Here is a vegetarian recipe for thanksgiving that is both easy to make AND a show stopper! With this baked acorn squash stuffed with brown rice mushroom pilaf, you won’t even miss the turkey. And you can easily make this dish the day before and just warm it in the microwave – so it’s a stress free thanksgiving main dish!

If you are making this dish ahead of time. Keep the baked squash and the pilaf separate. Heat them separately in the microwave and then spoon the pilaf into the squash just before serving.

Keep in mind that different brown rices need different amounts of water. And they may also have different cooking times. The 1 cup water and 50 minute cooking time I’ve given you is a guideline. So check the package instructions on your brown rice.

Mushrooms will let out water, so its important to cook them on high heat. I find that crimins dont let out as much water and recommend you use criminis if you can.

I love halloumi cheese and will find an excuse to put it in anything! But this recipe is stellar even without it, so leave out the halloumi if you wish. But if you do use the halloumi, keep in mind it’s a salty cheese – so add less salt to the rice to compensate.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Brown Rice Mushroom Pilaf

serves 2

Ingredients
For the squash
1 acorn squash
For the Pilaf
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
½ a cinnamon stick
2 cloves, optional
5  oz (about 2 cups) chopped mushrooms – either white button, crimini or portobello.
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 sprig of thyme
1/2 cup brown basmati or long grain brown rice
Salt
¼ scant cup cubed halloumi cheese, optional
1 tablespoon dried cranberries or raisin, optional

Method
Pre heat oven to 400f

1. Cut the squash in half. Using a spoon, scrape out the membrane and seeds. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet, cut side down, for about 30 minutes or till the squash is fork tender.
2. When the squash is done, cut off the tips to that the squash sits up steadily.
3. While squash is baking, work on the mushroom pilaf – heat butter in a large, deep skillet. Add cinnamon and cloves and let sizzle for 30 seconds.
4. Toss in the mushrooms and cook undisturbed on medium-high heat, till the mushrooms brown.
5. Then reduce heat to medium, add garlic, thyme, rice and salt. Stir for about 2 minutes.
6. Pour 1 cups water and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low, cover the pan and simmer till the rice is done, about 50 minutes.
7. When the rice is cooked (but shouldn’t be mushy), turn off the heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. Then fluff with a fork. Fish out and discard the cinnamon stick and cloves.
8. Stir in halloumi cubes if using.
9. Spoon the pilaf into the squash cavities.
10. Sprinkle with dried cranberries or raisins, if using.

I am still getting used to all the rain in Portland. I figured my best defense against a foggy, rainy day is a good, thick, creamy soup. My neighborhood food co-op had some great looking acorn squash and I decided to use them for this acorn squash soup with chipotle cream.

You can use any kind of winter squash in this soup – butternut, kabocha, delicate etc. Just make sure you get the squash browned and soft in the oven.

I had bookmarked Virginia Willis’ brilliant Acorn Squash and Sweet Potato soup featured on the beautiful Tartelette blog, and used the recipe as an inspiration. Virginia adds a ‘brilliant touch’ to her soup – a dollop of heavy cream whipped with rum, lemon zest and thyme.

Here, I top my acorn squash soup with cream and chipotle peppers. I love using chipotle in winter squash recipes, like in my brown sugar and chipotle baked butternut squash recipe. You can make the chipotle cream a day ahead. You could even make extra and use the cream over burritos or Mexican rice.

The lime zest cuts the creaminess of the soup and balances out the chipotle peppers well. You can also use orange zest instead.

Acorn Squash Soup with Chipotle Cream recipe

Serves 2-3

Acorn Squash Soup Recipe

Ingredients
1 acorn squash
1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2  medium onion, diced
A dash of cinnamon
3 cups vegetable stock
Salt
1/3 cup chipotle cream, recipe below
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Method
Pre heat oven to 350f

Cut the acorn squash in half, along its equator. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and fiber. Brush 1 teaspoon oil on the cut sides and inside of the squash. Sprinkle with salt. Place the squash in a baking

sheet and bake till it is browned and very soft, about 1 hour.

When the squash is done, remove from oven and let it cool a little. When it is cool enough to handle, removed the skin from the squash and discard.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté on medium heat till onions are soft. Add the baked, peeled squash, cinnamon, vegetable stock, and salt.

Boil for about 5 minutes or till the squash is soft. Then puree the soup in a blender. Be careful when pureeing hot liquids in a blender – make sure you vent the lid a little.

To serve – Pour the hot soup into 2 or 3 bowls. Top each bowl with about 1 tablespoon chipotle cream. Sprinkle lime zest on top.

Chipotle Cream Recipe

makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients
1/3 cup cream
2 teaspoons minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Salt

Method
Place everything in a blender or food processor. Blend till the cream thickens a little, about 4 minutes. Make sure you don’t over blend the cream, otherwise it will separate.

Taste the cream and adjust salt if needed. If you want it spicier, add some of the sauce from the chipotle can.

Scrape out chipotle cream into a bowl and set aside.

My entire neighborhood is ablaze with fall colors. Everything around me seems to be a brilliant, orange or red. There is no better time than now to bring out that Acorn squash that’s been sitting on my counter. Its the perfect shape and size to stuff with a fluffy, nutty brown rice that smells like the fall. But I’ve always wondered how squash got its name. Winter squashes especially are so hard, you cant exactly “squash” them! Then I discovered that the name comes from the native Indian word “Askutasquash” which means “eaten raw”. So here is my recipe for brown rice pilaf in askutasquash bowls

This is my entry to Culinary Bazaar’s blog event, A Worldy Epicurean’s Delight. This month’s theme is American food.

Ingredients

Acorn squash – 6
Brown rice – 1 cup
Vegetable stock or water – 1 3/4 cup
Onion – 1
Garlic – 4 cloves
Carrot – 1
Celery – 2 stalks
Water chestnut – 1/4 cup chopped. Substitute toasted walnuts.
Thyme – 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder – 1/4 tsp
All spice or clove powder – 1/4 tsp
Nutmeg – pinch
Lemon juice – 1 tsp
Parsley chopped
Salt – about 1 1/2 tsp
Pepper
Olive oil or butter – 2 tbsp

Pre-heat oven to 400. Wash and dry the squash. Place on a kitchen towel and carefully cut the top off with a sharp knife like the picture below. I like to score the top first where I want to cut it. Then I make the deeper cuts to remove the cap. Trim some of the flesh off the cap. Scoop the seeds and fiber out. Drizzle a little olive oil on the inside of the squash, sprinkle with salt and pepper. If the squash is not stable, slice off a little from the bottom of the squash to make a stable base.

Pour a little water in an oven proof pan. Place the squash with lids on in the pan. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check the squash half way through, if the water dries up, add a little more. If the tops are getting burnt, cover with foil. Squash is done when it is fork tender.

To prepare the rice, heat a skillet with olive oil. Chop the onion, carrot and celery finely. Add to the oil and saute for about a minute. Then add minced garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Add the rice, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice/clove. Saute on medium heat for about 4 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock or water, lemon juice, salt and pepper. If you are using stock, you’ll need less salt.

Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, cover the pan and let the rice simmer for about 30 minutes or till cooked. Cooking time may vary depending on your rice.

Stir in the parsley and water chestnut/walnuts. To serve, spoon the rice into the acorn squash bowls. Scoop the squash along with rice to eat.