VEGAN STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• 1. The first step to this dish is extremely important. Please do not skip it. Thoroughly wash and dry the outside of each squash. I am not ashamed to say that I use a soapy dish rag. I just rinse and dry them as thoroughly as I wash them. After washing them, don't place them on any other surface but the pan you intend to bake them in. It's important for them to stay clean. This will make sense in a few more steps.
• 2. Now it's time to cut them. When cutting the squash, go far enough down to expose the seeds when the tops are removed. If you've gone down far enough and don't see the seeds, press down in the middle with your thumb to find a spot where it's easiest for a spoon to enter. It is not rational to cut them in half. That would be a huge waste. You only want to access the seeds. If you go too far down, it will be difficult to "stuff" them. DO NOT DISCARD THE TOPS AND KEEP UP WITH WHICH TOP GOES WITH WHICH SQUASH!
• 3. Using a spoon, gently scoop out all of the seeds. Alternatively, you can attempt to clean out the seeds with two fingers, but the openings to acorn squash can sometimes be small, depending on how far down they are cut. When all seeds have been removed, use even more gentle pressure to scrape with the spoon the remaining fiber. This may need to be repeated to make sure the squash is clean, but use very gentle scrapes. You want to make sure all stringy fibers are gone, but you don't want to press down so hard that the meat of the squash is removed or the exterior is damaged. This will change the way it cooks and tastes.
• 4. Before completing this step, make sure the exterior of the squash and pan are clean. If there is even a little bit of salt or sugar or anything else on the outside or that gets in the water, it will change the taste of the squash. Fill a pan with about a cup of water. No matter what type of pan you are using, make sure the water doesn't go past the bottom of the squash. If you removed your squash to cut them after washing them, make sure to place them back before adding the water to the pan to measure how much should be added. Also, don't forget to place the tops back on the squash they were removed from. Mismatching them will not allow them to cook properly or evenly. Plus, it looks more presentable. Put them aside for a moment. At this point, I put mine in the oven without turning it on. This just saves me a step later.
• 5. Remove the casing from the Field Roast sausages. Cut them in half and then into small, bite-sized pieces. (Tip: when cut smaller, more can be stuffed in each squash and it tastes better when each bite has a piece.)
• 6. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil in a pan and allow it to get hot. Medium heat should be fine, but I like a good char on my sausages, so I use a medium-high heat, initially.
• 7. Preheat the oven to 325°F and place the uncovered squash in immediately if this hasn't already been done in step #4. Don't wait for the oven to preheat before getting them in. Let the squash hang out in there until it's preheated or they are ready to be stuffed, whichever comes first. The time it takes to complete the next step is ample enough time for them to parbake.
• 8. Add the sausages to the hot pan and allow to sear (if that's how you like yours or brown them) for about 5 minutes.
• 9. Turn the heat to medium if you started with medium-high heat to sear the sausages. Add all spices, stir, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until the spices become aromatic. A little more oil may be needed if you notice any sticking or drying. Add salt and stir well.
• 10. Taste the sausages. If they suit your preference, turn the stove off and place the pan away from the heat. There's no need to transfer them to another dish. If you need to add more spices, add them and cook for another 3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them! The spices will become bitter and/or have a burnt taste to them.
• 11. Without turning the oven off, remove the squash very carefully so as to not splash water on yourself or anyone else! There should still be a decent amount of it in the pan. If it has depleted quite a bit, the squash are probably already overcooked. They should still be easy to handle with your bare hands. If they are too hot, you will not be able to bake them as long after they've been stuffed. They should be slightly warm to the touch. Be careful when testing them! Use oven mitts to remove the pan. A preheated oven can still be hot enough to burn you and cause pans to become hot as well.
• 12. Line up the marinara sauce, sausages, and cheeses in that order to begin filling the squash. The closer they are within reach, the faster it will go and the easier it will be on your attention span :-)D
• 13. Start stuffing the squash. Put a decent amount of sauce in the bottoms to help keep them from burning.
• 14. Spoon in enough sausages to form a thin layer. Don't overfill! I know it's tempting, but there are other ingredients to add :-)D
• 15. Add a sprinkle of the cheeses.
• 16. Repeat until each squash is filled, but don't overfill or it will overflow when baking. Make sure the last layer is cheese.
• 17. Replace the tops, again, making sure they match the squash they were removed from. The cheese will not stick to them.
• 18. Turn the oven up to 350°F. Place the squash in and bake uncovered for 35 minutes or until the sides give when a fork is pressed in them or you squeeze them with an oven mitt on. The tops may shift slightly as the mixture inside expands.
• 19. Remove from the oven and immediately lift the tops to prevent continued cooking. DO NOT DISCARD THEM! They can also be eaten. Place them on the serving dish beside the squash. If one cannot be eaten completely, the top can be placed back on the squash and stored.
• 20. Serve with a side of my braised kale and love! (justapinch.com/recipes/side/vegetable/balsamic-braised-kale.html)