“All at once summer collapsed into fall.” — Oscar Wilde
Baked acorn squash with apples, rice, zucchini, and chicken sausage
Sweet and savory flavors enhance this early autumn dish. It’s the perfect seasonal offering for two though ingredients can easily be increased for more servings.
Cook’s notes: Some preplanning is necessary for this recipe. The filling for the acorn squash can be made early in the day as a time saver as well as the brown or wild rice. Recipe adapted from Real Food Magazine Lunds and Byerlys
1 acorn squash (cut in half and scooped clean)
1/2 teaspoon apple pie or pumpkin pie spice mix, divided
Place the acorn squash halves in a baking pan with the cut sides up.
Place 1 teaspoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon butter into each acorn squash half. Sprinkle each half with spice and then cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and roast until tender, about 30 minutes more.
Before adding filling be sure to drain any buttery liquid from the acorn halves.
3 links of chicken apple sausage cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup diced mini sweet peppers yellow and red combination
1 cup cooked brown or wild rice
1/2 teaspoon of each dried thyme and parsley
1 cup from a package of 5 Italian cheeses. reserve 1/4 cup
Make rice according to manufacturer’s directions and set it aside.
Sauté in oil sausages, onions, peppers, apples, zucchini, and spices.
Add in rice and cheeses, mix well.
Divide filling ingredients between each acorn half.
Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with reserved cheese and bake 5 minutes longer.
Puff pastry with almond filling
1 box puff pastry shells (Pepperidge Farm) you will need four from the box
Suggested optional toppings-fresh fruit, toasted coconut, crushed almonds
Beat cream, powdered sugar, and extracts until stiff. Refrigerate mixture for 30 minutes.
Bake four shells on a baking sheet for 18 minutes at 425 degrees.
Cool 2 minutes and gently remove tops.
Fill shells with almond cream and add preferred toppings. Serve immediately.
Twice a month The Seasonal Plate food column will highlight dishes inspired by the changing seasons. My passion for travel, poetry, writing, exploring new cuisines, trying recipes and cooking have been inspiration for the recipes I have published on my blog http://www.sockfairies.blogspot.com.
Questions/comments at: theseasonalplate@outlook.com
Sue Ready is a freelance writer, poet, food writer, book reviewer, and former middle school teacher. She is a member of Northwoods Arts Council and chair of Book Arts for the Northwoods Art and Book Festival.
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