SMACK 'n Cheese

SMACKdown:
If you are like me and you like love cheese, then you will love this recipe. I know I'm only 5 blog posts in, but I am pushing spaghetti squash for a second time. An intense craving for cheese a little while ago put mac n' cheese on my brain, which led to a quick internet search that landed on this recipe. How come I hadn't thought of this sooner?! Cheesy spaghetti squash deliciousness is pure brilliance!

I want to express my feelings about spaghetti squash. Lots of people like to say that you can swap it for pasta any old day in any old recipe and that it tastes exactly the same. I beg to differ. Spaghetti squash is not pasta nor does it have the same taste or texture. So why are we fooling ourselves?

What spaghetti squash gives us is a platform on which we can build recipes, similar to pasta. Alone, it's a bore. Jazzed up, it's awesome.

For me, mac 'n cheese is all about the cheese. The pasta is merely a vessel for getting it into my mouth. So why not substitute the pasta for something that won't cause a sugar crash thirty minutes later? I was actually super surprised about how truly delicious this came out. Trust me on this one, you aren't going to be disappointed :)

Ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash
1 Tbsp grapeseed oil
4-6 strips of bacon (you want to estimate 1 strip of bacon per serving)
1 head of broccoli cut into florets
1Tbsp. ghee
1 c. milk (I use whole milk)
1 1/2-2 c. shredded cheddar
1/2 c. shredded parmesan reggiano
salt and pepper

Directions:
Part 1: Prep the Squash
1. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.
2. Brush the squash with grapeseed oil, season with salt and pepper,  then place it on a cookie sheet face down. Cook for 45 minutes.

While the squash is cooking...
- Cook up your bacon until it's nice and crisp.
- Prep your broccoli florets
- Shred the cheese for the sauce

3. When the squash is done, let it cool for 15 minutes (this is a great time to begin your cheese sauce!).
4. Once cooled, scoop out the squash into a sauce pan and add in the broccoli florets. Cook over medium heat, letting the moisture from the squash lightly steam the broccoli.
5. When the broccoli has turned a nice vibrant green, add in the crumbled bacon, stir and turn off the stove.

Part 2: Prep the Cheese Sauce
1. Over medium-low heat melt the ghee.
2. Once melted, slowly whisk in the milk.
3. When all of the milk has been added, turn the heat a bit lower and slowly add in your shredded cheese until you have a creamy delicious cheese sauce.
4. Once your sauce is at your desired cheesiness, pour it into your pot of squash.
5. Stir it up and enjoy!