Shannons Stuffed Delicata Squash Food

STUFFED DELICATA SQUASH

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
• Spread the bread cubes out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Toast in the oven for 15 minutes and then transfer them to a large bowl.
• Slice the delicata squash in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the squash, cut side down, on the sheet pan and roast for 25 minutes. (You can toast the crumbs and roast the squash at the same time if both will fit in your oven.)
• While the squash is roasting, make the stuffing. Remove the sausage from its casing, breaking it into chunks. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a little olive oil. Add the sausage and brown it, breaking it up into small crumbles. Transfer the browned sausage to the large bowl with the bread cubes using a slotted spoon.
• Melt the butter in the skillet. Add the onions and celery and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the diced mushrooms, dried thyme and sage and sauté for a 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables soften. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the vegetables to the bowl with the sausage and bread cubes, along with the chicken stock and cranberries. Toss to combine all the ingredients and to allow the bread cubes to absorb all the liquid. Stir in the beaten egg and fresh parsley.
• Remove the squash from the oven and carefully turn it cut side up. Spoon the stuffing into the cavity of each squash half. Return the pan with the stuffed squash to the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until squash is fork tender and stuffing is browned on top.
• Serve immediately with vegetables or a side salad.

ROASTED DELICATA SQUASH STUFFED W/ BEANS & SPINACH

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2. Place the squash halves (cut side up) on a sheet pan or in a baking dish.
• 3. Drizzle the surfaces with some olive oil, and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• 4. Bake in the oven until the flesh is tender when pierced with a knife or fork, about 1 hour.
• 5. Remove the squash halves from the oven and set aside.
• 6. Meanwhile, make your filling: heat a little extra-virgin olive oil (about 1-2 Tbsp) in a saute pan over medium heat until hot, then add the minced garlic and saute for about 30 seconds, until fragrant.
• 7. Add the greens and saute until wilted.
• 8. Add beans.
• 9. Stir in the chopped fresh sage, season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, and set aside to cool slightly.
• 10. Stir in the breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast.
• 11. Fill the squash halves with the bean mixture.
• 12. Cook for 15 minutes at 425.
• 13. Enjoy!

STUFFED DELICATA SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Rub 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the cut side of each squash half and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Roast for 25-30 minutes until the squash is fork tender and starting to caramelize/turn golden brown around the edges.
• While squash roasts, place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan along with the ground pork and cook until browned, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks.
• Once browned, add the leeks, fennel and apple to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, stir to combine and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cranberries and fresh sage, cook until cranberries are just heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spoon the filling into each roasted squash half and serve.

SHANNON'S STUFFED DELICATA SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place squash cut side-down on a shallow baking dish with about 1/2 inch water at the bottom.
• Bake in the preheated oven until fork-tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook and stir until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add turkey, bacon, garlic, turmeric, cumin, safflower, and sea salt; cook and stir until turkey is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add chard and just enough broth to create steam. Cook until chard is wilted and liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes.
• Drain any remaining liquid from under the squash. Flip squash cut side-up. Spread goat cheese equally over each squash half; fill cavities with the turkey mixture.
• Toss bread crumbs and butter together lightly in a bowl; spread evenly over the squash halves. Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Return squash to the oven and bake under the broiler, watching closely, until bread crumbs are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

WILD RICE & LENTIL STUFFED DELICATA SQUASH WITH CRANBERRIES & PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Make the pilaf. Set a large saute pan with lid (or a medium dutch oven) over low heat. Add the olive oil. When hot, add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until a few pieces of the rice start to get golden on the ends, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon curry powder, cumin, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for one more minute.
• Add 3 cups of the vegetable broth, the brown sugar, and the lentils. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer, stir, and cover. Set the timer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the mixture begins to get too dry before being cooked all of the way, add additional broth. If the mixture seems too wet after cooking for awhile, vent the pan to help some of the liquid evaporate. I've found making the pilaf is not an exact science as each pan is different, so just monitor your pilaf as it cooks. Pilaf is done when it's relatively dry and the lentils and rice are tender, about 40 minutes.
• Remove pilaf from heat and stir the dried cranberries and chopped pecans. Taste and add the remaining teaspoon of curry powder and more salt and pepper if you wish.
• Meanwhile, while the pilaf cooks, prepare the delicata squash. Cut the stems off the ends, half lengthwise, scrape the seeds out with a spoon, and brush the inside of each half with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place cut side down on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, until fork-tender and golden around the edges. Remove from oven.
• When ready to serve, flip over the delicata squash and spoon pilaf into the squash halves. I like to mound it just a bit but not too much or serving will become interesting (as in messy). You may have some pilaf left over. Transfer to serving plate and sprinkle chopped parsley over the top. Serve.