Double Stuffed Butternut Squash Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the squash and potatoes on a baking sheet. Brush the squash with half of the oil and toss the sweet potatoes with the other half, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn the squash and sweet potatoes flesh-side down on the baking sheet and poke the skin of the squash all over with a fork. Roast until the squash flesh is very soft and golden brown and the potatoes are cooked through when poked with a knife, 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Turn the oven to broil. Scoop out the flesh of the sweet potatoes and put it in a bowl (discard the skins). Scoop the flesh out of the squash, leaving a 1/2-inch border of flesh around the edges, and add it to the bowl along with the heavy cream, butter, 2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Mash with a potato masher until it is smooth, creamy and resembles mashed potatoes. Put the squash skins back on the baking sheet and divide the filling evenly between the cavities. Top with the goat cheese, then broil until the cheese is bubbly and just beginning to turn brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the scallions and pepitas over tops before serving.

Steps:

• Remove the top as if cutting a jack-o-lantern and remove seeds and string. Remove the little 'button' from the bottom. Failure to do this will result in bad words being said when it comes time to slice.
• Cook bacon till crisp and reserve. Drain and reserve fat from pan leaving only enough to sauté onion until it becomes translucent.
• Chop enough dates so that the total mixture barely fills the cavity and add to the pan with the spices. Chop the bacon and return it to the pan. Add stock as needed to loosen the mixture. It must be stiff enough to slice after cooking but this will turn to cement without some liquid.
• Fill the cavity with the date mixture and replace the top.
• Put into a pan with 1/2 inch of water, cover, and bake for 40 - 60 minutes in a 375° oven. Test for doneness by removing the top and inserting a thin knife into the bottom of the squash (that way there are no perforations to spoil the presentation).
• This makes an impressive presentation when sliced into wedges and surrounded by roasted vegies.

Steps:

• Soak the apricots and raisens in the juice overnight. If you forget to do this, no biggie. See below.
• Cut your squash in half, and scoop out the seeds/pulp. Place in a glass pan, cut-side down, and stab each half a few times like you would a potato. Pour on about 1 cm of water, and bake in a 325 F oven about 50 minute (medium squash) or 1 hr and 15 min (large squash- times are approximate guesses). Test with a long knife. You know it's done when it's quite soft all through, but not actually mushy.
• If you didn't soak the fruit, place it with juice in a small pot, bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Let sit, covered, while squash bakes.
• 5 minute before the squash is done, transfer the fruit mixture to a food processor or mini-chopper if you have one. Pulse a few times, then add the seeds and blend till they're slightly chopped. It should be like a thick, chunky paste.
• Turn squash halves rightside up, scoop the fruit mix in the hollow part, and cover the pan with foil or a glass lid. Bake 10-15 minutes more.
• To serve, divide squash among plates and give each a share of the fruity stuff. Mash it up together, it's really good that way!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place squash halves in a shallow pan and cover with water.
• Roast in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool partially, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; do not drain fat. Add onion and garlic to sausage and cook and stir over medium-high heat until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Remove flesh from squash, leaving 1/3-inch flesh in the shell to keep it sturdy. Mix squash flesh, sausage mixture, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, and cayenne together in a bowl. Stuff squash shells with mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.