Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Spring is real now. Planted the garden — tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, squash, herbs, the same roster as last year because last year was good and I am loyal to what works. Added a row of green beans this year because Earl Thomas can pick green beans — he's almost two, he can reach the low ones, and having a job in the garden is how you learn to love the garden, and I want Earl Thomas to love the garden the way I love the garden, which is the way Betty loves the garden, which is completely.

Clay and Sarah have been together almost a year. He mentioned, casual the way Clay mentions important things, that they've talked about the future. Not specifics — no ring, no date, no plan — but the word future, which Clay has not used for years because the future was the enemy, the future was the thing he was afraid of, and now the future is something he talks about with a woman from Whitesburg while they eat soup beans from my recipe at his kitchen table. The future. My son has a future. The sentence doesn't get old. The sentence never gets old.

We planted squash again this year — it’s on the roster, same as always, because it works and I am loyal to what works. Come fall, when those squash come in and Earl Thomas has been out there picking green beans all summer like he owns the place, this is what I want to do with them. Apple-stuffed acorn squash is sweet and quiet and warm, the kind of thing you make when the season turns and you feel good about what grew. Clay has a future now. The least I can do is make something worthy of it.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 50 min | Total Time: 1 hr 5 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeds removed
2 medium apples (Honeycrisp or Gala), peeled, cored, and diced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey

Instructions

Preheat oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Prep the squash. Cut each acorn squash in half from stem to tip and scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh. Place cut-side up on the prepared baking sheet.
Season the squash. Brush the inside of each squash half with about 1/2 tablespoon melted butter. Season lightly with salt. Roast uncovered for 25 minutes.
Make the apple filling. While the squash roasts, melt the remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–7 minutes until the apples are just tender and the sugar is melted into a light glaze. Stir in the nuts if using.
Fill and finish. Remove squash from oven and spoon the apple mixture evenly into each cavity. Drizzle maple syrup over the top. Return to oven and bake an additional 20–25 minutes, until squash is fork-tender and the filling is caramelized at the edges.
Serve. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm as a side dish or a light vegetarian main.

Nutrition (per serving)

Apple-Stuffed Acorn Squash — The Garden We’re Planting for the Future