VEGETARIAN STUFFED ACORN SQUASH RECIPES

Steps:

• For the squash: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Carefully cut the squash in half, through the stem. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous center. Place on a baking sheet cut-side up. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes. Flip each half over, placing them cut side down, and continue to roast for 15 minutes or until very tender. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. 
• For the filling: While the squash is roasting, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add the sage and cook for 30 seconds or until dark green. Add the sausage to the skillet. Cook until fully browned, breaking up the sausage with the back of a spoon as it cooks, about 10 minutes. Transfer the sausage-sage mixture to a bowl.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the mushrooms, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the onions are softened, about 7 minutes. 
• Stir in the cooked rice and heavy cream. Stir in 1/2 cup fontina cheese until well combined. Stir the sausage back into the mixture. Let simmer for a couple of minutes then remove from the heat.
• Flip the squash cut-side up and divide the filling among each squash half. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup fontina. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is warm throughout. Garnish with more fresh thyme leaves and black pepper before serving.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375°F. Arrange a rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.
• Cut the squash in half from stem to tip. Place the squash on a cutting board. Using a chef’s knife, start on one side of the stem and cut straight through until the knife stops hitting resistance and you’ve cut through to the hollow middle. Continue cutting around the acorn, through the tip, ending up on the other side of the stem. Do not try to cut through the stem.
• Break the squash in half. Put down your knife and hold the squash in both hands. Pull the two halves away from each other, cracking the shell at the stem. The stem will stay with one half and leave the other half clean; you can trim away the stem if you want, but I usually leave it in.
• Scoop out the seeds. Use a sturdy spoon to scrape out all the seeds and stringy bits from inside both squash halves. You can save these for roasting in the oven, if you like!
• Rub the squash halves with oil or butter. Place the acorn squash halves cut-side up, like bowls, in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with a little olive oil or butter and use your fingertips to rub it all over the cut surface and inside of the squash.
• Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle both halves generously with salt and pepper.
• Roast in the oven for 45 to 60 minutes. Roast until the halves are caramelized and roasted around the edges, 45 to 60 minutes. You should be able to easily poke a fork or knife all the way through the flesh.
• Serve. Eat immediately, or cool and refrigerate for up to 5 days.