Acorn Squash with Sausage

Acorn Squash with Sausage

There are many people who believe that certain dishes should only be served in certain seasons. Acorn Squash is definitely one of those dishes we all stereotype as needing to be eaten in the fall or winter, but that’s not the case (especially because a cup of this vegetable has a quarter of your daily fiber and 40% of your Vitamin A!)

This dish was a warm bowl on a rainy summer day, so feel free to eat any time.

The organic acorn squash and locally-raised sausage arrived at my door through Backyard Produce- Tasty and Nutritious!

INGREDIENTS 

·         

      1 Acorn squash

·         1 Tbsp Butter

·         2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

·         1/2 pound sausage

·         1 small onion, diced

·         Dash of Salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and strings in the center of each half.

Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife.

Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up.

Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don't burn and the squash doesn't get dried out. (I used the Pampered Chef ceramic slotted baking dish.)

Add 1/2 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar to the cavity of each half. Sprinkle with salt. 

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the squash is mostly soft and the tops are browned. Spoon the sugar and butter onto the squash periodically.  

While acorn squash is in oven, cook sausage and onion. (Feel free to take off the casing; I chose to leave mine when I chopped it. Also, I used some onions I already cooked up.  Make it your own!)

When squash is almost finished, remove from oven.  Spoon any buttery sugar sauce again, and then add the sausage mixture into the cavity.

Bake for 15 more minutes and let cool a little before serving.  Scrumptious!

(Note: if you need to make it kid friendly, scoop all the ingredients into a bowl, slice up squash, and serve.)