Food in the camper is always a joy and always a challenge. We are constantly on the lookout for recipes that are one dish meals, healthy and use locally sourced ingredients. This stuffed acorn squash is one of our new favorite vegetarian meals. The inspiration comes from a delicious version of this dish that we enjoyed at a Chance Encounter with Murphy’s, a terrific restaurant in Atlanta recently. We came home and experimented with making it a healthy, easy one dish meal that we can make while in the camper. We hope you try it and let us know what modifications you make and enjoy!
Eating is so intimate. It’s very sensual. When you invite someone to sit at your table and you want to cook for them, you’re inviting a person into your life.
Prepare the squash circles
(this is the curried variation. More variations are below at the end of the recipe)
- To cut the acorn squash, insert the point of a very sharp knife into the outer skin. You can slice down through it more easily once the skin is pierced. If you have an amenable produce manager, you could ask him to cut it for you. Whoever executes the cut, you want the Acorn Squash sliced sideways into approximately two inch rings, crosswise, so that you are left with circles when the seeds are scooped out. Because the squash tapers, some will be smaller than others. They will look like this:
- Scoop out the seeds.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with Pam. I like to cut little squares of parchment paper to place under each circle too. That allows me to just lift up the individual squash after baking and slide it onto an individual plate easily later.
- Put the squash circles on the paper and brush with a mixture of olive oil and curry seasoning. Just stir the curry into the oil and brush on heavily. Reserve about 1/4 cup for later.
- Pre-bake the circle at 300 degrees for about 45 minute uncovered. If they are not soft when you prick them with a fork, put them back in until they are.
- Remove from oven and let cool.
Prepare the filling 
- Cook any type of rice or grain that you like. Couscous and wild rice work well, but really any wholesome grain makes a great base for the filling.
- Add whatever chopped and sauteed vegetable that you prefer. Onions, peppers, garlic, mushrooms and zucinni work well.
- Add a bit of raisens or dried cranberries
- Add some chopped nuts, pecans are especially good
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and any other seasoning that goes with curry.
- The filling is now all cooked.
- Refridgerate until ready to heat and serve.
Go Stuff It and Bake
Mound the filling into the circles and press gently to firm up the structure. Drizzle with the olive oil and curry mixture to taste. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes to heat. These can be cooked ahead and then just microwaved when you are ready, so it is a great dish for entertaining.
Variations:
- Make it with a Mexican flair with yellow rice, shredded chicken and your favorite sauce. Top with salsa and cheese to melt and a dollop of sour cream to serve. Or, you can stuff with Chili.
- Make it Italian with your favorite spaghetti sauce topping. We use tofu crumbles, but you could use ground beef or meatballs for a hearty version. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. We sometimes add a bit of fresh spinich. You may want to cut your circles a bit wider for this variation.
What other variations are you going to try? Please share with us as this is one of our very favorite dishes to play with and use up leftover with. Bon Appetite in the camper or in your home!
Arnie and Barb Jaquith 
Great recipe. Even the most avowed ground beefers should enjoy it. Thank you, and I’ll let you know if any variations come to mind.
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Bon Appetite Ruth!
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