Lesson #31: Maple Acorn Squash Pie

As much as I love pumpkin desserts, I decided to switch up a typical pumpkin pie recipe and use acorn squash instead. I've never had an acorn squash pie, so I was excited to try it (I was also excited to use my new mini pie dish too!).

The first step is to make a fresh acorn squash puree since it's not accessible like a canned pumpkin puree. I simply pierced the squash a few times, placed it in the microwave for a few minutes until soft, cut it in half & scooped out the seeded, and returned it to the microwave until it was cooked though. You could roast it in the oven, but I was too impatient to wait the hour it would take to cook. :) After the squash is cooked, food process the flesh it until smooth and - viola - you have acorn squash puree!

The maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice in the pie provide a touch of both SWEET and SPICE. The acorn squash has the same texture as pumpkin, and tastes like, well, acorn squash. This makes a WONDERFUL substitution in the pie! To finish the pie, I decorated the crust with little acorn cookie cutters.

LESSON LEARNED: Making acorn squash puree is super easy!

Recipe for Maple Acorn Squash Pie