I felt an urge to load up on veggies and fruit tonight. I can tell you that I DO NOT have this type of urge every night. So when I have it – I go with it. Joe made me a scrumptious banana berry smoothie which kicked off the evening. For dinner I made us a spaghetti squash stove top macaroni & cheese of sorts. I was in the mood for something hearty and filling, but also craving some fiber and extra vitamins. This bright yellow spaghetti squash has been sitting in our fridge eyeing me every night, asking me quietly, “When will you choose me? When will I be your star ingredient?” Well lil’ round buddy, tonight was your night. I went with the “kitchen sink” method and pulled together a great mid-week winter dinner. There are so many variations I can imagine for this dish. I kept it relatively simple and the simplicity made each flavor stand out perfectly. The squash is sweet which melded nicely with the tanginess of the asiago cheese I melted into the mix. Crushed red pepper and red onion gave the dish zest and a kick, while mushrooms and garlic made the dish “taste like wine” according to Joe. I do hope you’ll buy a spaghetti squash and see what magic can happen for yourself!
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash (medium)
- 8 ounces shredded asiago/parmesan/romano cheese blend (I used Trader Joe’s Freshly Shaved mix)
- 8 ounces part skim mozzarella (shredded or cubed)
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 1.5 Cups skim milk
- 1/2 medium-sized Spanish red onion
- 8 ounces finely chopped button mushrooms (or any mushroom variety you have on hand)
- Olive Oil
- Salt
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Crushed Garlic
Directions
I made this completely on the stove top and microwave. You could bake the spaghetti squash but that will take you at least an hour…I opted for the fast and easy microwaving option. I highly suggest this method for the same results in minimal time. You could also bake the entire dish for more of a casserole. Either way, this has perfect weeknight dinner written all over it!
To prepare and cook the spaghetti squash:
-Take a strong man and sharp knife and cringe as he attacks the squash to cut it perfectly in half. I kid you not, this is the hardest part. A raw spaghetti squash is TOUGH. Remove the guts with a spoon. Fill one half with water. Place this half in a microwave safe bowl. Cover with the other half (like putting the squash back together). Heat in the microwave for 12 minutes. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to cool. Remove from microwave with caution…VERY hot. Using a fork and spoon scrape/scoop the insides of the halves and watch as fake pasta emerges!
To prepare the sauce:
-Create a roux by first melting the butter in a medium saucepan. Once melted whisk in the flour and mix until a light brown paste is formed. Immediately and slowly whisk in the milk. Keep stirring to avoid any lumps or burning. Over the medium heat watch as the liquid thickens and turns into your basic béchamel sauce. Once thick, add all of the cheese and mix until smooth.
-In a pasta pot cook onions and mushrooms in olive oil until soft and fragrant. Add crushed garlic, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper to taste.
-Pour cheese sauce into onion and mushroom mixture. Stir until well combined. Stir in the spaghetti squash and serve immediately.
Foodie in the Frills 