Stuffed Acorn Squash

Sorry I've been away for a few days. I went to my Mema's house where I got lots of delicious Southern food to fill me up and keep me inspired. Tonights meal wasn't Southern, but it's one of my very favorites. I even made a second version to be toddler friendly.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 Acorn Squash
1 cup of raw rice if making toddler version too, otherwise use 1/2 cup (I used brown)
5 button mushrooms
1/2 a small onion
1 package breakfast sausage (such as Owens)
salt & pepper
nutmeg (optional)

Prepare rice according to package directions. Preheat oven to 325º. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Place on a cookie sheet or casserole dish cut side up. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a bit of nutmeg over the top. Place in oven and cook for 45 min. - 1 hr or until a fork can pierce the squash very easily.

Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet (or other heavy bottom skillet) brown sausage, making sure to break it up with your spoon into small crumbles. Chop your onion and mushrooms very tiny. Add diced onion and mushrooms. Continue cooking until sausage is cooked through and onion is translucent. Stir in 1/2 of the cooked rice.

When squash is done, mound stuffing in the center and broil on HI for a few minutes. I like to serve extra stuffing on the side. (Save 1/4 cup of stuffing, for toddler dish) Serves 4



Toddler "Stuffed" Squash

1/2 cup rice (or 1/2 of rice left over from main dish)
1/4 cup of sausage & mushroom mixture
1/2 cup pureed squash (I used a can, but you can prepare an extra squash and puree it very easily. I just didn't have any extra one tonight)
1 egg
1/4 cup whole wheat flour

Puree rice in a blender with a small amount of water. Mix rice, sausage mixture, pureed squash, egg and wheat flour in a bowl. Spoon mixture on a hot griddle or skillet. It's very sticky. Cook until starts to brown, flip and cook second side. My mixture made 8 pancakes about the size of my palm. Freeze extras.

Toddler sides:
Steamed carrots
Honey Cinnamon Poached Pears
-Amanda