Baked Savory Acorn Squash

one acorn squash serves 2

Clean outside of one squash, halve from stem to bottom tip, scoop out seeds.

Ingredients:

1 tsp freshly chopped or group ginger

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp brown sugar

1 TLBS finely chopped shallots

¼ cooking apple chopped

1 TLBS pure maple syrup

¼ C apple juice

dash of celery salt

freshly ground black pepper

butter

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Divide evenly and place into the openings of each squash half. Dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until tender. Test by pricking with a fork – should be soft. Loosen some of the squash with a spoon and stir ingredients into the squash. Serve hot.

FOODNOTES: I was visiting my very good friend Carol on Maury Island in Puget Sound and we were cooking dinner together one evening. I volunteered to do the vegetable. We had bought shallots for another dish and there were plenty, so I used some to flavor this baked acorn squash dish. The apple juice, I believe, kept the squash from drying out. The fresh ginger is what really gave this dish its zing. The ginger is subtle enough that you don't actually taste it, but a pungent fragrance lingers that is so pleasing. Again, it is one of those savory, yet sweet vegetables that goes particularly well with chicken or turkey. I think it would be a great compliment to roast lamb. I think of acorn squash as a cool weather dish when a whole bunch of foods can go in the oven at one time, such as cornbread, baked beans,rice pudding, a chicken roast, followed by a apple crisp. Carol and I made this meal in April and it was cool in Seattle.

Happy eating!