Eat some Spaghetti!

No, not the pasta. I mean the squash!

Gourds are in season now, so it is time to eat up something hearty and healthy that you might not be able to get year round.

Spaghetti squash is great in a variety of recipes and meals. Some of you have heard of it, and I know some of you have even grown it. I am on a mission to give you all enough reasons to make sure that by the end of this beautiful fall season, you all have EATEN and ENJOYED some spaghetti squash. It is easy to prepare. Once cooked it can be added to other recipes or served as is.

Get Cooking!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Please be careful, it is easy for that knife to slip when going through such dense goodness at such a long distance.

Now that you have the gourd in half with the insides facing up, place it on a baking sheet or in a casserole dish. Yes, I do realize it may fall over since the gourd is not flat on the outside. It will be fine if your squash flops around a bit.

If you are going to put the cooked spaghetti into a soup go for the casserole dish with a small amount of water. If you are going to serve the squash as a pasta or a side item and you want it to come out with less liquid to run all over your plate, use a baking sheet.

Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds from each half. (They are great roasted, or you can toss ‘em. Up to you.) Now you should have two halves, each with a small well where the seeds were.

Lightly baste the fleshy squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake until fork tender and spaghetti like strands appear when raked with a fork. If you are baking it covered in the casserole dish, the water will create steam and decrease your cooking time. I am generally pleased with the outcome close to 45 minutes. If you are doing this on the baking sheet, it may take a little longer.

Once the squash is done, carefully remove your goods from the oven and allow to cool a bit. Take a sturdy fork and rake the strands loose. The majority of that gourd is up for grabs, so dig deep.

Stay tuned for some recipes!

Eat Up!