Now that it's September, I'm in the mood for fall recipes. I decided to give acorn squash another try tonight and was pleasantly surprised at how this dish turned out! I actually liked it. I've never been able to say that about squash before! The sausage flavor pairs nicely with the squash and the maple syrup added a hint of sweetness without being too overbearing.
Ingredients:
3 medium-size acorn squash
maple syrup (I used real maple syrup)
2 pounds bulk sausage (I used a pound each of mild and spicy)
1 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. finely chopped onion
2/3 c. sour cream
Oven Temp: 400 degrees
Oven Time: 1 hour (30 minutes covered, 30 minutes uncovered)
Start out by cutting your squashes in half and scooping out the seeds and gunk in the middle. Lay the cut squash pieces on top of a cookie sheet, face up, lined up next to each other.
Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the flesh of the squash. Then drizzle a little syrup into the center of the squash and spread it around with a basting brush, all the way up to the top exposed rim of the squash.
You'll want to pour about 2 cups of water onto your cookie sheet (not on the squash!) and then lightly cover the whole pan with aluminum foil. You don't want it to be too loose that all the water evaporates, but not too tight either. Place it into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the tin foil and continue to bake the squash for an additional 30 minutes, or until it is tender.
While the squash finishes baking, you'll want to brown up the sausage in a pan on the stove. Cook the celery and onions with the meat. Once it's cooked through, drain the grease. Add the sour cream to this mixture and keep it warm until the squash comes out of the oven.
Once the squash is baked to your preferred level of tenderness, take it out of the oven. I used my basting brush once again to spread a little bit more of the maple syrup around on the surface of the squash.
Next, you simply scoop the sausage mixture into the center of the squash and serve it up. Depending on the size of your squash, you may not be able to eat it all. It's rather filling!
So if you like squash and fall recipes, you will probably like this recipe. If you do not like squash, give this recipe a try. Like me, you may find that all the other flavors complement and perhaps even "hide" that squash flavor that you are not a fan of.
You could even add some dried fruit or a favorite toasted nut to this dish to ramp up the flavors. A little cinnamon or nutmeg could also be a good fit if you like those flavor combinations. Give it a try and see what you think!
