Although the author says she makes this every Thanksgiving, I just had to put it on this year’s Christmas menu. Not only does it keep with my cranberry theme, but it’s another first since I’ve never made or eaten acorn squash before. I do love new things, and I’ve never had a squash dish I didn’t like, so here goes!
This particular acorn squash creation graces our table each Thanksgiving. The filling made of fresh apples, soft pecans, and tart dried cranberries drizzled with sweet maple syrup bake just long enough for the flavors to infuse the squash and produce the most delicious and filling side dish.
The Ingredients
I have to say this was an easy recipe to shop for. Nothing was difficult to find or unusually expensive. I thought about substituting brown sugar for the coconut sugar, but I’m glad I didn’t. Coconut sugar has a richer taste than brown sugar that’s worth trying. It reminds me of toffee and it’s so good in my morning coffee. Horizons have been expanded 🙂
The Process
I read through the comments on this post and picked up a great tip to make cutting the acorn squash easier. The author advised microwaving it for 3 minutes to soften it a little. It helped, but be careful when you take them out of the microwave because they get very hot.
While I was microwaving then letting the squash cool, I prepped the filling. It was pretty easy to put together. I thought I had more than I needed, but it just fit into the 4 halves when I packed it a bit. I’m glad I did because the filling settled a little during cooking.
As far as the times go, I had my stuffed acorn squash ready in 1 hour 15 minutes. Prepping it took 15 minutes instead of the 5-7 listed, but I did add the extra step of microwaving the squash. Cooking it only took 1 hour, so I was still within the total time. Works for me!
To Serve
I served this dish with Oven-Roasted Cranberry-Dijon Glazed Ham. It was a sweet accompaniment to the savory ham.