Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

The ingredients for this delicious meatless meal are all
prepped and ready to go.

Serves 4 to 8

Recipe from Food.com

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is a long list of ingredients, BUT the prep goes pretty fast if you have a sturdy chef knife and this tastes sensational!  This would make a great side dish for 8 people for the holidays or a tasty meatless dish for four.  When I made this, I had extra stuffing, which I used with another meal. 

2 acorn squashes

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

½ cup sliced mushrooms

1/8 cup dry sherry or white wine (Do not use cooking sherry.)

2 cups whole-wheat Panko bread

½ cup raisins (I used golden raisins because that’s what I had on hand.)

¼ cup sun-dried tomato, chopped

¼ cup unsalted sunflower seeds

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ teaspoon poultry seasoning or sage

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

½ cup to 1 cup vegetable broth (or more depending upon your preference)

½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded (Optional)

Cut squashes in half and remove seeds.  With a sharp knife, make a small slice on the skin side of each half so that the squash will stand on the baking sheet without tipping over.  Drizzle 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over the flesh side of the squashes. Sprinkle the squashes with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Flip them over and bake, cut side down, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions, celery, and carrot in 1 Tablespoon of olive oil until soft and translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms, and continue cooking until they are soft and have released their juices. Add sherry (or white wine) to "deglaze" the pan, and then simmer briefly.

Add Panko breadcrumbs, raisins, sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes, and walnuts, stirring to combine. Add the poultry seasoning and Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.  Add ½ cup of vegetable broth to the mix and then add up to another ½ cup more until the mixture is softened and moist. (You can add more broth if it seems dry.  I usually do because I like my stuffing moist.)  Remove from heat.  Once cooled slightly, stir in shredded cheese, if using.

Remove the baked squash from the oven.  Flip them over and then add the stuffing mixture to interior of squash, mounding as needed, and bake covered (with foil) another 20-30 minutes. For a crunchier top, remove cover for the last 10 minutes.

Roasted Spiced Acorn Squash

Recipe from Martha Stewart
Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen
Serves 4

Acorn squash is loaded with vitamins, fiber and other great things for you. Here's a fabulous and easy way to prepare them for dinner. (You will need a good, heavy chef knife.) No need to peel. The peel is edible after roasting.  We especially loved this side dish because it's savory and spicy and perfectly balanced with the mild sweetness of the squash.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of olive oil. 
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
1/4 teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 F. Cut the acorn squash in half. Scoop out the seeds with a melon baller or a spoon. (You can even roast the seeds for a snack!) 
Cut the acorn squash into 1-inch wedges. 
Place the wedges on a rimmed baking sheet. 
Drizzle them with 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. 
Sprinkle with a good dose of Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. 
Mix together 1/4 teaspoon of cumin, 1/4 teaspoon coriander, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. 
Sprinkle over the squash wedges and toss well to coat. 
Arrange the squash wedges skin side down on the baking sheet.
Put the squash in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, flipping them over halfway through cooking time.

Roasted Acorn Squash, Shallots and Rosemary

Serves 4

Recipe from Great Food Fast

Husband-Tested Recipe

My lovely daughter-in-law is from Yucatan.  When she was here with the rest of the family for the holidays, she bought some acorn squash while shopping for me at Lost River Market & Deli.  She asked me to prepare it for her because she had never eaten it before.  I usually stuff acorn squash and bake it or I use acorn squash to make soup, but I already had soup and a rice dish prepared for dinner.  So, I wanted to try a recipe that would really highlight this wonderful vegetable.  She (and we too) loved the acorn squash prepared this way.  Acorn squash now has a new fan.  You will need a sharp, heavy knife to prepare the squash.

2 acorn squash (about 2 pounds each), halved and seeded

8 shallots, peeled, root ends left intact (separate into lobes, if large) or 1 small onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges

6 small sprigs fresh rosemary or ½ Tablespoon dried rosemary, crushed

3 Tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F.  Carefully cut each squash half into wedges about ½ inch thick.  Combine the squash on a rimmed baking sheet with the shallots, rosemary, olive oil and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss well to coat.  Spread in a single layer.  (You may need to use two baking sheets.)  Roast, turning the squash halfway through until browned and tender, 35 to 40 minutes.