The warm, bright summer nights have yielded to the arrival of autumn, bringing in rain under cloudy skies. Our lawn, with its brown patches, is absorbing the downpour while we enjoy the initial warmth from our wood stove.
There is such a joy in the season of Fall.
While at the market today, I selected an acorn squash and some extra mushrooms, inspired by a recipe I first encountered several years ago. Initially, the instructions seemed rather unusual, but I felt adventurous enough to prepare it.
It has since become a dish we cherish.
For this evening's meal, we paired it with a vibrant fresh tomato salad, made from chopped tomatoes mixed with feta cheese, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil…
and a small serving of ice cream. (Delicious!)
Should you wish to experience this wonderful taste of Fall, here is the recipe:
Mushroom Stuffed Acorn Squash
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
- Trim off each end of the squash.
- Stand the squash upright and halve lengthwise.
- Scoop out the pulp and the seeds and discard.
- Brush each squash half with olive oil, and then sprinkle with 3/4 tsp. salt and the black pepper.
- Arrange cut sides down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Roast the squash until the flesh is tender and the edges are golden brown, approximately 25-35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, flip the squash halves over and set aside.
- While the squash roasts, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.
- Add the onions and garlic and saute 2 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn translucent.
- Add the mushrooms, sage, salt and the red pepper flakes if using and saute until the mushrooms begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Fill the roasted squash halves with the mushroom mixture and bake again for another 10 minutes.
