Spaghetti squash… I like you!

I had never tried cooking spaghetti squash until recently. I think I was always a little intimidated by its size when picking one up at the grocery store, so I’d go with my usual (and safe) yellow squash instead. Boy, do I regret passing it by so many times! Now that I know how easy it is to make, it’s definitely going to be on our menu more frequently. Plus, the girls liked it! Maura actually believed it was ‘pizgetti’!

PREPARATION

• I washed the squash well and and cut it in half. The outer layer is super tough, so this wasn’t easy. Next time I may try cooking it whole (pricking it with a knife a few times) to skip this step.
• I scooped out the seeds (similar to a pumpkin) and put each half flesh side down in a baking pan and baked it in a 375º oven for about 45 minutes.
• I took the squash out of the oven, turned each half over, and immediately started to scrape the pulp with a fork, into spaghetti-like strands. That’s it!

It has a very mild flavor, so spaghetti squash can be served with pretty much anything. I just added salt and pepper and a little butter, but I’m sure it would be great with a sauce as well, in lieu of traditional pasta. I think I’ll make it again for Christmas!

YOUR TURN: What new food have you tried cooking lately?