Spaghetti Squash 101

I discovered spaghetti squash last fall, and have been buying one weekly ever since. As a lover of real pasta, I thought to myself, this sounds too good to be true. No way. I was, for lack of an easier way to put it, totally wrong! Though not what I would call a pasta substitute, spaghetti squash is hearty enough to serve in a traditional pasta sauce or simply mixed with pesto. I found the tastiest way to prepare is to cut squash in half, spray with olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper, and roast at 400 for 45 minutes. Then take a fork and have at it. Joshua usually hovers around me to ensure I scrape out all of the inner goodness. 

This recipe was a 30 minute "empty the fridge" meal, and Josh has already asking when I will make it again.  The cast of ingredients: 1lb chicken sausage, onion, red pepper flakes, spaghetti squash, and a DIVINE three cheese marinara sauce I picked up at Trader Joe's.  (the sauce is now on my Trader's Staples list, it was THAT good.) I'm sure you could substitute ground turkey or lean ground beef and it would be just as good.

SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH MARINARA SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 onion
• 1 Tbsp good olive oil 
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 jar TJ's three cheese marinara 
• Salt/Pepper to taste (I always use Morton kosher salt and freshly ground pepper)
• Grated parmesan cheese optional 

1. Roast spaghetti squash at 400 degrees for 45 minutes (instructions above), then scrape out the inner goodness with a fork. 
2. Saute onion in olive oil. Add ground chicken and cook until brown. Add marinara sauce and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Serve sauce over shredded squash (or mix all together in sauce pan). I like to grate fresh parmesan cheese on top.

ENJOY!!