While engaging in our Saturday ritual of browsing the local farmer’s market, our significant other turned to us and professed that she loved squash of “all shapes and all sizes.” It might’ve been an odd observation to make out loud in public. But, squash is a fine thing to covet. It’s heathy. It’s hearty. And, this time of year, squash abounds.
We returned home with a satchel full of squash, including the above pictured acorn variety. Acorn squash awakes memories of childhood. Our mother would half them, scoop out their seeds and bake them with brown sugar and butter, which the squash gloriously soaked up. That, friends, is quite the seasonal dessert.
Our other had a distinct nostalgic experience. Her mother baked acorn squash stuffed with sausage. Hmm. Savory. Not sweet. We had doubts. But, per usual, our other nailed it. Turns out, squash serves as a vessel which delivers deliciousness of all types—even with turkey sausage substituting for the pork.
Acorn Squash Stuffed with Turkey Sausage
Ingredients
- Two acorn squash, halved and seeds scooped out
- One tablespoon of compound sage butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
- One pound of ground turkey Italian sausage
- 1/2 cup of finely chopped onion
- One celery rub, finely chopped
- Four ounces of mushrooms, chopped
- Two appeals, cored and chopped
- One cup of whole grain panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon of sage, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup of roasted pecans, chopped
- 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- One egg, beaten
Directions
Combine compound butter, garlic, salt and brush over the squash’s exposed flesh and cavity. Season with salt and pepper.
Bake the squash flesh-side up in a large roasting pan at 400 °F for one hour.
Meanwhile, to make the stuffing, fry turkey sausage until light brown. Pour meat into separate bowl, and set aside. Saute onion, celery, mushroom in the same pan. After four minutes, add apple, and cook for another two minutes.
Add contents of pan into bowl with turkey. Mix in pecans and breadcrumbs. Season with sage, salt and pepper. Stir in egg.
Remove squash from over. Fill cavities with stuffing, forming a slight mound.
Cover with tinfoil, return to oven, and bake for 20 minutes until egg sets.
Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.
