Spaghetti Squash – Oven Baked

Tips:

1. Spaghetti squash strands circle around the middle (not end-to-end).  if you cut the squash around the middle, you will get longer strands.
2. The skin on a spaghetti squash is very hard to cut.  Using a standard knife can be dangerous.  Use a serrated or bread knife instead.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lb. Spaghetti Squash
  • Try to get a squash that is light in color and hard
• 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon of Vegetable Oil
• 12 cloves of garlic (thinly sliced) or 6 teaspoons of prepared minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375  degrees.
2. Cut the ends off so the squash stands without rocking.
3. Cut the Squash in Half with a sharp knife.
   1. Saw through about 3/8″ of the skin then turn the squash and repeat until you get all the way around.  When you get all the way around, cut the restof the way through.
4. Place the squash halves in a glass casserole dish.
5. Mix the oils together and smear all the newly exposed surfaces with oil mixture.
6. Distribute the garlic evenly over all the newly exposed surfaces.
7. Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over all the newly exposed surfaces.
8. Bake for 60 minutes until the meat starts to separate from the rind.
9. Remove from the oven and chill in a cold place (refrigerator / freezer) for 2o minutes so it is cool enough to handle or just grab a silicone oven mit and go for it.
10. Scrape out the spaghetti with a fork.  You should be able to scrape out everthing but the outermost skin.  

If you want to save and toast the seeds:

1. Soak the seeds and strands in cold water for a few minutes.
2. Massage small portions of the strands in your hands, squeezing each portion to pop the seeds out (Insert Animal House quote, here).
3. The seeds will float to the top.
4. Place the seeds in a bowl.
5. Cover the seeds in about 1/8″ of kosher salt.
6. Add water to cover the seeds.
7. Soak the seeds overnight before toasting in the oven.
8. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
9. Drain the water from the seeds.
10. Place the seeds on a greased baking sheet.
11. Bake for 5 minutes.  During this time, the seeds will dry.
12. Stir the seeds and bake for another 5 minutes.  During this time, the seeds will heat up.
13. Stir the seeds a second time and bake for another 5 minutes.  During this time, you may hear popping like popcorn as the steam inside the seeds is released.
14. Remove from oven, cool and eat.