Stuffed Acorn Squash

Last weekend I picked up an acorn squash at the grocery store. They were on sale and I've been seeing many recipes for stuffing them.

Needing a well-deserved break from my NaNoWriMo yesterday, I began looking again for these recipes again. My challenge was to make sure it was meatless for Meatless Monday. 

A quick Google search revealed many rice/beef/sausage stuffing combinations. I found the basis for the recipe I ended up using on Allrecipes.com. Sometimes I feel like I should know better, and just start looking here. Last night was one of those times.

I read through it and the start of the reviews. I liked it for its seeming simplicity and few ingredients. Simple is good. 

The last squash I split was a butternut squash. So, I wasn't quite sure what to expect with this acorn. Would there be a 'nut' of sorts seeded inside, or would it be strung with little seeds? I tried to be delicate slicing it, unsure of the innards. But, when my knife when through the middle without stopping, I kept going. 

The inside of the acorn squash reminded much of that of a pumpkin. The seeds are all strung and melded together. I wish I had a grapefruit spoon. I tried first with a metal spoon to scoop them out. It worked alright, but I really had to scrape the edges. 

Then I remembered my avocado peeler. It worked beautifully on the second half of the squash. The beveled edge got under the seeds and around the bowl of the squash. In three quick strokes, the inside was cleaned out and ready to be stuffed. 

Speaking of stuffed, this was also my first experience making stuffing. One reviewer suggested Stove-Top. I boiled broth and butter together, and then stirred in the stuffing mix. Simple. Almost too simple I thought. 

Once the stuffing was fluffed, I stirred in some pepper, onion powder, and minced garlic. I used the herb-flavored stuffing which made the house smell fabulous. 

Next time, I think I will try making my own stuffing. About half of it is left over. 

While the stuffing was soaking up its juices, I preheated the oven to 400F and dropped a spoonful of brown sugar in each half of squash. I topped it with some slices of butter and popped in the oven covered in foil for a few minutes. 

Next, I mixed about 2 oz of crumbled feta into the stuffing mix while it cooled.. Everything is better with cheese! 

Now for the real easy part. I removed the squash from the oven. The sugar had just begun to caramelize and the butter didn't even melt yet. I don't know if this makes much of a difference in the overall squash.

Using a tablespoon, I filled the halves with the stuffing mixture, and then some. I wanted them to overflow a bit. I wrapped each in the foil, shiny side down, and returned the pan to the oven. 

I set the timer for 45 minutes. When it went off, I removed the foil wrappings and returned the pan for 15 more minutes. I was tempted to just remove them for good here because they looked and smelt so good. But a quick squeeze revealed the squash wasn't tender just yet. 

Plus, my small half leaked some sugar. 

So 15 minutes back in without the foil browned up the tops a bit, but didn't soften the squash to my liking. I recovered them with their foils and popped them back in for 10-12 more minutes. 

This did the trick. The squash halves were soft and tender. The tops were browned, and the feta slightly melted. I could hear them sizzling as I pulled them from the oven.

They popped off the pan (lined with foil, no spray) and I placed them on a cooling rack for a few minutes. Unsure how to eat stuffed squash, I opted for a bowl and fork. Good choice. 

The feta is a must. It definitely adds something to the stuffing. The stuffing is flavorful and textured enough to not realize there is no meat. The squash adds sweetness and a bit of crunch to this all-in-one meal. 

Can't wait for the leftover half!