Family Chow Hall

It’s definitely my favorite way to eat spaghetti squash, probably my favorite way to eat any kind of squash. I like to simply smother it with homemade marinara sauce and eat it like spaghetti. Even better, I like to have actual spaghetti noodles with it and eat it all together. This is the best way to disguise your squash if you are less than thrilled by it. Most squashes are not bad, they just don’t have much flavor and in our world of hot sauce, jalapeños, Oreos, and Coca-Cola, we don’t have much room left in our diets for foods with little flavor. Use this recipe and give squash a fighting chance.

We can’t ignore the health benefits of wholesome foods such as squash and other vegetables, bland as they may be. We can learn to appreciate these foods and give them a little zing with lots of herbs and spices, though. Adding some basil, salt, pepper, and lemon can really add some life to your spaghetti squash and zucchini. My husband and daughter often just want salt, pepper, and butter to their squash — that might be just your thing. But if you can’t prevent your nose from wrinkling when you think of squash, try this:

Italian Spaghetti Squash
serves 6-8

I spaghetti squash
1 c. or more of water
1 can of tomato paste
1 can of diced tomatoes
1/2 to 1 c. water
2 T. sugar
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/2 t. basil
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. rosemary
1 T. olive oil
1 t. minced garlic
(for the adventurous, a small amount of anchovy paste can be added to the sauce)
Cooked spaghetti noodles
Parmesan cheese

First, cut the squash lengthwise and scoop out the center portion with the seeds in it. Place cut side down in a baking dish. Pour water in the bottom of this dish so that the squash won’t dry out while baking. Place in a 350 oven for one hour. Plan ahead so that the squash is done about 15 minutes before you are ready to serve dinner.

Meanwhile, (you are not in a hurry, since the squash will take a while) prepare the sauce. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the paste, tomatoes, and water with a wisk. Add the seasonings, herbs, oil, and garlic. Combine all of this and warm it until it bubbles. You may need to turn it off or very low to avoid splattering.

Next, prepare the noodles according to the package directions. Set aside. Remember, if you let hot noodles set too long, they will get gummy and sticky. It’s best to have them done just as you are ready to serve the meal, or rinse them under cool water so they don’t get sticky.

When the squash is done and out of the oven, turn it over and “shred” it apart with a fork. This will be very easy, since spaghetti squash is stringy and wants to be shredded in just this manner.

I usually serve everything separately so we can all decide how much sauce, squash, and spaghetti we want underneath our Parmesan cheese.

ENJOY!

This dish, of course, accompanied our Lemon Basil Salmon a couple of nights ago. I wanted a light sauce for our pasta because the Salmon was the main event that night. Steering away from heavy, creamy, or cheesy sauce, I invented this:

Lemon Basil Linguine
serves 6 as a side dish

4 oz. Linguine
3 T. lemon juice
2 T. olive oil
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 t. dried basil
dashes of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Naturally, start with a large pot of salted, boiling water and cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. When it’s done, drain in a colander.

Toss everything together and serve. This pasta had a mild lemony flavor that went really well with the fish.

My daughter has decided she wants to go to culinary school in France. Don’t you love the high hopes of youth? This is the dinner she made for us tonight — Lemon Basil Salmon. I served it with a lightly-seasoned linguine in olive oil and lemon. (check back tomorrow for the linguine recipe)

When we eat salmon, which is rare, I buy the Wild-Caught Alaskan Salmon. At best, it is usually $8.99 per pound at the Seafood Counter of HEB. I’ve read too much about fish farms to get excited about farm-raised salmon.

So, Sarah begs me to buy salmon and fresh basil and I have to indulge my chef-to-be. She got the idea on a cooking show but failed to write down the exact recipe. She improvised and this is what she made for us:

Lemon Basil Salmon
serves 6-8

1 1/2 lb. salmon filet - skin off
several leaves of fresh, chopped basil
2 t. lemon juice
dash of salt and pepper
1/3 c. lemon juice plus the same amount of water

Cut the salmon into 3 pieces, and place each piece on a square of foil large enough to wrap it up in. Combine the lemon juice and basil and drizzle over each piece of salmon. Next, sprinkle with salt and pepper and wrap it up tightly.

Place the packets in a baking pan and pour the lemon juice and water into the bottom of the pan. Place this into a 450 degree oven. We tried baking this for 10 minutes and it was only done in the center — we ended up baking it for a total of 18 minutes. Try not to overcook - our thickest piece was about 1 inch thick, adjust your cooking time accordingly.

Enjoy!