"Be Yourself" Spaghetti Squash Casserole

WHEN I FIRST ARRIVED in rural Canada, I was eager to make a good impression on my neighbors. So when I was invited to bring a "hot dish" (the first word is accented) to a church function, I was thrilled. I delved into the Joy of Cooking, located a recipe that seemed suitably impressive, and proceeded to spend three days assembling an elaborate casserole, with each of the ingredients made from scratch using nothing but the best ingredients and a lot of butter.

The big day arrived, my accomplishment was placed on the table along with everyone else's offerings, and ... mine was barely touched. I ended up coming home with a boatload of artery-clogging goodness, which I had to eat for a week.

Subsequent efforts to impress the community with my culinary prowess also did not fare well. I reached my nadir when the anticipated call came and I was asked to bring ... milk.

Flash forward: I had joined the board of directors of the local recreation association, which hosts community potluck suppers. When you attend, you're expected to bring something to share. For a while I relied on my pumpkin pie cheesecake : It's hard to go wrong with several pounds of eggs, cream, sugar, and cheese. But cheesecake is hard to make. So one night I got lazy: I decided to forget about trying to impress anyone; instead, I figured, I'd make something I could eat (both with enjoyment and without sending myself to a premature grave). That way, when nobody touched it, at least I wouldn't mind bringing it home.

What happened next was yet another example of Flora's Law, which states that "You can have anything you don't want anymore." The dish was a hit. Well, OK, maybe not a hit, but it was received better than anything else I've made. Several people liked it enough to ask for the recipe. It's even going to be included in the "Social Supper Favourites" column in the April recreation association newsletter. (Full disclosure: I am one of the editors of the recreation association newsletter. But when I said I was going to put this recipe in the newsletter, nobody complained.)

So here it is, straight from the MSRA News to you:

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

This tasty vegetarian dish is adapted from one in Natural Health, Natural Medicine by Andrew Weil, M.D.

Take a whole spaghetti squash and poke it a few times with a knife to allow steam to escape. Bake in a low oven until it's soft to the touch. Allow it to cool.

Meanwhile, slice 2 large carrots, a large onion, 2 stalks of celery, and a green pepper. Heat about 2 tablespoonfuls of olive oil in a skillet and cook the carrots and onion over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Add the celery and green pepper with some red pepper flakes and salt (if desired), then cook about 10 minutes, continuing to stir. When vegetables are tender, add a large can of crushed tomatoes, 2-5 cloves chopped garlic, and basil and oregano to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes.

When the squash is cool enough, discard the seeds and scoop out the remaining contents. Mix the cooked squash with the other vegetables and put half in the bottom of a large baking dish. Top this without about a cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Add the remaining vegetables and top with another cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Bake in a 350 degree oven about 30 minutes or until the cheese is slightly brown. Let it rest 5-10 minutes before serving.