Parmesan & Herbs Spaghetti Squash With Bacon

I've been wanting to try spaghetti squash for a while and tonight I finally took the plunge and it was amazing!  I think it may permanently replace pasta spaghetti for good on my plate.  It really is an amazing substitution, unlike "cauliflower rice" which only looks like rice but definitely cannot replace it.


I found this Martha Stewart recipe and tweaked it a little.  Here it is:

Roasted Squash with Parmesan & Herbs

• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 shallots, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 6 cups Roasted Spaghetti Squash
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 slices of thick cut bacon, chopped and sauteed until crispy (my addition, optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Cut the squash in half, long ways and scrape out the seeds
3. Place the squash faced down in a rimmed pan with a layer of water.
4. Cook for 60 minutes
5. Remove from oven and let cool a little before using a fork to scrape out the "flesh".
In the last few minutes of cooking the squash begin this:

1. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium. Add shallots and garlic and cook until softened, 7 minutes. Stir in thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add squash and toss to combine. Cook until warmed through. Stir in parsley and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

note: while the squash was cooking I sauteed four slices of chopped bacon until it was crispy then put it aside in a paper towel until the squash was ready.  Just mix it in!

another note: I used a small squash and it only made about 4 cups of spaghetti. It was enough for me to eat as a meal, but Tim wanted more.  Martha Stewart has this recipe as a side dish for 6-8 people, I think it just depends on how hungry you are.