Best Stuffed Acorn Squash With Chicken Cranberries Farro And Kale Recipes

ROASTED ACORN SQUASH WITH FARRO STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line an extra-large baking sheet with foil.
• Cut each squash in half, slicing through stem and blossom ends. Remove seeds. Prick skin with a paring knife. Brush 1 tablespoon oil on cut sides and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange, cut-sides down, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, rinse and drain farro, then transfer to a saucepan. Stir in broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain any excess broth.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onion; cook until mushrooms have softened and onion is translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 30 seconds.
• Add cranberries and thyme; cook, stirring, until cranberries have plumped, about 4 minutes more. Remove thyme. Stir in cooked farro, pecans, and parsley. Heat through. Season with remaining salt and pepper and balsamic vinegar. Spoon farro mixture into the squash halves. Return to oven to keep warm until serving.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH WITH SAUSAGE AND KALE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Carefully halve cut each squash in half through the stem, removing the stem if still attached. Scoop out and discard the seeds, and place the squash halves on a sheet pan, cut-side up. (You may want to trim the bottom of the squash halves slightly so they don't wobble on the pan.) Brush each squash generously with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until the flesh is very tender when pierced with a knife, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, if using the hazelnuts, heat a large skillet slicked with olive oil over medium. Add the hazelnuts and toast, tossing often, until the skins begin to split and the nuts are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a cutting board to cool. Once cooled, roll the nuts around on the board with the palm of your hand to remove some of the skins. Discard the skins, coarsely chop the nuts, sprinkle lightly with salt, then set aside.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the skillet and heat over medium-low. Add the shallots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add the sage and garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the kale and cook, tossing, just until it begins to wilt.
• Raise the heat to medium-high and add the sausage, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, crumbling the sausage with a wooden spoon as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until about half the liquid has evaporated. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Using a small spoon, gently scrape about 3 heaping tablespoons of flesh from the cavity of each squash (you should have about 1 cup altogether) and add it to the sausage, along with the rice and Parmesan. Mix thoroughly until combined, breaking up any chunks of squash.
• Divide the sausage mixture among the squash halves, filling each one to the top. (Depending on the size of the squash cavities, you may need to slightly heap the filling.) Return the sheet pan to the oven to roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is heated through and starting to brown on top.
• Sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts and parsley, if using, and serve hot.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH WITH CHICKEN, CRANBERRIES, FARRO, AND KALE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a thin slice off the bottom of each squash half so that it will sit upright without tipping over. Place squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet and transfer pan to oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until squash can be pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. When cooled, scoop out approximately three to four tablespoons of flesh from each squash half. Measure one cup of flesh and mash. 2. While squash is baking, bring chicken stock to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add farro, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook covered for 20 to 25 minutes or until farro is firm but tender. Remove from heat and drain if any liquid remains. Set aside. 3. Blanch kale in a pot of salted water for three to four minutes. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, squeeze to remove excess water. Chop kale and set aside. 4. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for two to three minutes. Add ground chicken and break up with a spatula. Continue cooking until chicken is browning. 5. Remove from heat and add one cup mashed squash flesh, farro, kale, cranberries, pecans, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme and Parmesan cheese. Toss thoroughly until well combined. 6. Divide stuffing evenly between squash halves. Drizzle each with additional olive oil. Place squashes on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until warm through. Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.