Italian Stuffed Acorn Squash Crock Pot Recipes

Steps:

• For the squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the squash on a baking sheet flesh-side up and rub with the olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast until the edges begin to ripple and a poke with a fork reveals tender flesh, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool until easy to handle.
• Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh within the skin of each squash half to help it maintain its shape.
• For the filling: In a large pan on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and sausage. While cooking, break the sausage into bits like ground meat with a wooden spoon. Once some of the fat is rendered from the sausage, add the onions, paprika, pumpkin pie spice, sage, celery, bell peppers and a pinch of salt. Cook until the sausage is done and the vegetables are tender.
• Add the mixture to the bowl of squash along with the cheese, walnuts and cranberries and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Fill the hollowed squash halves with the mixture and place back in the oven to melt the cheese and make the tops golden brown, 15 more minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

Steps:

• Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds.
• Brush squash halves with olive oil and place in slow cooker (slice off bottoms to level, if necessary).
• Pour 1 cup water into the cooker, around (not into) squash.
• In a small bowl, combine wild rice blend, pumpkin seeds or pine nuts, minced garlic, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and spices; stir until well-mixed.
• Stuff rice mixture into each squash half.
• Slowly pour about 1/2 cup vegetable broth into each squash cavity until full (don't let stuffing overflow).
• Pour any remaining broth around squash.
• Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
• Just prior to serving, sprinkle with crumbled cheese.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise and spoon out the seeds.
• Place halves, cut side down, in a microwave-safe dish with a couple tablespoons of water.
• Cook (covered) in microwave on high for 5 minutes or until just tender.
• Meanwhile, slice up your apples and mix with the sugar, cinnamon, cream cheese, and the optional raisins/nuts.
• When squash is done, turn them over and fill the holes with your apple mixture.
• Put it back in the microwave (covered) for another 5 minutes.
• Let squash rest for a few minutes to cool off before devouring.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in crock pot.
• Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Steps:

• To toast pine nuts, place them in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally until golden or about 5 minutes.
• Place the zucchini halves in the bottom of an oval shaped slow cooker.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the tomato sauce and vinegar.
• In another small bowl, combine the onions, garlic, rice, parsley, basil, pepper, along with 2 tablespoons of the tomato sauce-vinegar mixture.
• Fill the zucchini halves with the rice mixture.
• Top with the remaining tomato sauce-vinegar mixture.
• Cover and cook on LOW until the rice is tender, 4 to 6 hours.
• Garnish with the pine nuts, fresh herbs, and cheese.
• Makes 2 main dish servings or 4 side dish servings.

Steps:

• Turn crockpot to HIGH to get it warm while you fill it up.
• Pour apple juice in bottom of crockpot.
• Place squash, cut side up, in bottom of crockpot.
• On top of each piece of squash, sprinkle with salt, followed by 1/2 T butter, 1/2 T brown sugar, and 1 T dried cranberries.
• Sprinkle apples in and around the squash (about 1/4 cup will fit piled up on each squash).
• Juice lemon over the top of the apples, then sprinkle with the cinnamon and pour the maple syrup over the top.
• Cook the squash on LOW for 4-6 hours or HIGH for 2.5-4 hours. NOTE: crockpots are not created equal as far as temp goes and we will all buy different sized squash. . .that being said, cook times will vary. . .I don't mind eating mushy squash, but you can't eat undercooked squash simply because you can't cut it :) I cooked mine on low for 4 hours and it wasn't done so I cranked it up to high for 1 hour and it was perfectly cooked.
• When squash it tender, place each piece on a plate and sprinkle with the nuts.
• OPTIONAL: I am bad, so therefore I put another 2T of cold butter in with the apple juice and remaining apples on the bottom of the crockpot and stir til the butter is melted and then spoon the "sauce" over the top of the squash. If you like yours really sweet (as I do), feel free to drizzle it with more maple syrup or honey.