Spaghetti Squash - Two Ways

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I have been such a blogger slacker lately, but I have lots of new recipes to add to my "file" here, so hopefully I can get them all up soon.  We've been loving spaghetti squash lately. My kids think it's the coolest thing ever.  A vegetable that turns into spaghetti?!?  Yes, please! We've eaten it two different ways and both have been delicious.  I think the kids favored the traditional spaghetti way, but Jeremy and I thought they were both great. I find if I involve my kids in preparing new things, they are much more likely to enjoy eating it.  I let my boys scrape out the flesh of the squash (the "spaghetti") for me and they thought that was awesome.

Preparing Spaghetti Squash
I've also heard you can roast it whole, but this is the method I've always used.

1 large spaghetti squash
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut spaghetti squash in half, using a sharp knife and lots of muscles, and scrape out the seeds and stringy stuff (think pumpkin).  Brush the insides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, until you can poke through the squash easily with a fork and the inside is soft and tender and strings up easily when scraped with a fork.  Let cool until you can handle it and then scrape out the flesh into a bowl or pot or whatever you're doing with it!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Parmesan and Herbs

1 T. butter
1 1/2 T olive oil
2 shallots, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
3/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 roasted spaghetti squash, flesh scraped out into stringy "spaghetti"
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. grated Parmesan
coarse salt and ground pepper

In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil.  Add shallots and garlic and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.  Stir in thyme and rosemary and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add squash and toss to combine.  Cook until warmed through.  Stir in parsley and Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.  Serve with additional grated Parmesan.

Source: Martha Stewart

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti
You can do this with any spaghetti/marinara/bolognese/whatever sauce, this is what we did:

1 roasted spaghetti squash
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 large onion, chopped small
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 14-oz. can petite-diced tomatoes
1 T. dried basil
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. sugar
1 T. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt, more to taste
1 tsp. ground pepper
Parmesan, for serving

In a large saucepan, brown turkey with onion and garlic, breaking turkey up into small pieces as it cooks.  When thoroughly cooked, add remaining ingredients (minus the spaghetti squash).  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  Add to the spaghetti squash and mix until evenly combined.  (If you have too much sauce, just reserve extra for something else; it will depend on the size of your squash). Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.