Fanatical about Fall. Husband is looking forward to the season coming to a close, already, just so he doesn’t have to eat anymore squash, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Good thing I know his favorites to keep on hand for him, to give him a break. That is what happens when a man marries someone who was raised from the ground, from fertile dirt. When you teach your kids how to work in the family garden year after year, they will naturally develope not only the love for garden produce, but the respect needed for good wholesome foods in caring for them, and the respect a person can have for the nutritional value of vegeatables. It makes a difference; children learn how to eat for the rest of their lives, not being picky about their veggies and loving a large assortment of them. Through the appreciation of true foods, they adapt to the knowledge of how to cook through the foods they’ve come to appreciate and live off of. Is wise and good to instill into your children. You want them to be healthy, not just happy and successful. Out of healthiness comes the latter two.
Always eat what is in season; what is local. What is in abuncdance is economical. It is healthier for you, better for you, and best for your family. Find the many different ways of cooking seasonal foods so you do not tire of them quickly. You may prefer something in soup rather than baked; or baked with butter, salt and pepper on vegetables, such as a sweet potato from the oven; do this, even, with squash, any kind. There are so many ways you can eat your foods and be content about eating healthy. To be well, we need to eat well; usually the case though not always.
These are very filling and can be divided for a meal among four or six people when serving a full-course dinner. One large acorn, stuffed, can easily feed and satisfy two people for one meal if this is all they have for dinner; and it can be, it can be sufficient. This recipe has practically all the nutritional value needed for one meal.
Stuffed Acorn Squash ~
– Skirt in the Kitchen –
1 large acorn squash
1 pound ground Italian sausage
3/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup Orzo
1/2 of a medium-small purple onion
3/4 of a medium-size green bell pepper
1 minced garlic clove
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika
Salt & Pepper
Preheat oven to 400 dgrees. Place squash halves face-down in a baking dish and cook for 30-35 minutes.
Brown with Italian sausage and mincing before adding: purple onion and green bell pepper. Salt with black pepper. Stir frequently. When sausage is almost cooked all the way through, mince the garlic clove and add to the sausage, and mushrooms…
After the sausage has been cooked, make a well in the saute pan, putting the sausage mixture all the way around the sides; pour the chicken stock into the center of saute pan. Bring to a boil and add the Orzo, keeping it in the center; sprinkle cinnmon, nutmeg and paprika– and stir off and on just so the Orzo does not cook down too much and stick. Cook the Orzo for roughly 10 minutes. Then mix together with sausage combination. Stir in fresh parsley.
Turn on lowest heat, not forsaking the filling, stirring to keep moist, not stick… Take the squash out of the oven after time is up; spoon out and mash with a potato masher.
Mix into the sausage and Orzo mixture with a large spoon. Taste to check for need of additional salt and pepper or alterations of seasonings to your liking. Then fill the squash shells, heaping the filling into the shells.
Bake to brown for approximately 15 minutes, checking it. When out of the oven, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese for garnish and taste.
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