Stuffed Acorn Squash

A couple weeks ago, I tried out a recipe for acorn squash that looked interesting. It was filled with a concoction of bread crumbs, sausage, apples, and a few other ingredients. It looked delicious, but when I took a bite, it just seemed a little too much. There were so many flavors going on in the filling that I could barely taste the sweetness of the squash! So after giving the matter some thought, I came up with something more down to earth.

I am certainly not a gourmet chef. I like simple food that tastes fresh and delicious, with just enough seasoning to enhance the flavor rather than cover it. And the food I cook at home must have one other characteristic: it must be inexpensive! Feeding a family of seven on a teacher's income requires careful planning and creativity. By eliminating most processed foods and using very little meat, I have been able to serve healthy food at a reasonable cost.

This recipe is much simpler than the other one I tried. The filling is easy to make and compliments the flavor of the acorn squash quite nicely. I used brown and wild rice (not the highly-seasoned packaged product -- just the rice), which I cooked while the squash was baking. Remember, one cup of uncooked rice (with two cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt) will make about three cups, cooked. You could try this recipe using other grains, such as quinoa, instead of the rice. I served it with oven-roasted vegetables, apples in brown sugar sauce, and gouda cheese. It would also go well with apple-glazed chicken or pork, or cedar-planked salmon. No matter what may accompany it, this pretty little squash will make any meal seem special!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 acorn squashes
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups cooked brown and wild rice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Cut each squash in half and scoop out the seeds.
Cut a small piece from the bottom of each half, if necessary, to allow the squash to sit flat.
Spread melted butter on each squash half.
Place squash in a baking dish and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, mix together the rice, nuts, and cranberries.
Fill each squash half with the rice mixture.
Serves 4

Apples in Brown Sugar Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
4 medium tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup apple juice
cinnamon

Melt butter in a 9 or 10 inch skillet over moderate heat.
Add the apples, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the apples with brown sugar, and add apple juice.
Continue to cook until the sugar melts and mixture comes to a boil.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Serves 4