S is for Spaghetti Squash [A-Z Challenge 2015]

 

Experiments From Auntie's Test Kitchen

Intro  A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Conclusion



                                                                                                                    

S is for Spaghetti Squash

As a native Southerner, I'm no stranger to squash.  However, our idea of squash is the yellow crooknecked squash in casseroles and...well casseroles.  I tried growing zucchini once, but it cross-pollinated with a cucumber and cantaloupe plant.  The result was some "thing."  Some friends volunteered to eat it.  Though they said it was good, I've not had much contact with zucchini since.

I happened to be talking to my friend, Annie, during her dinner prep one day and she was cooking spaghetti squash.  Spaghetti squash?  I'd never heard of it.  She said it was a squash that when baked, flakes off in the consistency of spaghetti.  She even sent me a picture of it (sauce and all).  It looked yummy.

Earlier this week, I was tooling around on the Nerd Fitness site and happened across a spaghetti squash recipe.

Heck, why not?

I purchased a spaghetti squash and got started.  As a side note:  I usually buy groceries at Wal-Mart.  This, plus being in the South, I was pleasantly surprised to find spaghetti squash in the produce department.  Understand, I come from a very poor background where we bought basic staples and didn't hunt for anything exotic.

As for the sauce, the site has a pretty easy recipe to make your own.  However, I had a can of sauce in the pantry, so I browned some ground turkey and added the sauce to it. 

Preparing the squash is pretty simple:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
• Cut the squash in half lengthwise.  Remove and discard the seeds and pulp (the gooey stuff) in the middle of the squash.
• Drizzle the inside of the squash with olive oil and lightly salt, if desired.  Allow the oil to soak into the vegetable for a couple of minutes.
• Flip the squash, open sides down onto the cookie sheet.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and use a fork to flake out the inside of the squash.  I know I don't need to tell you this, but it's going to be HOT.  Use caution and the proper utensils.
• Serve with sauce and/or side dishes (like my salad) and enjoy.

And enjoy it I did.  The most fun part was flaking it out the shell.  It really does come out looking like spaghetti.  I just keep saying, "This is so cool."  Anyway, after playing with it, I did get around to eating it.  It was fabulous.  It has a sweet flavor and has a slight crunch.  I will definitely be making this one again.