we eat | chicken sausage + feta alfredo spaghetti squash

after a week's worth of cooking, I'm feeling motivated to do it all over again next week!

we shall see.  one thing is for sure that its been awhile since I've shared a fantastic dinner meal for serving the family, but this one was worth waiting for!  I came across this recipe  on pinterest and have been looking forward to making it all week!  It was SO easy, and dinner was on the table in less than one hour (45 minutes of that the squash is in the oven!)  

this recipe uses heavy cream, but I decided to lighten it up a bit and add in chicken sausage for more flavor and protein.  plus.  Jolie could eat (chicken) sausage and bacon all day long- Baker LOVES it, too!  and.. feta is just delicious.  and I had some in the fridge and threw it in their on a whim.

for my preggo mama friends- flip over the package to make sure your feta is pasteurized before including it in the recipe:)  I made this for the whole family, so I used two large squash- its easily cut in half or doubled!

 chicken sausage + feta alfredo spaghetti squash

adapted from eat well 101

4 links (about 1lb) chicken sausage, casing removed, cooked + crumbled 

I used feta + spinach chicken sausage

2 large spaghetti squash

8 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

2 cups half + half

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

fresh thyme

fresh ground black pepper + kosher salt

chives or green onions

2 cups Italian Blend cheese

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preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  firmly cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the innards and seeds.  place the halves on 2 large baking sheets, maintained by a foil ring to hold the balance. season with salt and pepper.  

in a large bowl, combine the garlic, chicken broth, half + half, feta, thyme, chives, and chicken sausage- stirring to combine well.  sprinkle the squash halves with the italian cheese.  divide the cream sauce mixture among the four squash boats, then top with additional cheese.  

cover each tray with a foil tent, and then roast in the oven for 20 minutes.  remove tent, and continue roasting for another 25-30 minutes, uncovered, or until the squash is fork tender and the cheese is golden.  

remove from the oven and shred- carefully stirring to combine.  

serve!  

after I pulled the squash from the oven, I allowed it to rest for about 15-30 minutes.. letting the sauce thicken and the liquid of the vegetable to redistribute.  I really think this made all the difference for a really yummy and creamy sauce coating the 'noodles'.

it was a big hit in our house!  I hope you find it equally delicious:)