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Stuffed Roasted Acorn Squash

Makes 2 of each ½ roasted acorn squash

2 small acorn squash, 1 to 1 1/4 pounds each
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 pound ground pork, or pork sausage
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 cup chopped onion
1/8 cup chopped celery
1/8 cup chopped carrot
1/8 cup chopped red peppers

1/8 cup chicken stock
1 (10-ounce) package fresh spinach, chopped
1/8 cup toasted pine nuts
1 teaspoons dried oregano
Generous pinch kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut 1-inch off the top of each acorn squash and scoop out the seeds. If necessary in order for the squash to sit upright, cut off a small portion of the bottom. Put 1 of the 4 pieces of butter in the cavity of each squash. Set squash on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, brown the ground pork until no longer pink. Remove the meat from the pan, add the olive oil and sauté the onion, celery, carrot, and pepper until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with some chicken stock

Return the pork to the pan along with the spinach, pine nuts, spices and salt and pepper. Season it to taste while stirring constantly. Heat the mixture thoroughly, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Divide the mixture evenly among the squash, top each squash with another piece of butter and bake for 1 hour or until the squash is tender. Serve immediately.

Variation # 2

After the squashes are cleaned out place 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 tbsp butter, pinch of salt and pepper into the cavity and bake at 375’ f until golden brown around edges. Almost 1 ½ hours.

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