Spaghetti squash with garlic and herbs (and cheese of course)

If you have stayed away from spaghetti squash because you have no idea what to do with it, try this fast and easy recipe. You can also use this recipe as a starting point. Sauteed veggies would be a great addition.

Ingredients:

1 spaghetti squash (about 3-4 pounds)1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil2 cloves garlic, finely minced1/4 cup finely minced herbs (I used parsley and tarragon, but basil would be yummy too)1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
toasted pine nuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Cut squash in half, lengthwise. Use a fork to remove seeds. Place flesh side down in baking dish with ½ inch of water. Pierce squash a few times with sharp paring knife (to let steam escape). bake for about 60 minutes (closer to 90 minutes if it is a larger one like mine was), or until a paring knife pierces easily through skin with little resistance. Let squash cool for 10 minutes.

2. Use a fork to scrape the squash to get long strands. If the squash seem difficult to scrape, return the squash to bake for an additional 10 minutes.

3. Heat a large saute pan with the butter and oil and the garlic over medium-low heat. When garlic becomes fragrant, add herbs, 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 (i.e. not mushy) - but if you like it softer, cover the pan and cook 2 more minutes.

makes 4 servings