turning squash into spaghetti
At the tail end of our market bonanza, I went looking for eggs and came back with this, and vague memories of eating some delicious spaghetti squash years back. Michael was less than excited about my new find but I stashed it in the bottom of the stroller so he promptly forgot it ever existed until I unveiled last night's dinner, which, as Mack now says, "blew his head off." And yes Mack loved it too.
Spaghetti squash has flesh that when cooked and removed with a fork resembles spaghetti (actually more like sauerkraut) but which can be prepared to taste pretty close to a cheesy heap of pasta. Here's the easy secret: microwave it whole. Poke some knife slits in and microwave for 5-10 minutes until soft. When it cools, slice is open length wise (should be easy to cut) then scoop out the seeds. Trade the spoon for a fork and begin de-stranding.
What next? I took the easy route again: sauteed some garlic in olive oil in frying pan, then dumped in the squash. Cook for 5-10 minutes then add some Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. I added a spoonful of ricotta at the very end to make it a little more creamy.