polenta stuffed acorn squash with mustard collard greens

This is a very simple version of stuffed acorn squash, using polenta instead of the usual rice. Since this makes it a lot sweeter, I like the slightly spicy mustard collards for contrast. This is not something I would recommend making during the week unless you don't mind waiting a bit for dinner. For some reason acorn squash always takes longer to bake then you think it does.


ingredients:

1/2 cup polenta
1 medium sized acorn squash
dried cranberries, olive oil, rosemary,salt,pepper to taste

1/2 bunch of collard greens
1 small onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 cup veggie broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out seeds and those little stringy bits on the inside.

Place acorn squash halves face up in a baking dish. Score inside of squash and sprinkle a little olive oil and salt on the inside.

Cook for about an hour or until the inside of the acorn squash gets soft. Like I said earlier, this always seems to take longer then you think. I have no idea why. It's probably the same kind of dark magic that results in restaurant checks being just slightly off from what you calculate the sum of your individual dishes to be. Also possible that I don't preheat my oven long enough.

Make 1/2 cup of polenta following directions on package ( its usually around 3:1 water to polenta ratio). I know this doesn't seem like a lot or polenta, but keep in mind you'll be mixing it with your squash.

Take out your cooked sqash and let them cool before scooping out the insides into a mixing bowl.

Combine with polenta, dried cranberries, spices, and olive oil. You can also use butter or fake butter for this instead of more oil.

Put stuffed squash back in the oven to cook a little more while you make your greens.

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Chop and wash 1/2 of a large bunch of collard greens.

Fry garlic and onion in olive oil until onion is clear. Then add greens stirring well so that they cook evenly.

Once the greens have cooked down a little add your 1/2 cup of veggie stock with mustard (you can combine them to one side in the pan before mixing without)

Cook for another few minutes on low heat, letting some of the water evaporate out and the greens cook down until they are less bitter.