- Rachael Ray's non profit organization, Yum-o! - https://www.yum-o.org -

Acorn Squash Filled with Amaretti-Crusted Sweet Potatoes



Ingredients


  • 3 small to medium acorn squash
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup white wine or 1/2 cup apple juice
  • 3 sprigs thyme, chopper
  • 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 banana, sliced
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 6 amaretti cookies, crushed


Directions


  1. Pre-heat the oven to 375˚F.
  2. Cut each squash in half across the grooves, scoop out the seeds and discard.
  3. Cut about a half-inch off each of the bottoms of the squash halves and place them on a sheet pan. Season the insides with EVOO, salt, pepper and thyme. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until pierced easily with a fork. Keep warm.
  4. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until tender; drain and reserve. Return the pot to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the butter and bananas to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the reserved potatoes back to the pot along with the stock. Mash everything together until combined. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste.
  5. Fill each of the roasted squash halves with the mashed sweet potatoes, then top each with a sprinkle of amaretti cookies and serve.

Cooking with alcohol enhances the flavors of certain dishes. Some of the alcohol  burns off in the process of cooking. If you are concerned about using alcohol when you cook, you may use the appropriate substitute listed in the ingredients.