Spaghetti Squash "Mac" and Cheese

Everyone loves mac and cheese, right? I know people that are lactose intolerant, or even flat out allergic to all dairy and still love mac and cheese. There’s dairy free cheese people, and it’s actually pretty good. Well, this mac and cheese it delicious, and almost guilt free… that’s right it isn’t made with pasta, it’s made with squash.

What You’ll Need… (This recipe is for 4-5 adults.)

1 Medium-to-large Spaghetti Squash

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Flour

3 Cups Milk

¼ - ½ Teaspoon Pepper

¼ - ½ Teaspoon Salt

¼ - ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg

¼ - ½ Teaspoon Ground Mustard

4-6oz Grated Cheese (Any kind you like.)

2-3 Slices Bacon per person (Turkey bacon tastes great in this dish.)

Preheat your oven to 375.

Microwave the squash for about 5 minutes per pound.  Be careful when you remove the squash from the microwave, it will be hot.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, place it on a baking sheet, and bake the squash for 40-45 minutes.

Towards the end of the baking time place the bacon on a greased cooking rack that is on top of a baking sheet. Bake for 10-20 minutes; the time depends on how you like your bacon cooked.

When you remove the squash and bacon from the oven set them aside for a few minutes to cool slightly.

At this point start on the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan and once it is melted add the flour. Whisk the two together so that they make a paste and allow the flour taste to cook out. After about one minute of whisking the flour and butter together add the milk. Remove the pan from the heat when you add the milk. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it thickens. This could take up to eight minutes.

When the sauce has thickened turn off the heat, mix in the spices, and then mix in the cheese.

Now onto the squash; first remove the seeds, and then using a fork remove the flesh. It comes out in strands and looks like pasta. Place the removed squash in a mixing or serving bowl (it depends on how you want to serve it.)

The last thing that needs done is to chop the bacon; chop it into bite-sized pieces.

To serve spoon your desired amount of squash into a bowl and top with your desired amount of sauce and bacon.

Enjoy!