Spicy Apple Stuffed Squash Food

APPLE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut squash in half horizontally and remove seeds. Pull or cut off stem if attached and on the other end, slice off a tiny sliver of the end so that it sits upright in a pan without rocking.
• Place all four squash halves cut up in a 9×13-inch glass baking dish.
• Peel, core and cut apples into one inch cubes and place in large bowl.
• Immediately cover with lemon juice and toss to coat.
• Add zest, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, salt, sage and apple sauce and mix.
• Divide evenly between four acorn squash halves.
• Cut the butter into four pieces and press one piece down into the center of each filled squash.
• Pour water into the bottom of the baking dish to come about one third of the way up.
• Cover pan with parchment and foil and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness and bake for 15 minutes more if needed.
• Then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more to brown tops. (Ours took the entire hour and 15 minutes).
• Remove from oven and serve. (The outside squash skin is not meant to be eaten.)

SAUSAGE, PECAN AND APPLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange squash cut side up in a 9x13 pan and pierce all over the flesh, without breaking the rind, using a fork or butter knife. Combine the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, garlic salt and pepper; brush over cut sides and cavity of squash. Spoon the rest of the butter mixture evenly into the cavities of the squash.
• Bake in a large roasting pan until squash is tender yet still holds its shape, about 1 hour.
• To make the stuffing, cook sausage over medium-high heat in a large pan until light brown, breaking up into small pieces. Set pork aside in a large bowl. If there are not enough drippings, add 1 tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add onion, celery and pecans; saute 5-7 minutes or until softened. Stir in apple, sage, cayenne, salt and pepper and saute 3-4 more minutes, or until apple is softened.
• Add vegetable mixture to bowl with sausage and stir to combine. Pour any remaining butter mixture from squash cavities into the stuffing. Add parmesan and almond meal and stir again. Taste and season with sage, cayenne, salt or pepper if needed (depending on your sausage you may not want to add more seasoning).
• Stir in the egg and parsley.
• Fill the squash halves with stuffing; they should be slightly mounded. Sprinkle generously with parmesan. Put pan in oven, then pour 1 cup water carefully between the squash into the pan.
• Return to oven and bake, covered, for 20 to 25 more minutes, or until the top of the stuffing is lightly browned.
• Enjoy!

SAUSAGE AND APPLE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Combine the melted butter, garlic salt and 1/4 teaspoons sage; brush over cut sides and cavity of squash. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Bake in a large roasting pan, cut side up, at 400 degrees F for 1 hour, until squash is tender yet still holds its shape.
• Meanwhile make stuffing: Fry pork sausage until light brown. Remove pork to a colander to drain. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from frypan. Add onion, celery and mushroom; saute 4 minutes. Stir in apple and saute 2 more minutes.
• Combine the pork, vegetables, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl.
• Taste and season with sage, salt or pepper if needed (depending on your sausage you may not want to add more seasoning).
• Stir in the egg and parsley.
• Fill the squash halves with stuffing-they should be slightly mounded.
• Return to oven and bake, covered, for 20 more minutes, until the egg is set.
• Garnish as desired with parsley and shredded romano cheese.

SPICY STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Place halves of acorn squash, cavity facing down, in a 9x13-inch baking pan with 1/2 inch of water. Bake 350 oven for 30 minutes or until squash is tender when center is pierced with a fork.
• While squash is baking, mix together the next 10 ingredients.
• Stuff the squash halves.
• Pour 1 tsp apple juice over each, sprinkle with coriander, and bake in 350 oven for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and light brown on top. Serves 4.

GROUND BEEF & APPLE FILLED ACORN SQUASH HALVES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F.
• Cut each of the squash in half and remove the seeds and fibers.
• Place the squash, cut sides down, in an ungreased baking pan.
• Then add water to the depth of 1/4-inch and bake, uncovered, until the squash is tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• While the squash is baking, cook and stir the meat in a large skillet until it is brown.
• Drain off the excess fat.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the 1 1/2 ts of salt as well as the cinnamon, the coarsely chopped tart apples and the raisins.
• When the squash is cooked, turn them so that the cut side is up and remove them to a platter.
• Drain off any remaining liquid in the pan and dry.
• Scoop out the pulp from the acorn squash, making a shell that is 1/4-inch thick all the way around.
• Season the shells with salt to taste.
• Mash the pulp and mix in the meat mixture.
• Return to the shells, piling them full and sprinkle with 1 tb of brown sugar on each.
• Drizzle with the melted butter.
• Bake uncovered until the apple is tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Serve hot.
• NOTE: You can substitute a combination of 1/2 lb lean ground beef and 1/2 lb of bulk pork sausage for the 1 lb of lean ground beef.