Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

You know that feeling after holidays, or just after you've eaten a lot of sugar? I feel that way about how many sugary recipes I've posted in the last little while and really wanted to put up a recipe that makes me feel just a bit healthy ;)

This is a recipe I tried out in my early stages of cooking for myself in college. Naturally, this was after I binged on all the desserts I could make since becoming an "adult" ha.  

It's pretty easy, though the original recipe was even easier since they had you microwave the squash, filling and all. It kind of grossed me out thinking about sausage being microwaved so I stuck with the old fashioned oven method. I have to say that it turns out much better flavor and texture wise when it's roasted and not nuked, but who's surprised?

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 medium acorn squash

olive oil and salt

1 pound pork sausage

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup fresh baby spinach, finely chopped (for me that's usually two medium handfuls of spinach)

1-1/2 cups soft bread crumbs

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 400*F

Cut squash in half then remove and discard seeds. Place cut side up on a cookie sheet or in an oven safe dish. Drizzle with olive oil and rub around so the inside is completely coated, then sprinkle with salt.

Roast in oven for 50-60 mins, or until the flesh of the squash is tender, then remove from oven.

While squash is cooking, crumble sausage into a large skillet; add onion. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. In a large bowl, beat egg and milk; stir in the spinach, bread crumbs, cranberries and sausage mixture.

Stuff the cooked squash with sausage mixture. Place back in oven and cook an additional 15 minutes. 

4 servings.