Acorn Squash with Spiced Apples

I had to come up with a vegetable dish to go along with the pot roast and mashed potatoes I made recently, and since I knew I'd be pretty busy warming up the beef roast in the oven and making the potatoes and gravy on the stovetop (and with the mixer, in the case of the potatoes), decided it would be most convenient to make something in the microwave.  We still have a fair number of squashes around the house from our prowling around late-season farmer's markets, so I looked at some existing recipes for guidelines on microwaving squash.   Once I found that, the rest was pretty easy to come up with.  

I went with acorn squash, and decided to add in some apples and appropriate spices.  It all went together quickly and with a minimum of fuss, and the results were quite good:  flavorful, sweet squash with tart apples, melt-in-your-mouth tender. 

I mostly tend to just use the microwvave for defrosting or melting or reheating things, but given how great this turned out, and the speed and convenience with which it came together, I am going to have to rethink that strategy.

Acorn Squash with Spiced Apples

yield = 2 servings

1          medium acorn squash, halved and seeds
            and strings removed
1          tart apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4       teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4       teaspoon freshly-ground nutmeg
2          teaspoons honey, divided
2          teaspoons butter, divided

Place the squash in a microwave-safe baking dish, cut side down. Add about 1/4 inch water. Microwave uncovered for about 10 minutes, then drain the water.  The squash should be pretty tender already.

Turn the squash halves cut-side up.   Fil the squash cavities with heaping mounds of the chopped apples.  Sprinkle half of the cinnamon and nutmeg atop the apples and squash.  Drizzle 1 teaspoon of honey atop each mound of apples, then top each with 1 teaspoon of butter.  Microwave uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until the squash and apples are both tender.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note:
The cooking times above are based on a 1100 watt microwave; you will need to adjust them slightly for less or more powerful microwaves.