Alright everyone, time to turn that oven up and get cozy.
Squash season is officially here.
We hope you enjoy this filling and nutritious recipe. Despite appearances, it is shockingly approachable and a fabulous work-week lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
3 acorn squash, unpeeled, halved through the stem, and seeded
3 tbsp unsalted butter, diced
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
3 tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the stuffing -
(This is really up to you. We love lentils, sausage, black beans, or in this case, ground beef - the options are limitless. Below is what we did but have fun with this, the sky is the limit.)
2 red peppers
1 yellow onion
1 lb of local, grass fed ground beef
Seasoning - healthy pinch of equal parts garlic powder, paprika, and cumin. Add fresh ground pepper and salt to taste.
(Optional- cheddar cheese for topping)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Halve and scoop out the seeds of your acorn squash.
In a small bowl or small mason jar, mix maple syrup and olive oil together - mix well. Lay out your acorn squash on baking sheet and liberally brush insides with maple syrup and olive oil mixture. Sprinkle halves with salt and fresh cracked pepper. Put in oven to roast for approximately 30 minutes or until tender with a fork.
Meanwhile, prepare your stuffing. This obviously depends on what you decide to use as stuffing but if you are going the ground beef route -
Dice onion and garlic and sauté in a skillet or pan for about two minutes. Add the ground beef.
Dice red pepper and add after an additional two minutes. Add seasoning and let simmer until red pepper is soft and cooked.
Once the acorn squash is tender and roasted, remove from the oven and fill halves with stuffing. Top with shredded cheddar cheese (optional and delicious).
Put back in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted to desired effect.
Serve and enjoy.