Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

So, this is my first blog post!  And, it also just so happens to be that time of year again – the holidays – when pumpkin spice flavored ANYTHING is readily available, the days are shorter, and everyone is cooking something they probably haven’t thought to make since last year.

When I think of this time of year, three things come to mind:

1) Holiday Movies (and none of that Hallmark BS, either. I’m talking big name, big budget stuff). See my list of favorites here

2) The red Jeep Power Wheels I asked for from Santa year after year, but never got (but let’s not go down that rabbit hole); and

3) Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash.

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

From the woody flavor of the sage to the the sweet, nuttiness of the acorn squash (and everything in between) this dish screams "Eat Me During the Holidays." 

So, put on some Mariah Carey and fire up the stove (and oven, cause you need both).  Squash is about to get REAL!

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Ingredients

  

• 2 medium-sized Acorn Squash
• 1 pound turkey or pork Italian sausage (half sweet, half hot)
• 1 teaspoon of rubbed sage
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• A pinch of paprika
• A pinch of cayenne
• 4 cups kale chopped
• 1/2 cup onion chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 1 stalk of celery chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat Oven To 400 Degrees.
• Cut Acorn Squash In Half. Remove Seeds.
• Place On Baking Sheet.
• Roast In Oven For 45 Minutes Or Until Flesh Of Squash Is Fork Tender.
• Meanwhile, Remove Casing From Sausage And Sauté In A Skillet, Breaking Up The Sausage Until It Is The Consistency Of Ground Meet. Add Paprika, Cayenne, Sage, And Thyme And Cook Until Brown.
• Remove Sausage From Skillet And Place In A Large Bowl.
• Sauté Kale, Onions, Pepper, And Celery In The Skillet Until Tender.
• Place Kale Mixture In The Bowl With The Sausage.
• When The Squash Has Cooled Enough To Handle, Remove Flesh With A Fork And/Or Spoon, Leaving The Outer Skin Intact*, And Add The Flesh To The Bowl With The Sausage Mixture. Add Salt And Pepper To Taste And Mix Well.
• Sprinkle With Parmesan Cheese And Place Back Into The Oven For Fifteen Minutes.
• Serve.

Notes

Because of its bowl-like center, acorn squash, when halved, is ideal for stuffing, so, if you keep the squash halves after removing the flesh, you can add the mixture back in before adding Parmesan cheese and baking for the last 15 minutes for an all-in-one meal for four.  Or, discard the squash halves and place mixture in a baking dish to serve as a side dish to feed a crowd.