Baked Spaghetti Squash

I love trying all new kinds of squash.  In the winter when much of the produce seems a life time away, it's wonderful to have fresh, flavorful produce.   Bryant was surprised that the spaghetti squash actually tasted and had a similar texture to spaghetti.  I love the slight crunch that comes from the squash. It made for a delicious, fresh side dish!

This was also a really simple dish to make - just a short list of ingredients.  From start to finish, there is not a lot of hands-on work although it does take some time for the spaghetti squash to bake in the oven (about an hour).  Next time, I might try baking the squash the night before I want to serve it to make dinner incredibly fast. 

Baked Spaghetti Squash
Taken from: Steamy Kitchen
Serves 4

• 1 spaghetti squash (3-4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2-4 cloves garlic, minced (depending on if you are a garlic lover)
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or substitute fresh chopped parsley)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan (I forgot to add this and it was still delicious!)

-Preheat oven to 375F. Bake spaghetti squash for 60 minutes, or until a paring knife pierces easily through skin with little resistance. Let squash cool for 10 minutes.
-Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Use a fork to remove and discard the seeds. Continue using fork to scrape the squash to get long, lovely strands. If the squash seem difficult to scrape, return the squash to bake for an additional 10 minutes.
-Heat a large saute pan with the butter and the garlic over medium-low heat. When garlic becomes fragrant, add parsley, salt and spaghetti squash strands. Toss well, sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and taste to see if you need additional salt. The spaghetti squash should have a slight crunch but if you like it softer, cover the pan and cook 2 more minutes.