I'm not a vegetarian...

...but my roommate is. I love cooking for other people, but I've only cooked for Lora a few times, mostly because cooking a vegetarian menu scared me. The only things I've ever really made for her are pasta dishes or other things that are easy to leave meat out of. However, I've never planned and executed a true vegetarian dinner.

Until last night, that is.

The menu consisted of three items: baked spaghetti squash with an herb-infused butter, sweet potato and zucchini fritters, and a spinach and tomato orzo. All in all, I am pretty happy with how everything turned out; the squash was a big hit with Lora and Libby, while Josh and I freaked over the fritters. The orzo was a crowd-pleaser as well, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

The recipes are below, but I have to confess that they are not 100% accurate to how I prepared them last night... I will definitely make a few changes the next time I try any of these items.

Baked Spaghetti Squash

two large organic spaghetti squash

4 T. butter

1/4 white onion, diced (approx. 1/8 c.)

1 T. minced garlic

3 T. shredded Parmesan cheese

spices, to taste (oregano, parsley, thyme, etc.)

salt & pepper, to taste

Cut the spaghetti squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place face down on a baking dish and add enough water to the baking dish to cover the bottom of it. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a food processor until smooth and well-combined.

Once the squash is cooked, cut each half into two pieces and divide the compound butter evenly among the pieces. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese if desired.

Sweet Potato & Zucchini Fritters

two medium sweet potatoes

two zucchini squash

1/4 C. white onion, minced

1/4 green pepper, minced

1 t. garlic, minced

3 T. flour

1/4 C. breadcrumbs, divided

2 eggs, beaten

salt & pepper, to taste

Tabasco sauce, to taste

Shred the sweet potato and zucchini, both raw, and pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Combine sweet potato, zucchini, onion, green pepper, and garlic in a large bowl. Mix by hand and add flour, half of the breadcrumbs, and salt and pepper.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add Tabasco sauce (to taste). Add the egg mixture to the other ingredients and mix until combined.

Shape the fritters in the palm of your hand, approximately 1/4 C. each. Dust both sides with breadcrumbs.

In a nonstick skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add the fritters and cook until they begin to brown, approximately 4-5 minutes on each side.