These little gems can be a wonderful addition to next Thursday’s Thanksgiving meal. A slightly more nutritious alternative to Marshmallow Sweet Potato Casserole (although we see nothing wrong with doing both!), this stuffed acorn squash is as pretty as it is delicious.

My Skipper and I will be rafted up with Captain Alex, friends and family for our Thanksgiving feast. Dinghy out to Harness Creek and say HI! We’ll be having Turkey with Oyster Stuffing and lots of mashed potatoes and gravy. We’ll be sure to follow up with some galley-friendly holiday recipes!

You can stuff an acorn squash with pretty much anything. From savory sausage and mushrooms to sweet brown sugar and maple syrup. This recipe has a little of both using walnuts, apples and sweet dried cranberries. I happened to find “Carnival Squash” which is shaped like an acorn squash but is almost unnaturally colorful. Plenty of squash to choose from at the market now…a sign of Thanksgiving and the winter holidays ahead.

Walnut, Apple & Cranberry Stuffed Squash

Serves 4

4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon rum (optional)
1 apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons minced sage
2 dashes of cinnamon
2 dashes of nutmeg
1 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
2 acorn squash

Preheat your galley oven to at least 350 degrees; 400 is preferable. In a small saucepan on the stove, melt the butter.

Dice the apple. I’m using a Granny Smith today as they seem to be the standard for baking apples…tart and crunchy.

Mince the fresh sage and breathe it in! That smell can transport you over the river and through the woods…and onto the Western plains!

And now, back to your sailboat galley…

Sauté the apple and cranberries in the melted butter for about two minutes; until just warmed through. Add the brown sugar, rum, spices and walnuts and stir until blended.

You’ll need to cut your acorn squashes in half. I usually cut them lengthwise, but today I thought I’d cut them in half the other way, around the middle. I’ve seen Martha Stewart do it that way so it must be de rigueur, n’es pas? So to make the squashes sit flat on the pan, you’ll want to slice off the very top and very bottom to create a flat surface. You’ll need a large, sharp knife to do this. Then cut them in half and scoop out the seeds.

Fill the squash halves with the filling mixture and place on a pan in your preheated galley oven. Roast for one hour or until easily pierced with a fork.

Best wine pairings? Beaujolais Nouveau, bien sûr!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving wherever you are and whatever you do! Check back in with us and share your Thanksgiving stories and recipes. We’d love to hear from you!