Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Place the acorn squash stem-side up on a cutting board and cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, and transfer to a bowl. Separate the seeds from the pulp. Set aside.
• Set the squash halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 40 minutes, or until almost cooked through.
• In a small pot, combine the wild rice and 1¼ cups (300 ml) vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
• Rinse the squash seeds and dry on a dish towel (some residual moisture is okay). Transfer to a small bowl and add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and maple syrup. Mix until well-coated.
• Remove the squash from the oven and move to one side of the baking sheet. Using parchment paper, make a tray for the squash seeds. Spread the squash seeds on the tray.
• Bake for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the squash is completely tender and the seeds are crispy.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the mushrooms and cook for 6-8 minutes, until they've released a good amount of liquid.
• Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, until semi-translucent. Add a drizzle of olive oil and the garlic, rosemary, and thyme, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until fragrant. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Add the kale, salt, and pepper, and cook until the kale wilts and reduces in volume by about ¼. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth and cook until kale is almost completely wilted and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the wild rice and remove from the heat.
• Fill each squash half with the mushroom mixture and garnish with the squash seeds and pomegranate seeds. (Save leftover squash seeds for snacking!)
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully halve cut each squash in half through the stem, removing the stem if still attached. Scoop out and discard the seeds, and place the squash halves on a sheet pan, cut-side up. (You may want to trim the bottom of the squash halves slightly so they don't wobble on the pan.) Brush each squash generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until the flesh is very tender when pierced with a knife, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, if using the hazelnuts, heat a large skillet slicked with olive oil over medium. Add the hazelnuts and toast, tossing often, until the skins begin to split and the nuts are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a cutting board to cool. Once cooled, roll the nuts around on the board with the palm of your hand to remove some of the skins. Discard the skins, coarsely chop the nuts, sprinkle lightly with salt, then set aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-low. Add the shallots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the sage and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the kale and cook, tossing, just until it begins to wilt.
• Raise the heat to medium-high and add the sausage, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, crumbling the sausage with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until about half the liquid has evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Using a small spoon, gently scrape about 3 heaping tablespoons of flesh from the cavity of each squash (you should have about 1 cup altogether) and add it to the sausage, along with the rice and Parmesan. Mix thoroughly until combined, breaking up any chunks of squash.
• Divide the sausage mixture among the squash halves, filling each one to the top. (Depending on the size of the squash cavities, you may need to slightly heap the filling.) Return the sheet pan to the oven to roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and starting to brown on top.
• Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and parsley, if using, and serve hot.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place squash on a baking sheet and bake 20 minutes, until soft enough to easily cut in half. Wait until cool enough to handle (about 15 minutes), then cut in half (stem to tip) and scoop out seeds and membranes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add red pepper and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes have cooked down slightly, about 5 minutes. Add honey, maple syrup or pomegranate molasses, vinegar, salt and cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Simmer 8 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in beans and corn and simmer another 5 minutes.
• Oil 1 or 2 baking dishes or a sheet pan that will accommodate all the squash. Season cavities and cut sides of the squash with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil or melted butter. Fill with bean mixture. Mix together bread crumbs, Gruyère and remaining olive oil and sprinkle over the filling. Brush exposed edges of squash with oil. Place in the baking dish or on baking sheet and cover tightly with foil. Bake large squash for 45 minutes, check smaller squash after 30 minutes. The flesh should be easy to penetrate with the tip of a knife. Uncover and return to oven for 5 to 10 minutes, or until breadcrumbs and cheese are lightly browned. Serve hot or warm.