Spaghetti Squash

The end result. The best dinner I've had in a very long time.

I mad my spaghetti squash "pasta" and it's probably the best thing I've ever made (and possibly ever will make, because I don't like to cook). It took some work and close to an hour or a little more to cook, but that's mainly because I didn't know what I was doing.

After a phone call to mom (and then she called a friend), I learned the easiest way to cook spaghetti squash is in the microwave (unlike most websites that will tell you it has to be baked in the oven then boiled, etc). So, I cut it in half long-ways, then put it cut-side down on a plate (I didn't have a big enough dish/plate for both halves so I cooked them separately). For each half, I cooked it in 3-minute intervals. After about 9 minutes it was tender. Took them out and let them cool (they were really, really hot).

While those were cooking, I cooked the pancetta, cut up my veggies, etc. I have not mastered cooking pancetta yet. I seem to overcook it every time so that it's really crunchy (how I like my bacon). It was still good though. Once I let the squash cool for a bit, I started shredding it (it was still pretty hot though, so I held it with a dish towel). First you have to get the seeds out, which is kind of a pain, and you're never really sure you got it all. And I was worried b/c I was pulling out the "spaghetti" with the seeds. No worries though, there was more than enough.

The squash "noodles." Looks just like pasta.

When I was finished shredding the sqaush I put it in a bowl and then added my sauce and veggies and mixed it all up. The end result was delicious. And I'm pretty damn proud of myself for it. Almost the entire dish if vegetables. I figured I could splurge a little and get some good alfredo sauce (bought the sauce from "the Hill" and it was totally worth it--best store-bought alfredo sauce I've ever had).

Pancetta, fresh tomatoes, peas, and asparagus in alfredo sauce.

The "gutted" squash halves. There was still some "spaghetti" in there, but I just couldn't get it all, and i had more than enough.