Sausage and Brown Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

I was a bit sad to pick up my CSA today, as it was the last bag for the season.  I love getting my fresh-from-the-farm veggies, and though I felt it was a bit of a challenge to figure out what to do with everything when I first started to get the CSA, now that I have a number of go-to recipes to use, I love having the produce dictate my menu.  Our CSA had an awesome crop of squash this year, so I have been working on a number of recipes to use them.  One great thing about squash is that it has a shelf life that is way longer than typical produce; if I don't use them right away, they are still great.  I love all of the flavors in this recipe, and I love that when I made it, my kids said, "You know, I really like squash!" As if they wouldn't. ;)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 acorn squash 
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage (bulk if you can find it, otherwise remove casings)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp thyme leaves (fresh) (or use 1/2 tsp dried)
• 2 cups cooked brown rice (I use the microwavable bags)
• Shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Halve squash and remove seeds. Place squash halves, cut side up, on the baking sheet and roast for 40-45 minutes.  Meanwhile, cook rice.
3. Brown sausage over medium heat, adding the onion, garlic, and pepper just when the sausage begins to brown.  Saute until sausage is browned and veggies are tender, add the rice and thyme.
4. Once squash is roasted, spoon the sausage mixture into the halves until they are overflowing.  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over each half.  Return squash to oven and roast for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown slightly.

Difficulty: Easy

Time: a bit more than an hour, total

Source: adapted from http://www.thebusybaker.ca/

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

I love the newest Gooseberry Patch Cookbook Game-Day Fan Fare.  The recipes in this edition are right up my alley-brunches, munchies, soups, treats.  Excited to receive the new book from Joyce, I started planning what to make for Memorial Day, the annual luau, Father's Day.  I called my aunt and told her to write me down as bringing the Margarita Watermelon Slices to the next pool party.

I love the personal touches and handy suggestions that Gooseberry includes in their cookbooks. I already moved two ideas into my routine.  Grating the peel of a lemon or orange anytime you use one then to freeze it gives you a supply of citrus zest that can add a lot to a summer salad.  Using white paper coffee filters as toss-away snack holders is a frugal alternative to snack bags.  I buy those coffee filters for my kids' art projects; it was such an added bonus to use them at the pool to share popcorn and goldfish snacks (and I didn't have guilt about throwing them away).

Gooseberry also gives ideas for outdoor decor and serving.  I have had a number of pavilion parties at local parks and getting everything to run smoothly is tricky.  These hints will help your party go off without a hitch.

I found this recipe in the section titled, Slam-Dunk Mains & Sides.  My husband was craving Chinese, but we didn't have plans for a babysitter in the near future so I turned to the new cookbook.  I didn't show John the ingredients, and honestly wasn't sure how it would turn out.  As the baking time diminished, my mouth was watering; each person in the house commented on how good it smelled.  I pulled it out of the oven and threw in the pineapple and green peppers wishing the 15 minutes could be over.  As soon as the timer beeped, I snatched it out of the oven, poured some over rice and ate it before it even had a chance to cool.  It was so good!  John sent me a text message raving about his lunch leftovers the next day, "Orange Chicken reheated = delicious!!!"  He doesn't always get the names right, but I was touched.  Later, he was still talking about it.  I quickly added this recipe to our monthly rotation as a healthier alternative to Chinese take-out,

as it isn't fried!

                                     This giveaway has ended.  Congrats to our winner!

INGREDIENTS:

I figured out I had the wrong pineapple a bit too late...it is still open
in my fridge but I did put the right stuff in the recipe :) 

• 16 oz.jar French salad dressing
• 10 oz. jar peach or apricot preserves
• 1 1/2 oz. package of onion soup mix
• 1 T. water
• 3 to 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 c. rice, uncooked
• 15 1/4 oz. can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 or 2 green peppers, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a lightly greased 13 x 9 baking pan, combine salad dressing, preserves, soup mix, and water.  Stir in chicken until evenly coated.
2. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink.  Meanwhile, prepare rice according to directions.
3. Remove chicken from oven; stir in pineapple and green pepper.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
4. Serve over rice.

The second time, we had the dish with quinoa.

Difficulty: Easy
Time:10 minute prep; 60 minutes baking time
Source: Gooseberry Patch Game-Day Fan Fare

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