Stuffed Acorn Squash (or Just the Corn Muffin Stuffing!)
  by Amy Rabb-Liu

(inspired by Alton Brown's stuffed squash from Good Eats "Stuff It" episode)

1 very large corn muffin (Costco sized)
5 small acorn squash
olive oil to lightly coat bottom of pan, about 2 tsp
1 small onion, diced very small
1 stalk celery, diced very small
handful frozen corn kernels
5 very thin slices prosciutto
small handful pine nuts
white wine, about 1/3 cup
dried oregano to taste (about 1 tsp)
cayenne pepper to taste (a few shakes)
ground black pepper to taste (a few shakes)
3 Tbsp butter, divided in 10 parts

Heat oven to 400F.

Slice corn muffin into 1/4 inch slices.  Toast, medium.  Turn slices over 
and toast again.  Slices should be dry and golden brown but not burnt.

Cut about 1 inch off the top of each squash (save the tops, though), and 
scoop out all seeds.  If necessary, cut a very thin slice from the bottom 
so that each squash stands nicely.  (Do this step while toasting and
sauteing to maximize efficiency.)

Heat oil in medium saute pan, medium heat.  Saute onions and celery 
until soft and translucent.  Add corn and saute until warm.  

Slice prosciutto slices into 1/2 inch strip crosswise.  

In saute pan, push onion mixture to edges of pan.  Lay prosciutto strips 
in center of pan in single layer.  As center of pan becomes full of 
prosciutto, let the strips cook for about 30 seconds, then stir them 
into onion mixture, again push mixture to edge of pan and repeat until 
all prosciutto is in pan.  Cook for another two minutes.

Again, push onion mixture to edges of pan, and add pine nuts to center 
of pan.  Allow nuts to brown but not burn (check at one minute by 
stirring just the nuts, and every 30 seconds after that until nuts 
begin to brown).  

Deglaze pan with wine.  Add oregano, cayenne and black pepper to taste.  
Let flavors simmer and blend for about 2 minutes, then turn off heat.  
Crumble toasted corn muffin into pan, and fold muffin crumbs together 
with onion mixture until well blended.

Spray oven safe dish with oil.  Put one piece of butter in bottom of 
each squash.  Divide stuffing among squash (fill squash, but do not 
pack the stuffing in tightly, ok if some stuffing is left in pan - 
nibble it while waiting for dinner!).  Tuck one piece of butter on top 
of stuffing in each squash.  Arrange squash in oiled pan.  Put the 
matching top on each squash.  Bake in 400 oven for one hour.

[Note:  The stuffing alone is pretty tasty.  If not putting it in the 
squash, add some apple cider to the mix after adding the corn muffins.  
Add enough to make the stuffing as moist as you prefer, and keep the 
heat on low as you mix well.  Serve as a tasty side dish to anything 
autumnal.]

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