Vegetable Chili Stuffed Butternut Squash

My mum loves butternut squash, so when I saw this recipe in a Rachael Ray cookbook the hubby got me for christmas, I knew I had to make it before she went back to England. The roasted squash with the cheesy chili is so good, and as I have plenty of chili leftover, we will be making this again next week.


2 cups vegetable stock
2 small dried ancho chili peppers, stems and seeds removed
2 small butternut squash, halved lengthwise, seeded
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 small zucchini, diced 1/2 inch
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 10-ounce box frozen corn
1 14-ounce can black beans, drained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beer
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups shredded yellow cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425ºF

Place butternut squash cut side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons oil and some salt and pepper. Roast squash in oven until tender, about 45minutes.

While the squash is in the oven, warm the vegetable stock in a small saucepan along with the dried chilis, and leave to soften. Place a pan over medium-high heat with 3tablespoons olive oil. Add the mushrooms and brown 5 minutes, then add onion, garlic, peppers and zucchini to the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until the veggies are tender, about 8-10 minutes more. Puree the softened ancho chili peppers in blender with the vegetable stock.

Add the spices, corn, black beans and tomato paste to the pan and cook until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Add the beer to the pan, stir then add ancho stock then simmer over low heat until ready to serve.

Scoop the finished chili over the butternut squash halves and sprinkle with the cheese. Place the squash under the broiler to melt the cheee.