Baked Acorn Squash with Sauteed Mushrooms, Onions and Garlic

 Squash sounded good.  Trying to eat somewhat healthy, I decided on stuffed squash.  Yep, had to add just a little bit of butter.  What is squash without butter?  Not sure, maybe I'll try that next.  Had a bag of quinoa in the cupboard.  Bought an Artichoke Garlic Paste from an olive and vinegar shop in the mall so I thought I would try that in this dish.  Measurements, of course, are estimates and cooking times are pretty close.

1 cup uncooked quinoa

1 Acorn Squash

1 TBSP butter, unsalted

Olive oil

2 TBSP garlic

1 small onion

1 TBPS Artichoke and Garlic Paste

2 medium to large Portobello mushrooms

Cook 1 cup quinoa per directions on bag or box that it came in. (I cook quinoa in a rice cooker)

Preheat oven to 400.  Fill 9 x 13 glass baking dish with enough water to fill about ½ inch from bottom.  Cut acorn squash in ½, lengthwise.  Clean scoop the middle out.  Put in glass baking dish cut side up.  Add ½ tbsp butter to each ½.  Stick in the oven for about 40 minutes.

While the squash is baking, sauté garlic until it starts turning brown.  Add onions and sauté until they start softening.  Add Artichoke and Garlic Paste and Portobello mushrooms.  Sauté until everything is softened.  Of course, I tasted it and decided it was cooked enough, so basically sauté to taste.  Add cooked quinoa to the sautéed mix. 

Take the squash out of the oven, the top will be starting to brown and the water is probably pretty much gone.  Add sautéed mix to the pan and flip squash, cut side down onto the sautéed mix.  Add a drizzle of olive oil and about 1 cup water.  Put back into the oven for about 15 more minutes.