Happy Tuesday, friends!! It’s been a minute since I last posted, sorry about that!! I’ve been waiting – no dying – to share this recipe with you guys. It’s kinda Aca-Awesome, if ya know what I mean.
Please tell me you know what I mean…
I’m starting to (finally) get into the holiday spirit a little more. Not sure what has me so bah humbug this year, but I’m ready to shake it off and get into my usual holiday happy mode!! Ooh! I went to a Christmas shopping bazaar thingy with one of my besties this weekend and got the cutest apron. I can not wait to wear it whilst baking all the cookies and treats over the next few weeks. Maybe that’s all I needed to jump start the holiday cheer…a cute new apron. Who’d have thunk it??
Maybe that, and the fact that we finally had a real cold snap. Like, down to 30 degrees cold. J built fires over the weekend and it finally felt more like holiday season. Of course it’ll be back up into the 70s starting today.
You guys. OMG. Acorn squash is amazing. It’s even more amazing when you roast it, and stuff it with turkey, tomatoes, beans, and orange zest. The orange zest gave it the most amazing punch of citrusy flavor, but the squash was so buttery delicious, and the seasonings were perfectly autumn-esque. But that orange zest, y’all. That’s no joke.
Oh, and just in time for turkey day…you could so easily substitute leftover turkey for the ground turkey…just stir the seasonings in with the rice and beans and then add some shredded turkey and call it the most amazing turkey leftovers eva. You’re welcome.
- 2 acorn squash
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ onion, finely diced
- ¼ lb ground turkey
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 1/8 tsp cumin
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- ¾ cup cooked brown rice
- ½ cup black beans
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, divided use
- 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
- zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup grated sharp white cheddar cheese
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with cooking spray.
- Cut the bottom point of each acorn squash off with a sharp knife, to create a flat bottom. YOu only need to take that small point off, so the bottom is flat but solid, you don’t want to cut too far and cut into the center of the squash. Then cut your squash in half crosswise – so that you top and bottom of the squash are the halves. Scoop out the “guts” (seeds and stringy part of the squash) and discard.
- Drizzle each of the 4 halves with olive oil (about a teaspoon each), season with salt and pepper, and place on the prepared baking sheet, cut-side down. Roast for about 35 minutes, or until the flesh is fork tender. Remove from the oven (leave the oven on), and allow the squash to cool enough to be handled.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the ground turkey and brown, stirring and breaking it up.
- Add the garlic, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste, and stir to combine.Cook for an additional minute, then remove from the heat.
- If your skillet it large enough, stir in the remaining ingredients, except the cheese and stir to combine. If your skillet is not large enough, combine the turkey and remaining ingredients except the cheese in a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Once the squash is cool enough to handle, turn them over so the cut side is facing up, and fill each half with the turkey mixture. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of cheese on top of each filled squash and place back in the oven, until the cheese is nice and melted. This will only take a couple of minutes. Serve immediately with a nice side salad!
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