Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 lb Joe’s Meat and Seafood house- made chicken or pork sausage (regular, sweet, hot or Italian seasoning)
• 1⁄2 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 4 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 2 apples, cored and chopped (gala, honey crisp or macintosh)
• 1 cup fine Art of Bread by Joe’s breadcrumbs
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sage
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• Shredded Parmesan for garnish

Directions

Combine the melted butter, garlic salt and 1/4 teaspoons sage; brush over cut sides and cavity of squash. Salt and pepper to taste.
Bake in a large roasting pan, cut side up, at 400 degrees F for 1 hour, until squash is tender yet still holds its shape.

Meanwhile make stuffing: Fry pork sausage until light brown. Remove pork to a colander to drain. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from frypan. Add onion, celery and mushroom; saute 4 minutes. Stir in apple and saute 2 more minutes.

Combine the pork, vegetables, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl.

Taste and season with sage, salt or pepper if needed (depending on your sausage you may not want to add more seasoning).

Stir in the egg and parsley.

Fill the squash halves with stuffing-they should be slightly mounded.

Return to oven and bake, covered, for 20 more minutes, until the egg is set.

Garnish as desired with parsley and shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese.