I absolutely love when fall arrives because it gives me an excuse to stay indoors and try new recipes that fill our house with aromas of the season- pumpkin, cranberry, baked apples, or in this case, a flavorful acorn squash.

If you've been to the grocery store lately, you've probably noticed that there is a plethora of winter squash available in all shapes and sizes. What I love most about these seasonal vegetables is that they are inexpensive and if cooked well, so incredibly delicious (and filling!)

Acorn Squash is something that I've always been curious about trying but there are so many different ways to go about it. Do you slather it in butter and brown sugar and eat it as dessert? Blend it into a soup? Bake it with Risotto? I wanted to try all of the above, and probably will at some point this season. For my first foray into Acorn Sqush baking, I decided to go with a sausage and apple stuffed acorn squash recipe I found on Pinterest several weeks ago.

The result: Once I had all of the ingredients chopped and the Acorn Squash baked (it baked in about 45 minutes) the process was incredibly easy. The best part is the stuffing like consistency of sausage, bread crumbs, sage and apple, results in melt in your mouth deliciousness. This recipe also has the perfect amount of spice and fall flavor. Find the original here.

Ingredients:

2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1/2 tsp ground sage, divided
3/4 lb Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
4 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 apple, cored and chopped
1 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the melted butter, garlic, and 1/4 tsp sage. Brush the inside and outside of each squash with the butter mix. Place the squash on a cookie sheet, cut side up, and roast for 50-60 minutes, or until fork tender.

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage. When the sausage is browned, remove it from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate, set aside. To the skillet add the onions, celery, and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Add the apples and cook for another 2 minutes.

Return the sausage to the skillet then remove from heat. Season with 1/4 tsp sage, salt, and pepper. Stir in the panko and Parmesan. Add the egg and stir to combine.

Divide the stuffing evenly among the four squash halves. Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutrition Information (per serving): 395 calories; 15.8 g. fat; 113 mg. cholesterol; 413 mg. sodium; 45.3 g. carbohydrate; 5.5 g. fiber; 23 g. protein

Sausage and Apple Stuffed Acorn Squash