Stuffed Acorn Squash

Acorn squash will always be my first squash. Spaghetti squash might turn out to be my favorite, and butternut is super easy/versatile, but acorn is where I'm learning the culinary ropes of winter gourds. Last year I sliced up the acorn squash I picked up randomly at aldi, topped each slice with butter and brown sugar, and roasted it to creamy perfection. This year, I'm starting off with something more savory than sweet: stuffed squash. I leaned on Martha Stewart for the basics, but played around a bit with textures and flavors.

Here's her take (with my substitutions/additions in parenthesis):

• • 2 acorn squash, halved crosswise and seeded (I only used one, but still used about 1 c rice)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1/2 pound cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and diced small (I used white)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
  • (1 carrot, peeled and diced)
  • 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice (I used a rice pilaf mix)
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
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  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, season cut sides of squash with salt and pepper, drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and turn cut sides down. Cover sheet tightly with foil and roast until tender, about 35 minutes.
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  • Meanwhile, in a medium straight-sided skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Add mushrooms, onion, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Saute until mushrooms are golden, 8 minutes. Add rice and broth and bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 20 minutes. (I used a regular pot and just added in my veggies--carrots, mushrooms, onion--to cook along with the pilaf.)
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  • Remove squash from oven and heat broiler. Carefully scoop out 2 to 3 tablespoons flesh from each squash half and stir into rice; season with salt and pepper. Divide rice mixture among squash halves, sprinkle with Parmesan, and broil until melted, 2 minutes. (I had plenty of rice pilaf to spare, so these were not only stuffed, but overflowing acorn squash. Still super tasty.)

  
  
• Can be scooped out and served in one dish, or enjoyed straight from the squash bowls!