Try Something New

Last night, I made a vegetable I've never made before: spaghetti squash. Figuring that my daughter loves all things pasta, I decided to try it. The verdict? It was a hit! And even though I doctored it up with butter and parmesan cheese, rather than serving it au naturale the way I normally serve veggies, it was still a veggie--and a yellow-orange one at that, which is something she'd never touch before. So I call this a victory.

Here's what I did. I pierced a 2 1/2-lb. spaghetti squash with a fork all over the skin. Then I microwaved it on high for about 20-25 minutes, until the skin was soft. I let it sit for 5 minutes, then cut it in half and removed the seeds. Then I scooped out the flesh into a bowl, added butter, salt and parmesan cheese, and voila! A new side dish is born!

I highly suggest trying a fruit or veggie you or your family has never tried before. It's like a culinary adventure for all of you, and you might just hit upon something that everybody (or that one picky somebody in particular) really likes! If you stick with the same old, same old, you'll never know. Now that we're fully into a new season, try a squash or two, or a new root vegetable (rutabagas, beets, parsnips?). Prepare it simply, in a manner that your family has appreciated in the past, and you may surprise yourself. Happy eating!