Fall is here so I thought I would make baked squash the feature for my first ever blog. I used Carnival Squash which is a cross between Acorn and Sweet Dumpling.

How To Make Stuffed & Roasted Squash

Ingredients

1 winter squash: acorn, kabocha, sweet dumpling, delicata, spaghetti, butternut, Carnival or small Hubbard
2 cups of filling – depending on size of squash
1 sweet onion cut in half and sliced sliced thin
1 package of white or baby Bella mushrooms chopped
1 Cup of Spinach and Kale, rinsed
1/2 Cup toasted pine nuts
Tricolor Quinoa (1 cup) cooked per package instructions – you could use any kind of grains but I love Trader Joe’s Quinoa
Cheese for sprinkling on top. I used a little cheddar as that is what I had on hand.

Instructions

1. Prepare the squash for roasting: Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower-middle position.
   Slice the squash in half from stem to root and scoop out the seeds.
2. Transfer the squash to a baking dish: Place the squash halves cut-side-down in a baking dish and pour in enough hot water to fill the pan by about 1/4 inch. Cover the dish loosely with foil and place the dish in the oven.
3. Roast the squash: Roast until very soft and tender, 30 to 50 minutes. Exact roasting time will depend on the size and variety of your squash.
4. Prepare the filling: While the squash is roasting, prepare the filling. Depending on the size of your squash, 2 to 3 cups of combined ingredients is usually sufficient. I used onions, mushrooms, pine nuts, spinach/kale
5. Stuff the squash halves: Flip the cooked squash halves so they form bowls. Rub the inside with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the filling between the halves
6. Bake the stuffed squash halves: Re-cover the pan with the foil and bake the halves for another 15 to 20 minutes.

I served this as a side dish with a pork chop but it would be filling enough for a vegetarian main meal.

 

 

Saute the Onions until caramelized. Add the mushrooms.

 

 

Add the Spinach/Kale and stir until wilted. Add toasted pine nuts. Sprinkle with cheese.

 

Fill with stuffing and bake about 15-20 minutes.