Hello GOURD-Geous!

Its Monday and just in case you are looking for a little dinner menu inspiration for the upcoming week, we have two fall-inspired squash recipe ideas for you to try: Stuffed Acorn Squash and Spaghetti Squash Chicken Pad Thai. Did you know that squash is technically a fruit because it contains seeds and comes from the flowering part of plants? Definitely did not learn that fun fact in law school! Or that there are over 100 different types of squash? Apparently we are really slacking in only offering recipes for two varietals.

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The Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe is an amalgamation of a few different recipes I found on the internet. The stuffing by itself is delicious – I received a sad face emoji text at work the other day when Ryan discovered I had taken the leftovers to the office for lunch. Highly recommend you try it before squash season ends!

The Spaghetti Squash Chicken Pad Thai recipe is from the kitchen of our brother Michael. Admittedly lots of chopping and ingredients but the end result is DELICIOUS! Ryan and I made it for dinner on Saturday night and the flavor of the pad thai sauce is so incredible that I promise you will not even miss the noodles.

Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• Two acorn squash
• Approximately 1 1/2 cups farro (I recommend making the entire package of Trader Joe’s 10 Minute Farro)
• 1-pound hot Italian sausage (or, alternatively, use mild Italian sausage and add red chili pepper flakes to taste)
• Two celery stalks, diced
• One carrot, peeled and diced
• 1-cup diced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large apple, diced (recommend granny smith or honey crisp)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 4 large handfuls fresh spinach or kale
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Shredded parmesan cheese, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Slice acorn squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits. Rub the squash halves with a little olive oil and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
3. Place your squash on a large baking sheet or in a baking dish, cut side up. Roast it at 400° for about 40 minutes until fork tender. 
4. While squash is roasting, cook farro per package instructions.
5. Then, in a large skillet over medium/high heat, combine the diced celery, carrot, minced garlic, and onion. Then add in the sausage stirring until sausage is cooked through.
6. Once sausage is cooked, add the spinach or kale, diced apple, cranberries, walnuts, dried sage, and garlic powder to the skillet. Cook until ingredients are warmed through and tender. Remove from heat.
7. Add cooked farro to skillet and stir.
8. Fill the squash cups with the farro and sausage mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
9. Return to oven and heat for approximately 10 more minutes.
10. Remove from oven and enjoy.

Spaghetti Squash Chicken Pad Thai

Ingredients

• 1 cooked spaghetti squash (I used this method from Love & Lemons)
• 3 limes
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sriracha (or add an additional tablespoon if you like things spicy)
• 2-3 tablespoons peanut, vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 large onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 to 1 pound chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 1 1/2 cups mixture of green onion, chives, cilantro and bean sprouts
• 1 bell pepper, sliced thin
• 1 cup pea pods
• 1/2 cup julienned carrots
• 1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts

Directions

1. Prepare sauce by whisking together in a bowl the juice of 2 limes, ketchup, brown sugar, fish sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Set aside.
2. Get a wok or cast iron skillet very hot on your stove and add the oil.
3. Then, to the wok, add the onion, garlic and chicken stirring until chicken is cooked through.
4. Move ingredients to one side of wok and add whisked eggs to other side of wok stirring until eggs are cooked through.
5. Add in greens, bell pepper, carrots and pea pods stirring until all ingredients are warm and tender.
6. Then add cooked spaghetti squash to wok followed by the sauce adding gradually to taste.
7. Remove from heat.
8. Serve with lime wedges (from third lime) and sprinkled with chopped peanuts to taste.
9. Chef Mike says “Voila!”.

Recipe Credit: Our brother Michael Nelson aka “Chef Mike”

Please let us know if you try either of our squash recipes or tag us on Instagram with a picture at @letswineaboutitsister. We would love to see what you are cooking!