Maple Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

I’ve had a bottle of REAL maple syrup hanging out in my cabinet for at least a couple of months.  I’ve been saving it, like gold (since it costs so much!), for something really special.  Given that maple and breakfast sausage goes SO well together, I thought that a maple and sausage stuffing would be marvelous in acorn squash with a nice, savory/sweet combo.  The end result is filling and delicious.  Just add a salad or other veggie side and you’ve got a pretty easy and complete meal.  Serves 4 at 470 calories and 13 grams of fat.

Ingredients:

• 2 acorn squash
• 16 ounces turkey sausage
• 6 tbs maple syrup
• 1 large egg
• 4 tbs shallots, coarsly chopped
• 3 slices gluten free sandwich bread, toasted and coarsely crumbled

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut the acorn squash vertically down the center.

3. Scoop out seeds and slice a little bit off the bottom so that it’ll lay flat.

4. Place the halves face down in a baking dish and pour about a cup of water in the bottom.

5. Bake for 30 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, add the shallots and sausage to a skillet and brown.

7. Add the sausage mixture to a bowl with the bread crumbles and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup (the real stuff, none of that fake crap) and mix well.

8. After the mixture has cooled a bit, add the egg and mix well.

9. When the squash is done, flip it face side up.

10. Divide the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup between the 4 squash halves, brushing it across the surface.

11. Fill the squash halves with the sausage mixture, mounding it up.

12. Reduce heat in the oven to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 minutes.

Printable version.

This steel magnolia is the poster child for successfully Doing All the Things, smart phone in one hand, sword in the other. Author of action-packed PR/UF for adults and teens. You can catch up with her at Pots and Plots, her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.