12 September 2007

Spaghetti Squash Ole....


















When I wake up each morning I have to make a decision about what to wear to get myself ready for work. Will it be short sleeve weather or will it be sweater worthy? It is too early in the morning to make decisions certainly, but decisions must be made nevertheless. I guess the thing to do this time of year is to dress in layers so that you can peel off as the day gets warmer. One day I will be dreaming of sitting by a cozy fire and taking long walks through the rustling leaves and the next day I am clinging onto the last remnants of summer (with my heels dug in) by going to the beach with my book in hand. It is inevitable of course that cooler days are upon us.


For those of you who know me, fall is my favourite season with its cool crisp days. The perfect day for me would be to go for a walk along the Greenway and rustle through the leaves, stopping at the bridges to view the Kokanee during spawning season, having a wonderful lunch of seasonal foods (or better yet visiting a local winery for lunch) and sitting cosy by the fire and finishing that great novel.

I had a friend visiting from Arizona for the past few days, so, our days were spent doing just that. Therefore I had 5 perfect days in a row! The leaves have not dropped yet of course , so, their was no rustling to be had, but, we walked each day with amazing views of the valley. The fireplace is also missing since I gave up the house, but, the memories and the great novels are there. We visited Davison's Orchards where the first of the apples are ready to be picked. They were laden with the last of the pears, squash and tomatoes as well. My friend had a great recipe for spaghetti squash that she wanted to share so we picked up two for a future date.

I loved the squash dish she made so have featured it here. It lends itself to many variations. She uses salsa for ease of preparation and the piquancy of the spices but you could add your own peppers, tomatoes and spice combinations. The key is to not overcook the squash so that it still has a bone to it. To make it photoworthy we added tomato slices with cheese on top and broiled it in the oven for a few moments. She knows about my blogging fixation so we had to make it look "perty".

**Pam's Spaghetti Squash Ole**

2 tablespoons oil or butter
1 medium to large spaghetti squash
2 small onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup medium salsa
1 - 1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 - 2 cups plain yogurt
Tabasco (optional)

Pierce squash with a fork in several places. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Turn and bake 45 minutes longer, or until shell yields to pressure. When cool enough to handle, cut squash in half. Scoop out and discard seeds. Remove spaghetti-like strings inside squash with fork and reserve.

Heat oil or butter in skillet. Saute onion until tender, Add garlic. Saute for a few more minutes. Add squash strands, salsa, cheese and yogurt to distribute evenly. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve

Variation:

**Spaghetti Squash with Cheese**

1 spaghetti squash (4 lb)
2 tablespoons butter
1/8 cup onion, minced
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic, minced
2 cups Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese
2-1/4 oz canned sliced black olives
salt/pepper to taste

Cook squash as above.

Melt butter in skillet. Saute onion and green and red peppers until tender. Add squash strands, oregano, marjoram, basil, garlic, cheese and olives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss until cheese is evenly distributed. Place in 1-1/2 quart casserole and return to oven until cheese is melted, 10 - 15 minutes
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12 comments:

  1. I'm with you - fall is my favorite season. I am eagerly awaiting it's arrival! This sounds like the perfect fall recipe.

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  2. Thanks for stopping by my blog! I haven't eaten spaghetti squash in forever, but 'tis the season.

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  3. YOu know, I need to get some spagetti squash......

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  4. Yeah, fall's the best. Too short, that's all. I'd love that squash, but sweetie doesn't much care for squash so I have to serve it very judiciously, ie in-between things he does like. I plan to sneak a spaghetti squash into the house sometime this fall.

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  5. I'm obsessed abt the weather, so I always check the weather forecast on the internet before I plan my outfit ;-)

    Sounds like you had a wonderful time with your friend. Autumn is beautiful. And this dish that your friend cooked is perfect colours for that season.

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  6. I love spaghetti squash. I remember that when someone described it to me I thought she was making fun of me: I could not believe you could make its pulp into strands.

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  7. Both of these squash dishes sound good. I really like the idea of using salsa.

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  8. We food bloggers are something else, we've got to make everything look pretty :)

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  9. With all of the cooking that I do, I must confess I have never had a spaghetti squash! Is it sweet? Guess I will be getting one soon, as you have sparked an interest!

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  10. I wouldn't say that spaghetti squash is sweet like some of the other squashes or yams. It has a mild flavour. I love it simply baked or steamed with a pat of butter and a little salt and pepper.You have to try it DEb!!!

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  11. Valli, both of these squash recipes sound lovely...and as always, I'm inspired by your use of herbs. :-) It sounds like you had a fun visit with your fried...I'm so glad. Oh...and I tagged you for a "7 Random Things" meme...I hope its not one you've already done!

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  12. Thank you so much for the Mexican spaghetti squash idea. I changed it around a little bit but kept it mostly the same. Last night my daughter said "This actually tastes good"!! You have no idea what a great compliment that is from here regarding anything with spaghetti squash in it!

    -Dana

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Welcome to my home. Thank you for choosing to stay a while and for sharing our lives through food. I appreciate all your support, comments, suggestions, and daily encouragement.

Val

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