Italian Stuffed Acorn Squash Crock Pot Food

ITALIAN STUFFED ACORN SQUASH-CROCK POT

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!

SUNNY'S ITALIAN SAUSAGE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

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.

CROCK POT ACORN SQUASH WITH PEPPER RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
• Combine the rice, carrots, peppers, garlic and turmeric, and spoon the mixture into the squash cavities.
• Pour the water into an electric slow cooker (5 to 6 qt rectangular cooker), and add the squash halves, cavity-sides up.
• Pour the broth into the rice mixture in each cavity.
• Cook on LOW until the squash and rice are tender, 5-7 hours.
• Serve garnished with the sour cream and parsley (optional).

MEXICAN-INSPIRED STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Fill a baking pan with 1/2 inch of water.
• Place squash halves, cut-sides down, in the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
• While squash is baking, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat; stir in onion and bell pepper. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in beans, tomatoes, and frozen corn.
• Remove squash from the oven. Carefully turn each half over, fill with bean and veggie mixture, and top with shredded cheese.
• Return to the oven and bake until cheese is bubbling and squash is tender, about 20 more minutes.

COUSCOUS-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Brush each squash half with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Place on a rimmed baking sheet, cut-sides down. Use a sharp knife to cut off a small section of the rounded squash, so it will sit flat when turned upside-down.
• Bake in the preheated oven until squash is soft when pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine garbanzo beans, orange juice, cinnamon, cumin, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over low heat. Cook the beans for 10 minutes while the mixture slowly comes to a boil. Remove from the heat, stir in couscous, and cover with a lid. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid and stir cranberries, pistachio nuts, carrots, and butter into the couscous.
• Remove squash from the oven. Turn over and stuff with couscous mixture, firmly pushing it into each open cavity. Return to the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes more.