Stuffed Butternut Squash

Hi everyone! Hope you are having a wonderful start to your week 🙂

I want to share with you this amazingly flavorful butternut squash recipe that I prepared for the first time just yesterday. Let me tell you, It was a hit! Roasted butternut squash is awesome on its own with just some olive oil and seasoning but stuffing it takes it to a whole other level my friends. Usually, I look at other recipes to have an idea of what I can make to get my creative juices flowing in my brain. I realized I didn’t have many of the ingredients that a lot of these recipes were calling for such as heavy cream. So I looked in my fridge and pantry and came up with this! I always try to utilize what I have rather than go out and buy something for a dish. This can be a challenge at times but it’s fun to try new things too! You never discover what’s out there till you take some risk and try other things. My husband and I are huge pesto lovers so this pesto based stuffing was just perfect for us.

 I hope you enjoy this decadent dish!

 #Fufuinthekitchen if you make this recipe! I would love to see your creations 🙂

Ingredients

1 Butternut Squash

3 Tablespoons Sundried tomato pesto

3 Tablespoons Basil Pesto

1 Tablespoon Red pepper Paste (optional)

1-2 tablespoons Olive oil

1/2 a cup of sliced black olives

1/2 cup of feta cheese

1/2 cheddar or mozzarella shredded cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/2 a cup of sweet corn

1/2 a cup chopped fresh spinach

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning (Use dried oregano or basil as substitute)

Instructions

• First, you want to take your butternut squash & peel the exterior and cut it lengthwise in half. Scrape out all the seeds with a scooper; scoop the flesh out as well in order to stuff it properly. *TIP: place butternut squash in a microwave for 2-3 minutes to make it easier to peel the skin off the butternut squash. It will be easier to cut as well.
• Then you want to place the squash on your baking pan and drizzle some olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to season your squash.
• In a bowl, you want to mix your stuffing ingredients. Mix the two pesto sauces, olive oil, olives, spinach, corn, feta & red pepper paste. Be sure to season this with salt and pepper as well.
• Add this stuffing to your scooped out zucchini and then cover with the shredded cheese on top. Sprinkle your Italian seasoning and in to a 400 degree oven for 50 minutes it goes.
• Check your squash 50 minutes later and check if its tender all throughout; if so you are done! If not, add for another 5 minutes or so and check on it.
• You will love this dish! If you have any questions, let me know 🙂