I love pumpkins and squash, and in the fall you can see such a variety. I love trying new pumpkins or squash. They each have such different flavors and textures.
Spagetti Squash has gotten really popular lately, and I have got to admit I have found several different ways to cook them. This past summer in my little garden I had six plants, and on one of the vines from the plants, I counted eight squash! Thankfully Spagetti squash are very versatile. I have made spagetti, stir fry, mac and cheese, and my new favorite is a chicken and bacon casserole style.
I used to be a little hesitant about cooking squash, any kind. I didn’t like the thought of having to cut a pumpkin, or even a little acorn squash and placing the halves into the oven. I always imagined the knife breaking off or slipping with disastrous results.
Thankfully I found the easiest trick for cooking pumpkins or squash of any kind. The trick to a perfectly cooked pumpkin, or squash is to poke a few holes with a sharp knife, and then put it into an oven safe dish with about an inch of water. It cooks beautifully every time. Once it is cooled, you can perfectly split the pumpkin or squash in half, and then scoop out the seeds and the meat comes out so easily.
A bonus that I have found using this trick is with the seeds. If you like roasting pumpkin seeds this makes them soft. When you roast them raw, the seeds are really crunchy. When you roast the seeds after they have been cooked, the hulls are somehow softer, still crunchy but much better.
Ingredients
- 1 pumpkin or squash
- Oven safe dish that the pumpkin or squash can fit
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Wash the squash and pierce with a sharp knife.
- Place squash in oven safe dish, holes poking up, and fill with about an inch of water.
- Place in oven for 1-2 hours, until the top has browned slight.
- Once done, let it cool and then scoop out the seeds. Place the seeds in a separate bowl to use or throw out.
- Scoop out the meat and use how you wish.