Ingredients
Basic:
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2 acorn squash around the same size (with maximum dark green coloring, hard rind)
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1lb bulk sausage meat
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1 cup applesauce (preferably unsweetened)
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1/2 cup brown sugar
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1-2 tsp ground cumin (to taste)
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Salt and pepper (to taste)
Optional additions:
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Corn (frozen or fresh)
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Shredded for diced zucchini
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Diced apples
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Minced onion
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Mustard
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Maple syrup
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Cooked rice (if you wanted to extend a smaller amount of meat)
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Ground cinnamon
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Paprika
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Garlic
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Onion powder
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Chili powder
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Pretty much any spice or vegetable that goes well with sausage
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Cut squashes in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and scrape the sides of the core to remove any stringy-ness (it doesn’t taste good). I usually cut the squash from top to bottom instead of “horizontally”. I find it’s easier to scoop and scrape.
- Spray a cookie sheet or other flat-bottomed pan with some non-stick oil (or brush some on if you prefer). Spray the flesh side of each half-squash as well and place face-down in the pan. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the squash is baking, mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl until evenly mixed. Cover and protect from cats until squashes are done. I usually do this step about 15min before the squashes come out.
- After the 30 minutes, take the pan out of the oven and flip the squashes over onto their rinds. Fill each squash evenly with the filling, patting it down with a fork/spoon until all the filling is used up (it will shrink in the oven).
- Turn the oven down to 350 degrees (keep at 400 if you like it a little charred). Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven. Transfer to bowls/plates and allow to cool a minute before eating. Wrap up any extra halves for lunch!
Source: Ken Kenderson Original