Cranberry cous cous stuffed Acorn Squash

Ah, Fall, how I love this season. Or as I like to call it, the fall of summer! I'm ready for the temperatures to drop, but they won't by much, considering I live in Florida. Regardless, I can still pretend it's cooler in the comfort of my home. Everything seems to be happier when fall arrives. All the holidays are near, the colors of life become more inviting, and the food is stupendous. I become ravenous for fall dishes. Especially all the squashes, and we've got the best squash of the season to celebrate! This is very simple, yet surprisingly delectable for being so.

Acorn squash is sweet on it's own. In this recipe, I wanted to bring out the sweetness, more than make it sweeter. This is a Garlic cous cous stuffed winter squash, with rehydrated cranberries, granny smith apple slices, nuts, butter and olive oil. Along with a tangy balsamic vinegar, mozzarella side salad to complement the sweet flavors.

Ingredients:

• 1 organic Acorn squash. 
• 1 Tablespoon EVOO
• 1 Tablespoon butter 
• 1/4 cup of rehydrated or fresh cranberries. Save about 3 Tablespoons extra to cool for the final topping
• 4 pecans
• 4 walnut halves
• 2/4 cup cous cous (1/4 cup per squash half)
• 1/2 a granny smith apple
• Salt & pepper to taste 
• Enough water to fill 1/4 inch of your pan

Recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice the Organic acorn squash in two.  
3. Scoop out the innards (I saved the seeds to bake, because I figured they're probably as good as toasted pumpkin seeds) 
4. Mix together the 1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1 T butter. 
5. Peel and slice half a granny smith apple. Then grate the whole half into the mix. 
6. Dice up 4 walnut halves and 4 pecans.
7. Add 1/4 cup rehydrated cranberries, walnuts, and pecans, and stir well. (Remember to save the 3 Tablespoons of cranberries, and put them in the fridge to further chill) 
8.  Fill the acorn bowls with this mix thoroughly, Make sure to bathe the squash in this mix. I just used a  spoon, but you may want to use a brush for even distribution. 
9. Put 1/4 an inch water in the pan, to prevent burning or drying the acorn.
10. While that is cooking, prepare your cous cous per the directions on the box. When it is done, make sure you stir really well, before it bunches together. You want it easily scoopable. Set it aside and keep it on very low heat. 
11. Leave the squash in for at least an hour and check to see if it needs another 15 min. It is important not to under or overcook this sucker. Make sure the innards are nice n' soft and the top is lightly browned. 
12. Now you are ready for the stuffing. I did it an odd way by waiting to stuff it after it was done. I didn't want to risk it overcooking in the oven or getting to be a weird consistency with the mix, so I elected to do it this way. It's on the messy side, so don't go attempting it on the plate you are going to serve it on. 
13. Now, you are going to take the cooked squash innards and lightly mix it up, while slowly adding some cous cous, Table spoon by Tabelspoon, until you have stuffed both halves with 1/4 cup. 
14. Then pat the mixture down and smooth it out. 
15. Follow with the chilled cranberries to top it off . The contrast of the cold juicy cranberries and the hot squash is a yummy combination.  

** If you find that you want it sweeter, drizzle some honey on top **

 A sweeter variation I did beforehand, with: 1 Tablespoon honey, butter, brown sugar, and the same cranberries, with nuts. I added the cous cous as a side, with some brussel sprouts. Then realized that the cous cous would taste amazing inside the squash. This is what spawned the cranberry cous cous stuffed version.