Baked Ziti w/ White Sauce and Spaghetti Squash

This dish was easy and really yummy. It's a quick spin on an old classic.

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons of all purpose flour (.10)

1 16 oz box of ziti (.74-Walmart has GREAT deals on pasta)

4 tablespoons of butter (.25)

1 Cup of cheese (.94--I made it with cheddar because it's what we had left in our fridge, but it probably would have tasted a little more authentic with mozzarella cheese)

2-3 Cups of milk (.40--this depends on how creamy you like your ziti, more milk, creamier pasta)

1/2 Spaghetti Squash (1.70)

**preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

**cook noodles according to package.

Step 1: Start with your squash, because it will take the longest. Split it in half lengthwise (yes, this is quite a challenge--keep at it, it will eventually split). Put it face DOWN into a baking dish with about 1/4 cup of water in it and stick it in the oven for 40-50 minutes.

Step 2: Melt your butter in a large saucepan.

Step 3: Mix the flour in with the melted butter to form a paste.
Step 3: Add your milk. It's going to look very soupy at first (like below) but after about 4-5 minutes it'll get thicker as it warms.

Step 4: Spread your ziti noodles in your baking dish and then pour the sauce over them.
Step 5: Cover your dish with the cup of cheese and stick it in the oven for 15-20 minutes (until cheese is bubbling).
Step 6: Pull it out of the oven (along with your squash).
Step 7: Scrape the "spaghetti strings" out of the squash to serve. We sprinkle brown sugar and a bit of butter on the top for taste (very little goes a long way--even for picky veggie eaters). You're ready to serve!

Total cost of meal: $4.23