Chef Cecelia Hamilton’s Stuffed Acorn Squash
A passion for cooking started at a young age for Cecelia Hamilton, her mother Muriel shared the time-honored Southern tradition of preparing delicious food made with love for family and friends. Today, Chicago based Chef Cecelia carries on her Southern culinary heritage through her business Heartfelt Catering.
Her mission: to create fresh, simple, and soulful food. All dishes whether gluten free, vegan, or vegetarian are made from scratch with fresh, natural, quality ingredients. Chef Hamilton recently shared her recipes for Stuffed Acorn Squash, vegetarian and with turkey for a delicious and nutritious weeknight dinner, tasty next day lunch!
Acorn Squash – 4 servings
Easy Ingredients:
• 2 medium size fresh acorn squash, approximately 1# each
• 2 tablespoons Villa Graziella Organic extra virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling
Simple Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F
2. Wash acorn squash
3. Cut in half and remove seeds
4. Cut a small portion of bottom squash to sit level on a plate
5. Add acorn squash to a parchment lined sheet pan, cut side down
6. Lightly rub outer skin w/ olive oil
7. Roast in oven for approx. 15-25 minutes, until tender with a fork’s touch
8. Remove from oven, stuff and return to oven for approx. 5-7 minutes
Vegetarian Wild Rice Stuffing
Simple ingredients:
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1/2 cup black lentils
• 2 garlic cloves crushed
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage chopped
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups water or vegetable broth (cooking liquid for rice & lentils)
• 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts
• 2 tablespoons raisins hydrated
• 2 tablespoon dried cranberries hydrated
• Pinch of sea salt
Easy Directions:
1. In heated pot, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, add diced celery, chopped sage
2. Cook until sage is fragrant
3. Add wild rice, lentils and coat in the sage celery mixture
4. Add cooking liquid, let it come to soft boil
5. Reduce heat and cover, cook for approx. 45 minutes until moisture is absorbed and rice tender
6. Let stand covered, for 10 minutes and separate with a fork
7. Remove from stove and place in a bowl
8. Add toasted walnuts, raisins and dried cranberries, gently toss
9. Add 3/4 cup of filling to squash half, create a mound in the center, return to oven, bake approx.
5-8 minutes at 350˚F
10. Serve and enjoy
Tip: For added flavor, add blanched chopped kale to squash. Finish with roasted red pepper coulis, top with arugula micro greens
Sage Turkey Stuffing-4 halves of medium stuffed acorn squash
Simple Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup minced sage
• 1/4 cup minced garlic
• 1 red delicious apple, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons Villa Graziella Organic oil
• 1-1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
• 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 20 ounces organic ground turkey
Easy Directions:
1. Crumble ground turkey in large mixing bowl
2. In heated skillet warm 2 tablespoons olive oil
3. Add sage, garlic & apples to soften on low-medium heat, do not want to scorch garlic
4. Add sage, garlic, apples to ground turkey, salt and black pepper, mix thoroughly with a spoon or gloved hands. (I prefer using my gloved hands to feel the process)
5. To test seasoning, cook a small portion of the seasoned turkey in the skillet
6. Adjust as needed
7. Brown the sage turkey mixture, set aside
8. When ready to fill your acorn squash, add about 3/4 cups filling to squash, creating high mound in the center
9. Return to 350˚F degree oven, cook approx. 5-8 minutes
10. Serve and enjoy!
https://www.heartfeltcatering.com/about
At Villa Graziella Organic our team tries & taste every recipe we feature. While we love to share our family recipes & those talented home cooks & chefs, sometimes we adapt them so they are even easier to make. As with our products, our goal is for you to have a healthy & delicious experience using Villa Graziella recipes. So try them in your kitchen, feel free to tweak them & please tell us what we think. We welcome your comments & feedback.
Grazie!