I'll Squash Ya' Pasta

As fall nears and I start to dream about crunchy leaves, hay rides, and pumpkins; I start craving one of my favorite cold weather comfort foods - pasta. Lately I've been trying to eat more vegetables and fruits, so using spaghetti squash in place of pasta is one of the best ways I can think of to do this. I'm apologizing in advance for the lack of pictures, I made this in the morning before work and was still half asleep. So here it is I'll Squash Ya' Pasta!

Ingredients:
- 1 large spaghetti squash
- 1 large vidalia onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 Links of Italian Turkey Sausage (I prefer hot, cause that's how I roll)
- Red Wine (Did you really think we would get through a recipe without alcohol?)
- 1 Large can crushed tomatoes
- Fresh Basil
- Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, oregano



1. Preheat oven to 375. Grab the biggest, baddest knife you have and take this opportunity to practice for your starring role in a slasher horror flick - mines called "Revenge of the Basement Zombie" - (Think staring at a computer all day sucks? Try doing it in a windowless basement.) Anyway, take your huge knife and stab that squash a few times so it doesn't explode in your oven.

2. Place stabbed squash in a pan and roast in the oven for 1 hour. Check it every now and then to make sure it doesn't get burnt. Go watch TV.









3. Once the squash is cooked and you're armed with oven mitts, cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and slimy guts, like you would a pumpkin. Take a fork a scrape it all along the sides of the squash to create spaghetti like strands. Once the squash looks like the inside of a skull attacked by a zombie ( are you sensing a theme here?), throw out the shell. You've got your pasta!

4. Now it's time to cook the sauce. Heat a pan on M heat with EVOO. Chop the onion into small chunks and add to hot oil. Cook until onions start to turn translucent.
           4a. Do some squats in your kitchen. It is 6am and you really should be at the gym!

5. Peel back the casing on the sausage links (much like a zombie would...) and crumble sausage in the pan with onions. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Drain fat, or don't if you're gross.
          5a. Speaking of fat... Drop and give me 20

6. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with some red wine. Normally at this point, I would tell you to also pour some wine in your mouth but since I made this at 6am... ok maybe just a little bit. Yum.
         6a. Go check facebook. I'm sure someone must be commenting on something on your profile!

7. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and oregano. Lower heat to L and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
        7a. Do crunches until your tummy hurts

8. Go out to your balcony and pluck some fresh basil from your planter (or open up your grocery bag and pull it out, whatever). PS I do not have a green thumb, yet have somehow gotten this plant to survive!

9. Chop or tear basil into small pieces. Add to sauce. Top spaghetti squash with sauce and bam, you've got I"ll Squash Ya Pasta.