Spaghetti Squash

One of my family's favorite winter squashes is the spaghetti squash. 

Enjoyed green or ripened, the flavor is fantastic, it's filling, low in calories and loaded with vitamins! 

Best of all, local chemical-free or homegrown spaghetti squash can be inexpensive as well. In season, I am able to find these for .50 each. In the super-market they go for $1.89 per pound! How about you? Where can you find them in your area?

---

Young and immature

For storage, stick with the mature spaghetti squash. These squash are a deep lemony yellow or buttery tan color. Their rind is tough and thick. 

Immature squash tend to be a tepid green and yellowish hue. While the flavor is still great, these squash won't keep. So when you get them home, use them up in a week or two. If you find a great deal on immature squash, you can preserve these in the freezer by par-cooking (partially cooking) the squash, pulling it off the rind, then freezing it. I'll be doing both this year: storage and freezing. 

There are a gazillion Spaghetti Squash recipes out on the internet, but in our house we like it roasted then smothered in raw butter, realsalt and freshly ground black pepper. It's simple and can be done while you're getting the rest of your dinner ready. Don't forget to clean the seeds and roast them like pumpkin seeds - they're tasty!

---

Recipe: Roasted Spaghetti Squash

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
   
2. Cut squash in half the long way and scrape out the seeds. 
   
3. Lay cut side up in a shallow baking pan. Brush with melted butter or olive oil and sprinkle with realsalt.
   
4. Roast for 45 minutes.  

---

Take it out of the oven and let it sit for a few minutes, then use two forks to pull the strands apart and into a bowl. We like our squash tender, others like it al dente, buy a few and experiment!