Recipe Baked Acorn Squash With Chestnuts Apples And Leeks

BAKED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place squash in a shallow baking pan, cut side down.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until tender.
• Turn cut side up; season with salt and pepper, dot with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Bake for 20 minutes more.

RECIPE: BAKED ACORN SQUASH WITH CHESTNUTS, APPLES AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the cut sides of the squash with olive oil and season the cavities with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down on two baking sheets and roast for about 25 minutes, until just tender.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt the butter in the 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the celery, leeks and a generous pinch each of salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the apples and thyme and cook over moderately high heat until the apples just start to soften, about 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl. Add the bread, chestnuts, parsley, cream and stock and toss well. Season with salt and pepper.
• Turn the squash cut side up. Spoon the stuffing into the cavities and bake until the squash are tender and the stuffing is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to plates and serve.

ACORN SQUASH WITH APPLE

Steps:

• To easily peel the acorn squash without losing a lot of vegetable, gently drop the squash in a large pot of boiling water, and boil for 15 minutes. Pour off the boiling water and fill with cold water and let sit 5 minutes to cool. When cool enough to handle, use a knife to slice off the peel on the ridges and use a teaspoon to dig out the peel in the valleys. Slice the squash in half and remove the seeds and stem. Then slice the halves into sections and finally cut into 1 inch chunks.
• Place the squash chunks into a large microwave-safe bowl along with the apples. Dot with pieces of butter. Sprinkle the brown sugar, walnuts, salt and cinnamon over the top. Cover with plastic wrap, and poke a few holes in it for ventilation.
• Cook in the microwave for 7 1/2 minutes on full power. Remove, uncover, and stir. Return to the microwave, and cook for another 7 1/2 minutes on full power, until tender. Serve hot.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH AND APPLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Cut the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds and strings.
• Put a little water in a baking pan; place the halves face down and bake for 1/2 hour.
• Then, take it out and put the sliced apples in the middle (some will fall over the sides, it's okay); drizzle with canola oil and maple syrup, and sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice.
• Bake for another 1/2 hour to 40 minutes (until the apples are soft and browning).
• Put your acorn squash halves in individual plates; scoop up the stray apples and stray maple syrup and spoon over the squash.

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH AND CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds and strings. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 wedges and arrange wedges, skin sides down, in a shallow baking pan. In a small saucepan melt butter with brown sugar over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Stir in nutmeg and cloves and remove pan from heat. Spoon butter mixture over squash and cover baking pan with foil.
• Bake squash in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven and scatter chestnuts over squash. Re-cover pan with foil and roast squash and chestnuts 30 minutes, or until squash is tender. Squash and chestnuts may be made up to this point 6 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
• Remove foil from pan and bake squash and chestnuts 20 minutes more. With a slotted spoon transfer squash and chestnuts to a serving dish. Stir sauce, scraping up brown-sugar drippings, and spoon over squash and chestnuts.