Naturally Infused....The Essentials of Life. : its beginning to look (not feel) a lot like christmas.

i admit, i'm in complete denial. its way too hot outside for this time of year, but i just can't let that stop me from getting into the holiday spirit. today i'm pretending like its not 87 degrees outside in the middle of november and am enjoying a delicious peppermint mocha frap at starbucks. i got my glucose results back and everything is normal so i'm rewarding myself with....sugar.

i've been fighting the urge for probably a week now, and i'm slightly ashamed to admit that i finally gave in. its getting a little worse every year. november barely hits and i already have the itch. i blame all the departments store for their displays and music.

yes, i decorated for christmas yesterday. i'm not proud.

i used the tiny amount of willpower that i did have to not put anything up in the windows, on the doors or outside. my husband can judge me all he wants but i'll save the judgements from the neighbors. here's a small sample.

i know, i know.

dining room table

place setting

my shelves have been transformed

my makeshift mantle this year

after all that was done, i got dinner together. have you ever substituted spaghetti squash for pasta? you should. not only is it super healthy (at least one of the ingredients in this recipe was) but it's really yummy. i had never made this before but the word carbonara has never failed me in the past. i highly suggest you make this. like, tonight.

here's the recipe and pictures.

let me just say this. it calls for 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 1/4 teaspoons of pepper. i love me some seasoning but that looked like WAYYYY too much so i used maybe 1/3 of that and it was perfect. plus you get salt from the pancetta (or bacon if you use that). only add a little and add to taste.

ingredients

2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons fresh cracked black pepper
1 large spaghetti squash (about 2 pounds), halved and seeded
1/2 pound bacon or pancetta, cut into small strips crosswise
1 tablespoon minced shallot
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup white wine
2 egg yolks plus 1 whole egg
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

the cast.

directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle the bottom of a large, shallow baking dish with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoons pepper. Place the squash flesh side down in the pan and add enough water to come up about 1/4-inch. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and cook in the oven until the squash is just fork tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Shred the squash with a fork and transfer to a large heat proof bowl.

In a large saute pan, over medium heat, cook the bacon until it becomes a light brown but is not yet crispy. Pour off most of the fat and then add the shallots and garlic. Saute for 1 minute until the garlic and shallots are fragrant and begin to caramelize. Add the white wine and cook until the liquid has completely evaporated.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs together with the cheese and the parsley. Season with the remaining salt and pepper. Combine the eggs with the bacon mixture, warming the eggs in the pan. (Do not let the eggs cook through.) Add the spaghetti squash and toss to thoroughly combine and until squash is heated through. Adjust seasoning, if necessary and serve immediately.