Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use a paring knife or apple corer to remove the stem and seeds from the apples, making a deep hole where the filling will go.
Combine the brown sugar, butter and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well to combine. Add the nuts. Spoon mixture evenly into each of the apples.
Add 1/4 cup of water to a baking dish and place apples on top.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
Spoon the sauce drippings from the pan over the apples. Serve with ice cream, if desired.
Heat oven to 350. Grease a small baking dish. Halve squash and remove seeds; bake 35 minutes. Keep oven on.
Cut squash halves in two; turn out sides up. In small bowl, combine apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves and mix well. Top squash pieces with apple mixture.
Cover and bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve.
Microwave Version:
Halve and seed squash.
Arrange, cut side up in thick paper towel on microwave floor.
Microwave on high 6 to 7 minutes, rotating squash halfway through cooking time. Remove from microwave and place in microwave-safe dish; cut halves in two.
In small bowl, combine apples, butter, sugar, and spices as above.
Top squash pieces with apple mixture, cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on high 4 to 5 minutes or until squash and apple are tender.
Place squash halves, cut side down, on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until tender. Scoop out pulp, discarding shells; set pulp aside.
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat; add 4 cups chicken broth, apples, and next 5 ingredients.
Cook, stirring often, 25 to 30 minutes or until apples and potatoes are tender.
Remove from heat, and let cool slightly (about 5 to 10 minutes).
Process squash pulp, apple mixture, and remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth, in batches, in a food processor or blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides.
Return purée to Dutch oven. Stir in whipping cream and honey, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
In a deep heavy saucepan combine the brown sugar, maple syrup, and cream and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring and washing down any sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water, until the sugar is dissolved.
Bring the mixture to a boil and boil it, undisturbed, until a candy thermometer registers 250 degrees F.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, and swirl the pan gently until the butter is melted. Let the maple caramel cool for 5 minutes.
Push a wooden skewer or chopstick through the length of each apple and holding the apples by the skewers dip the apples 1 at a time in the maple caramel, coating them well and letting the excess drip off.
Put the apples on buttered baking sheets until the maple caramel is cool and firm. Serve the apples immediately.
