Spaghetti squash - try it, you'll like it!!

So, you've heard of it....fear it....try it, you'll love it! One promise, it won't taste like spaghetti.  But it is stringy.  The flavor is mild and slightly squashy. I added some salt, pepper and a touch of butter.  You can eat it plain, with shredded parmesan, with tomato sauce.....whatever works for you.  Experiment....you'll (and your kids!) will love it!

All you need to do is poke it all over with a fork.  Then microwave it (whole) for about 12 minutes. You want it to be squeezable....then it's done.  I had told one of my co workers how to make it and she said it felt like forever and she was worried it wasn't working. At 10 minutes, it was still hard.  All of a sudden - a few minutes later - it's soft. She loved it and you will too. Once it is soft, cut it in half and scoop out the seeds and the darker threads (trust me, you'll see it).  Then just take a spoon and scoop out the inside of the half.  It just shreds on its own - as you see above.

I made it the other night with pork chops.  It goes well with any entree, but I like the kind of winter feeling of this meal.

Soup

This soup was delicious!  Very rich and filling.  Just follow the directions and it hits the spot.  I used the miso and no salt besides that. I doubled it as well - which was very easy to do with this recipe.

Hearty Mushroom Barley Soup / Stew

·         1 Tablespoon Oil (I used grapeseed, but Olive or Vegetable will do)

·         ½ Medium Onion, slivered (about 1¼ cups)

·         ½ Cup Dry Barley, rinsed (I used the inexpensive pearl barley)

·         2 Large Garlic Cloves, Minced (or about 2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic)

·         1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme

·         8 Ounces Sliced Button or Cremini Mushrooms

·         4 Cups (1 quart) Beef or Mushroom Broth

·         1 Tablespoon Tomato Paste

·         1 Teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

·         1 Bay Leaf

·         ¼ -1 Teaspoon Salt to Taste

·         1 Teaspoon Miso Paste (or simply more salt to taste)

·         Freshly Ground Black Pepper to Taste

Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onions, and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until they are translucent. Reduce the heat just a touch, add the barley, garlic, and thyme, and sauté for another 3 to 5 minutes.  Stir in the mushrooms, followed by the broth, tomato paste, vinegar, bay leaf, and I would start with ¼ teaspoon of salt and the miso if using. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and allow the soup to simmer for at least 1 hour, or until the barley is nice and tender.  Season to taste with additional salt (see my notes in the post above) and black pepper to taste.

Yields 2 hearty, meal-sized servings