal for developing such a yummy and healthy original recipe.

Recipe and photo courtesy of iFOODreal

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Quick tip: Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days or freeze in an air tight container for up to 3 months.

If you are itching to make use of some ground beef but want to get away from the usual hamburger or beef taco meals, this Southwest Beef & Mac Casserole is a nice alternative. It gives you the cheese-loaded flavors of the Southwest in about an hour (about half an hour of prepping and cooking and half an hour of baking).

I like to grab a batch of ground beef when I see some on special (yes, it still happens, though you really have to look out for it), but there are only so many burgers and beef tacos that I can handle in a short time span. Don’t get me wrong, I love tacos and certainly enjoy a good burger, now and then, but too much of a good thing in too short a period of time can get really boring, you know? This casserole recipe is a straightforward way to make creative use of that ground beef and put a hearty, filling meal on the table. It also happens to smell nice while you are cooking it and to look really pretty coming out of the oven.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Amanda’s Cookin’

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Bring the savory flavor of the Wild West to your breakfast table with this hearty Southwestern Breakfast Casserole. It’s great for potlucks and large family meals and bakes in just an hour.

I can be a bit picky about my breakfast food. Though I settle for the absolute basics when I have to, I really prefer something rather hearty and a bit outside the norm that isn’t too difficult to foot the bill.  This Southwestern breakfast casserole fits the bill nicely.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Butter With a Side of Bread

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Lovers of more traditional Italian spaghetti and meat sauce may cringe a bit when they see this at first, but don’t worry: you can love your original spaghetti recipe and still find plenty to enjoy about this Wild West Spaghetti.  This dish can be ready in about half an hour, meaning you can find time for it on even your more hectic days.

I do love the version of traditional spaghetti meat sauce that Mother used to make, and I still do make it frequently.  It’s good for when you have a fair bit of free time to make something that will provide a meal or two a day for several days.  You do have to be patient with it, though.  This Wild West spaghetti works much better if you are in a particular rush or if you just want to mix things up a bit from the traditional.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste and Tell

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Quick tip: Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your liking.

If you like the texture and compactness of egg rolls but want something other than the usual Asian-style options, consider giving these Baked Mexican Chicken Egg Rolls a try.  They are loaded with that great savory Tex-Mex flavor and can be cooked and prepped in about 45 minutes–fancy enough for a nice party but easy enough for everyday snacking.

I love my Asian dishes and enjoy egg rolls, but sometimes, you just want something a little different.  I loved the idea of a baked egg roll made with the flavors of the Southwest, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed with the results.  It wasn’t like any egg roll I had had previously, and I definitely will make them again in the near future.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Jo Cooks

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Quick tip: Make a double batch – you won’t regret it!