Seasonal Stuffed Acorn Squash

We are only a couple of weeks from Thanksgiving and I’m continuing my seasonal obsession with acorn squash.

Acorn squash makes a beautiful presentation for your Thanksgiving table. Who wouldn’t want a filling, stuffing or dressing served in an edible container?

What’s great is that your filling will mix well with the softened squash for added moisture and a touch of sweetness.

Here are some tips:

Cut a few slits in the squash and cook for a couple minutes in your microwave.  That will allow you to cut it more easily.

You can cut the squash into rings and serve your filling inside for another beautiful presentation. Otherwise cut in half and remove the seeds and stringy pieces. You can reserve the seeds to roast.

Season with salt pepper and olive oil and roast, cut side down at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until softened.

Some combinations:

Sausage makes a nice compliment to the squash. If you are going meatless you may sautée a combination of mushrooms, onions and walnuts (as done here).

Add your favorite fall herbs and spices like thyme, parsley and sage and cook until tender.

Add to a large bowl and toss with traditional bread cubes or corn bread cubes, or add cooked wild rice, couscous, quinoa – experiment!

Stuff and bake for an additional 20 minutes until warmed through.

If you want to stick to your favorite holiday stuffing, you can always roast the squash in advance and then once your stuffing is almost finished, transfer it to the cooked acorn halves and heat through.