Roasted Acorn Squash with Pears, Berries, Walnuts

I was recently given some extra produce from our neighbor’s garden. They’ve shared a lot of assorted vegetables with me which was FABULOUS! Acorn squash was in the mix. Hence, I decided to get creative with it. I roasted one, then mixed it with stewed pears, walnuts and mixed berries. It was heavenly! I can truly picture it with a Thanksgiving meal. The sweetness of the squash and fruit would blend wonderfully with turkey and gravy.

So, of course I recorded a video of it and I have the recipe below. I urge you to try it because it’s really simple to make and doesn’t take much time, either. Watch the video to get a good feel for the flow of things. Enjoy! Judi

Roasted Acorn Squash with Pears, Berries and Walnuts
Makes 4 to 6 Servings

1 medium size acorn squash, roasted
1 large pear, any type
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp butter
1 to 2 tsp honey, optional*
Cinnamon to taste
1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
About 1/4 cup berries of choice, fresh or frozen and thawed, cut into small pieces

Roast the squash: Preheat oven to 400F. Wash the squash then cut it lengthwise and remove the seeds. Coat each half (both inside and outside) with extra virgin olive oil. Place cut side down on an oiled baking sheet or one that was lined with parchment paper. Roast squash for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it’s fork-tender. Remove the squash from the oven and leave it on the baking sheet to cool a few minutes.

Meanwhile, while the squash is roasting, peel and core the pear. Cut into bite-size pieces and place them in a bowl. Add the lemon juice and water and toss to coat all pieces. Set aside until squash has roasted.

While the squash is cooling, heat a small pan over medium heat. Add butter and allow it to partially melt. Add the pear pieces AND the juice/water mixture to the pan. Stir in the honey or sweetener, if using it. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Stir to combine and allow the pears to stew for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are lightly cooked but not mushy. Remove them from the heat and stir in the walnuts and berries. Set aside.

Remove the squash from the peel and place it in a large bowl. Pour entire contents of the pan of pear mixture onto the squash. Toss lightly to coat the squash and serve immediately either from the bowl or use the squash skin shells as decorative serving bowls.

*Sweetener is optional in this dish, but does enhance the flavor. If you prefer something other than honey, any sweetener could be used–brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, maple sugar, agave nectar, stevia or something else your imagination leads you to try!