Spaghetti Squash Three Ways
It's that time of year - the time for some of those great Fall foods. Spaghetti Squash is one of those things that I love to prepare all year long, but just feels right this time of year. Lots of folks use spaghetti squash in place of pasta but it is also a wonderful side dish on it's own. I love the slightly sweet taste of it - even without any topping that might be used on a pasta dish.I have often been asked how to prepare it. My favorite way is to roast it in the oven. I do it one way, but will also share another way. Also, if I am in a pinch and don't have 40 minutes to roast in the oven, the microwave method saves the day.Last night I roasted spaghetti squash the following way. Since it is real life here I'll admit that I left it in the oven on a timer while I ran to pick up the Third Son from football practice. Wouldn't you know the coach kept them later than usual? Even though it stayed in the oven a little longer than desired it was still soooo good!Option 1.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. With a sharp, big knife chop off the top of the spaghetti squash so there is a relatively flat side of the squash. Place the flat side on a cutting board and carefully slice the squash in half lengthwise. This is absolutely the hardest part of cooking this vegetable! It is thick and tough to go slowly, almost sawing a little to keep you from losing control!
Using a spoon, scrape out the inside and seeds. n for microwave directions)
Brush the inside of each half with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper. Use a little salt if you like.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with olive oil. Place cut-sides down on a baking sheet. Lightly brush tops with olive oil.
Bake for about 40 minutes until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork.
Let cool for about 15 minutes, or until squash is cool enough to handle. With a fork, scrape out the spaghetti-like strands and prepare as desired.
This is my favorite way to cook spaghetti squash. Roasting it lets the edges turn nice and brown a slightly caramelize. Yum.
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with water.
Follow the directions above until placing squash into the pan. Add a little water to the pan, maybe about an inch. And cook according to the rest of the directions. The water will allow the squash to steam a little and be a little more moist. If you prefer this method and taste, you can also tent aluminum foil over the squash.Option 3.
Spaghetti Squash in the Microwave
Prepare the squash as described in Option 1. Place squash cut-sides-down in a microwave-safe baking dish. Fill the dish with about 1 inch of water.Microwave on high for about 12 - 15 minutes, depending not he size of your squash, or until you can easily pierce the squash with a fork. My microwave is fairly weak so sometimes it takes longer if I have a big squash. Just keep an eye on it and check it with a fork periodically.Let cool for about 15 minutes and scrape out the strands and prepare as desired.******************************************************************************************These are all good. If you haven't tried spaghetti squash, don't let the looks of it scare you off. Like I said, the hardest part is cutting it down the middle!What is your favorite way to cook? When my boys were younger I actually fooled them a time or two into thinking it was spaghetti! They are much wiser now . . . and not quite the fan I am. I keep trying . . .Enjoy Your Day!