I'm Inspired

I have been pretty lazy about cooking the past couple weeks so I have had a bit of an overload of veggies sitting in the fridge. We have been getting lots of great produce from CSA recently like eggplant, onions, potatoes, turnips, radishes, butternut squash, spaghetti squash and the winter green are starting to trickle in. I am a huge fan of squash, all types, any shape or form. Yellow squash, zucchini, butternut, spaghetti squash, pumpkin, japanese kabocha... everything.

Spaghetti squash is a super versatile veggie. You can substitute it for pasta and toss it with your favorite sauce or make a great casserole dish. A couple weeks ago, I made a Kale and Spaghetti Squash Gratin. It turned out just alright, it could have gone for a bit more cheese and more oomph. I was inspired by a Societies Dinner we had a couple weekends ago. My mentor is also a CSA member and made many CSA veggie dishes. In particular, she made a really great spaghetti squash and green chile dish. It was delish and I knew I had to try to re-create it.

I admit that I am not the best at coming up with my own recipes. I cook by following recipes provided by others and I get really nervous when I have to create something on my own. This dish was all me and it turned out surprisingly well. It has a nice crunch from the squash and onions and also kick from the green chiles. I also used queso fresco which was absolutely perfect. I always want to call this cheese squeaky teeth cheese because when you eat it, it sort of squeaks when you chew on it. It's very mild but so yum.

I'm so proud of this dish, it turned out way better than I had expected--especially since I was not working from a recipe. This dish is super versatile and you could easy throw in any veggies you have on hand. Next time, I might use a different kind of cheese (maybe a gruyere or pecorino romano) and throw in some winter greens. The dish doesn't look that appetizing in the photo, but it's really super good, I promise! I need to work on my food photography skills.

How I cook spaghetti squash: Cut the raw squash in half (this can be difficult, so be careful!!). Put a few tablespoons on water on a plate and place the squash face down on the plate. Cover with saran wrap to create a nice steamy bubble. Place in the microwave for ~10 minutes. Remove saran wrap, be careful because the steam is very hot. Let sit for a few minutes and then scrape out the yummy goodness with a fork. 

Spaghetti Squash and Green Chiles

• 1 spaghetti squash, cooked (see above)
• 5-6 roasted green chiles (more or less to your taste), seeded and chopped
• 10 oz. queso fresco, crumbled
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c. milk
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix prepared spaghetti squash, green chiles, and queso fresco in a large bowl. Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic and onions. Saute until the onion are soft and the garlic is fragrant. Add onion and garlic mixture to the spaghetti squash mix. Mix in the beaten egg, milk, and season with salt and pepper.

Spray an 8x8 baking dish and pour prepared mixture into dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is bubbly.