cheesy spaghetti squash casserole

Look at all the squashy texture and crunchy panko bread crumbs that are dynamically set off by the creamy cheese sauce.

I bought this awesome spaghetti squash after reading a couple of posts over at D is for Delicate. A previous roommate of mine made stuff with spaghetti squash. It was always weird to me. Heck, still is. I mean, how does it create noodles like that?! I realize that the point of spaghetti squash is to go the low carb way, but I put panko bread crumbs on it anyway. What the hell, right?

I bought a load of some sort of cheese a while back at Costco. I cannot for the life of me remember what it is, and I’m real bad about labeling stuff I stick in the freezer. We’re not big on leftovers at my house, so we don’t freeze most stuff unless it’s veggies. This tendency to hate leftovers is probably what got me started with experimenting with vegetarian meals in the first place. And it gives me the desire to cook small amounts in the easiest ways possible. I originally started making this cheese sauce after watching an episode of Barefoot Contessa. She made cauliflower gratin, which I have learned is just anything with cheese and bread crumbs on top. This cheese sauce, as it turns out, is pretty standard across the board as cheese sauces go. Also, why do folks call casseroles bakes? Like Cheesy Tuna Bake or Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Bake? I think it’s a casserole if it’s in my pyrex dish. How ’bout you?

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole

1 spaghetti squash, halved and baked at 375 for about an hour, noodled out and ready to go
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
salt
pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg1/2 cup (or one big handful) of gruyere, shredded
1/2 cup of parmesan, shredded
panko bread crumbs

• This cheese sauce can kind of scare you if you don’t have the faith. Trust me that it will be good.
• Spray your 8×8 pyrex with oil and throw in that squash
• Melt the butter in a stainless steel pan on low to medium heat–you’re going to be whisking and you don’t want to unearth the nonstick cancer-causing coating. I’m going to take this opportunity to suggest you invest in stainless steel, even if it’s just one pan. It truly is the best.
• Gradually whisk in one tbsp of flour at a time. And keep up the faith. It’s going to look pasty.
  

  don't worry--the butter and flour will look like this

• Keep whisking and let the mixture slightly get a golden brown. I mean very slightly.
• Add the hot milk slowly and keep whisking. It will be lumpy for a minute.
• Bring this to a boil, and keep on whisking. It’ll thicken really quickly so DO NOT walk away for a second.
• Once you can tell it has thickened (and it isn’t lumpy anymore) and it is bubbling like a maniac, take it off the heat entirely.
• Add salt and pepper to your taste and that nutmeg.
• Continue whisking and add in the first hand full of cheese
• Continue whisking and add in the second hand full of cheese
• Once it is all incorporated, pour over the squash
• Top with the bread crumbs
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes
• Uncover as it starts to get brown around the edges
• Put it back in the oven to get that gorgeous golden brown on top
  

  bake until the cheesy sauce starts to brown around the edges

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