Spaghetti Squash Bake with Chanterelles and Parmesan

by Saturday, June 23, 2012
1 spaghetti squash 2.5-3lbs
1 lb chanterelles
5 Tbsp butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup cream + 1/4 cup milk (or 1 cup 1/2 n 1/2)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper

You can prepare the spaghetti squash ahead of time if you like.   There are two methods that work great:
Microwave method: 
Poke the skin of the squash a dozen times, place in a microwave safe dish.  Microwave 6 minutes, then using a hot mitt, flip over and microwave another 6 minutes. Make sure when you push on the skin that it is squishy. If it doesn't give under your prodding, microwave a minute at a time until you get the result you need.

Oven method:
Line baking dish or pan with foil. Poke squash a dozen times, place in dish.  Cook in oven at 375 until it is lightly browned on portions of the skin and is squishy when prodded (again, use a hot mitt!).

You can cool for a few minutes and place in the fridge to wait until you need it, or simply let it rest and cool until you can handle it and then finish prepping it.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter a shallow baking dish, like a Pyrex dish.

While squash is baking/cooking, clean the chanterelles with a brush or rinse and toss gently. Slice them into small pieces as you melt half of the butter in a large saute pan. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the garlic and half-and-half. Adjust the heat to simmer the liquid gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

When the squash is done, cut in half, coop out the seeds and discard, then scoop the strands of spaghetti squash into a serving bowl. Toss the strands with the rest of the butter and season with salt and pepper. Top with the mushroom mixture, then give it a good shaving of Parmesan cheese over the top.

Return to the oven until heated through and the top is crisped and browned in places, 15 - 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Tipping in America - Where Your Tip Goes

by Saturday, June 23, 2012
I posted this on my Livejournal ages ago (Aug 2007), and in coming across it today, I decided to pop it on over here on my Adventures blog. It was obviously when I was mid-planning a Disney trip, and refers to discussions on a forum I am a part of. But it applies to serving staff in any restaurant in the US:
___________________________

So there is a small faction of people on one of the Disney discussion boards I belong to who say they don't tip much. Basically, the biggest argument is "my family saved a long time for this special dinner, and we don't think we should have to pay more than that", and other people who argue that "I don't believe I should have to pay the server's wages. The restaurant should pay them a fair wage...so I don't tip 15%. I throw a few bucks."

It gets my blood boiling.


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