Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter and Goat Cheese

I think people expect receptionists to have secret, exciting lives. I got back to work this week and people kept asking me if I did anything cool or went anywhere exciting.

The real answer of cooking food and chasing down the cat so he doesn't try to make friends with the contractors' power tools did not seem to satisfy them.

So I told it in a different manner. I went to this super cute place, totally my style. It was under construction, which kind of sucked, but it was pet friendly and really comfortable. There are plenty of places to read and relax, lots of shopping, and there was a gourmet cook that was out of this world.

People were rather more impressed with that and asked me where I went.

Chez Kim, of course.

See, I don't really have any coworkers, other than G who I do security with, and who was the receptionist before me. I'm pretty much by myself all day, everyday. And while I know pretty much everyone, and everyone knows me, no one really knows me, if you catch my drift. I don't have water cooler chats or get to talk to people that sit near me. Maybe that's why people assume that I have a secret life. Shh, I'm Batman

G tries to convince people I'm funny, but no one believes her. I told her I don't believe her, either. She laughed.

Anyway, back to my original point. When I said that there was a gourmet cook, G laughed, but everyone else was curious.

Who's doing the cooking? they asked. I could almost see the gears turning in their heads. Boyfriend? Does she have a boyfriend? Would we know if she had a boyfriend? She's not married is she?

Me. I'm doing the cooking.

And then I got weird looks because you're apparently not supposed to cook for yourself when you're on vacation. But a) I like cooking, and b) I wouldn't have gotten this spaghetti squash, because no one else had the recipe. I didn't even have the recipe until I finished cooking it. Because that's how I roll.

Creamy and cheesy and buttery and ooey-gooey goodness. Browned butter and goat cheese and garlic get mixed to make a super creamy, decadent sauce. You've got the natural sweetness of the squash, then I added some fresh basil, some crumbled bacon, and some seasonings. I added some mozz on top for extra gooey melty-ness. And it was good.

I took healthy stuff and I drowned it in the thoroughly unhealthy to make it some nummy, nummy goodness. That fact is not lost on me.

And if I may suggest-- keep a bodybuilder on call to help you cut open the squash. That sucker was not giving it up. I had to break out the big knife, and klutzy me is normally kept far away from such sharp implements of doom. (oddly, I did not cut myself. But I did burn my thumb pretty badly.)


Spaghetti Squash with Browned Butter and Goat Cheese {Printable Version}
Yield: 4-6 serving

Ingredients
1 large spaghetti squash
¾ cup unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. goat cheese
4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh basil
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
Pinch dried sage
Shredded mozzarella, for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and place flesh side
down on a baking sheet. Bake 30-50 minutes, until the skin can be pricked with a fork. Using a fork,
scrape the flesh away from the skin into long “noodles.” Discard the skin.

While the squash is cooking, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic
and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the butter turns a light golden brown. Remove from heat
and let cool slightly.

Mix together the cooked squash, browned butter, and all remaining ingredients except the mozzarella,
until well combined and creamy. Add to a baking dish (a 9-inch pie plate should work, depending on the
size of your squash), sprinkle with mozzarella, and bake 5-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. Let
cool slightly before serving.

Recipe by Kim