Stuffed Acorn Squash

Since we get all of our produce for a week from Bountiful Baskets we have no control over, or advance notice of what our produce for the week will be. This works to keep me on my creative cooking toes. This week we got some acorn squash, which I was pretty stoked about. I REALLY love squash, all of it! Last night before making dinner I perused Pinterest for inspiration and discovered that most recipes for acorn squash involve stuffing them. Working with what I had, I came up with this recipe and my husband and I both enjoyed it. 

What you'll need:

1 Acorn Squash
4 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Sweet Onion
2 Stalks of Celery
1/2 Tart Apple
2 cloves garlic
1 cup cooked rice of choice
1 lemon
Pinch of dried sage
1 tablespoon balsamic
5 teaspoons agave
Salt and Pepper to taste

This recipe serves 2, with leftover stuffing mixture (that's delicious on it's own).

1. First you'll need to bake your squash. I cut mine in half, scraped out the seeds, brushed on a tiny bit of oil, salted and peppered it, and put it flat side down on a baking sheet in a 400º oven for 30 minutes.
2. While the squash bakes make the filling. Starting with the rice since it takes the longest. Cook your choice of rice according to it's directions. 
3. Caramelize a chopped onion by sautéing it in about 3 tablespoons of olive oil on a med-low heat until it is dark on the edges (not burnt).  
4. Mince the garlic and chop the apple and celery into about 1/4 inch pieces while the onion cooks.
5. Once the onion is properly cooked toss in the minced garlic and cook for about a minute, til it's fragrant.
6. You can add the celery and apple simultaneously. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes.
7. Mix in your cooked rice.
8. Remove baked squash from the oven and scrape out some of the flesh to combine in the stuffing. Leave enough in the squash for it to keep it's shape.
9. Add the juice of half of the lemon, 3 teaspoons of agave, the balsamic, and sage, and as much salt and pepper as you see fit.
10. Generously spoon the stuffing into the two squash halves. Drizzle each half with one teaspoon of agave and place in the oven for about 5 minutes. 
11. Serve with lemon wedges to add some moisture and zing!
12. Enjoy. :)