Spaghetti Squash with Jalapeno Cream

Last week I purchased my Bountiful Basket and spaghetti squash was in it.  The rest of the basket was pretty good too, but this one was the only one we weren't sure what to do with.  My work spouse and her sister both tried this and loved it, so we decided to give it a whirl.  Verdict: 4.5 likes in this house.  Mom, Dad, and I really liked it.  B liked the taste but not the texture.  My friend's husband thought they were cheesy mashed potatoes and that would be a pretty apt description, but they were more like scalloped potatoes.

1 spaghetti squash
2 cups milk
2 to 3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for pans
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded jack cheese

*We used jalapenos from a jar (about 3 tablespoons worth and that was plenty) and colby jack cheese.  Kassie said the next time she would use only 1 whole jalapeno, 2 was too many for her husband.  She also ate this for breakfast for two days, it was that good.

Preheat oven to 375F.  Cut squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon or melon baller to remove seeds and surrounding fiber.  Put squash, cut side down on a lightly buttered baking sheet and bake until tender when flesh is pierced with a fork, 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm milk and jalapenos until bubbles form along the edge of the pan.  Remove mixture from heat and let sit 15 minutes.  Strain and discard jalapenos.  (My dad added them back to the dish at the end).

When squash is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scrape the strands out of the skin and into a large bowl.

In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp butter.  Whisk in flour and salt adn cook, whisking until flour smells cooked (like pie crust).  Slowly pour in jalapeno-infused milk while whisking.  Reduce heat to medium adn continue whisking until mixture thickens slightly.  Pour mixture over squash and stir to combine.  Transfer mixture to a buttered 2 quart baking dish.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake until bubbling and brown on top, 20-30 minutes.


The recipe came from www.myrecipes.com and was featured on the bountiful basket blog.