Cooking Spaghetti Squash

I love fresh summer produce, and I do enjoy vegetarian dishes. I recently discovered a new way to cook spaghetti squash without having to put my oven on in the heat of the summer. You can simply boil it in a large pot of water for 15-20 minutes and it's done!! Much faster then roasting it in the oven.

Here's how to cook it:

Using a sharp knife, split the squash in half. (This is the hardest part because it can be difficult to cut. If you have a knife sharpener, this would be a great time to pull it out and use it before trying to split it.) Once split, remove the seeds. Place squash directly into a large pot of boiling water. The water will naturally drop temperature when the squash is placed in the pot. Wait until the water starts boiling again to begin your cook time. I used medium sized squash and it took about 15-20 minutes. Poke with a fork to test if it's done. If the fork is easily removed then it's cooked. Remove from water and scoop our the squash from the skin. Squash should easily fall apart into the spaghetti like consistency.

Serving ideas:

- Use as a side dish and top with butter and Parmesan cheese.
- Top with your favorite pasta sauce
- Make stuffed squash. Saute a variety of mixed vegetables in olive oil and garlic. Stir in spaghetti squash and add your favorite cheese and seasoning blend. Place mix back into skins of the squash. Drizzle balsamic and add a bit more cheese to the top and bake in the oven at 350. You can also place squash on foil on the grill, on medium heat, and cook until it is warm and cheese has melted.

Hope you enjoy this summer favorite!!!