Stuffed Acorn Squash

Here's a full meal all in one.  You can use leftover cooked rice or cook rice specially for the recipe.  

Here's what you need:

1 large or 2 small acorn squash.
1 carrot
1 shallot or small onion
1 celery stalk
1/2 pound ground chicken or ground pork
1 apple
1.5 cups cooked rice (I used a brown and wild rice blend)
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons butter

I always find it hard to cut through the squash.  A large, sharp knife helps.

Cut the squash in half.

Scoop out the seeds.

I also sliced a little off the outside so it would balance in the pan.  

Cook the ground chicken in a large pan until no longer pink. You can also use cooked chicken sausage.

Dice the carrots, onion and celery.  Add them to the meat and sauté them until softened.

Peel and dice the apple and add it in to the vegetables.  

Add the rice and pine nuts to the pan and warm through.  Season with salt and pepper.

Drop a teaspoon of butter into the bottom of each squash half and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spoon the stuffing into the squash halves.

I really packed it in and piled it high.  But I still had leftovers.

Cover loosely with foil and bake in a 400 degree oven for about an hour until the squash is soft and the stuffing is browned on top.

Nothing on the side. This was more than enough on its own with plenty of leftovers.  

Tasty and healthy, full of veggies.  Enjoy!