Easy Peasy: Spaghetti Squash

I saw the first hints of Fall at the Farmers' Market this past weekend and my heart skipped a beat. I love this time of year. I love the cooler weather, the crunchy leaves, the smells, and the food. This is the time of year I feel lucky to live in North Carolina. I was so excited to see apples and winter squash especially. Winter squashes are wonderful to cook, but the size and hard exterior tend to turn some away. Knowing the basic principles of how to cook these puppies is key, so I plan on showing simple ways to cook winter squashes throughout the rest of the year. I'm starting with my favorite-spaghetti squash. I consider spaghetti squash to be a culinary wonder-a squash that tastes like a vegetable with a hint of sweetness with the texture of an angel hair pasta noodle. My husband had never had them before and he loved it! I roasted them and seasoned afterwards to use as a side, but turn it into the star attraction by treating it like it is a pasta! Top with your favorite sauce!

Simple Roasted Spaghetti Squash (serves 4)
2 medium sized spaghetti squash
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped

A little size reference for you

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Using a large knife, cut the squash in half lengthwise.
 Tip: if you are having difficulty, get the knife at least in the squash and pick up the handle of the knife with the squash in it, and slam it down on your cutting board...barbaric, but effective.

Scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Brush or rub the inside with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Lay cut side down on a baking sheet and cook for 45-50 minutes. Allow to cool slightly.

Using a fork, start on one of the outside edges and scrape to the other side. Do this gently to keep strands in tact instead of it turning to mush.

I prop the hot squash half in a bowl to scrape.

Now comes the fun part-be creative. My favorite is to toss in a little butter, a drizzle of honey, and a touch of a specialty oil. Truffle oil is amazing, but walnut oil is delicious as well. If I use it as a base for pasta, I will just add a little olive oil and top with the sauce. Spaghetti squash also lends itself nicely to warm spices like curry.

It's that easy!