Ingredients
- 4 medium acorn squash (about 1-1/2 pounds each)
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 pound Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
- 1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 medium apple, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons fennel seed
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon dried sage leaves
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°. Cut squash lengthwise in half; remove and discard seeds. Using a sharp knife, cut a thin slice from bottom of each half to allow them to lie flat. Place squash in a shallow roasting pan, hollow side down; add 1/4 in. of hot water and halved tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage, mushrooms, apple, onion and dried seasonings over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain. Add spinach, thyme, salt and pepper; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
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Carefully remove squash from roasting pan. Drain cooking liquid, reserving the tomatoes. Return squash to pan, hollow side up.
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Stir cheese, vinegar and reserved tomatoes into sausage mixture. Spoon into squash halves. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and squash is easily pierced with a fork.
This Turkey Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash is a delightful and nutritious meal that captures the essence of autumn in every bite.
