Oct 13 - Fall and Squash

If there's someone out there who doesn't love Fall, they should be placed in a laboratory and studied. Fall is the skinny-jeans-and-converse-sneakers seasonal equivalent. Hipsters everywhere rejoice when the leaves get their first hint of color. Seemingly overnight, Pinterest is flooded with ironic cardigans and pumpkin EVERYTHING. On second thought... maybe Pinterest is like that every day.

Sarcasm aside, I do love - LOVE - Fall. Maybe it's the band kid in me. Too many chilly romantic nights on school buses. I still have a soft spot for letterman jackets. But Fall Famers Markets are pure magic. Lots of leafy greens and multicolored root vegetables that I have no idea how to cook. When I spotted the first batch of acorn squash, I knew this was how I was going to bring our little house into fall.

Fall Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 medium onion (diced)
• 2 large celery stalks (diced)
• 1 large carrot (peeled and diced)
• 1/3 cup quinoa (cooked according to package directions with vegetable stock)
• 1/3 cup walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper to taste
• grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Don't forget to do this. Because I always do. And then I get distracted and my oven is still cold when I go to put food in it. The oven isn't really my strong point. Obvs.

Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the guts. Put about 1/2 inch of water in a baking dish and place squash cut side up in the dish. Pop that bad boy in your pre-heated oven for 30 minutes.

Heat your vegetable stock in a saucepan, add your quinoa and cook according to package directions. Vegetable stock  > water.

Meanwhile, dice your onion. Dice the celery and carrots, too.

Mmmm... If you haven't already, pour yourself a glass of wine. And put on some Black Keys. Because if there's a world in which a glass of wine and some good tunes isn't relaxing, I don't wanna live in it.
Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a medium pan until shimmering. Add your diced veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender.

Toss your sauteed veggies in the saucepan with your quinoa. Mix it up. Add your walnuts and dried cranberries. Season the whole mixture with cinnamon, nutmeg, and poultry seasoning. Hold onto your hats.
Remove your acorn squash from the oven and add the stuffing mixture to the center of the squash. Mound it up real good. More is always better.

Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and place back in the oven for 20 minutes. If want a little crunch to your stuffing, take the aluminum foil off about 10 mins before it's done.

Finally, remove the stuffed squash from the oven and grate some fresh Parmesan cheese over it. Or Asiago. Or Fontina. We don't discriminate when it comes to cheese.

This squash made the whole house smell like fall. And the leftovers were just as tasty the next day. Mister (w)Right and I are planning to get out this weekend and enjoy the last of the beautiful warm(ish) weather. Happy Fall!