I broke this recipe into three steps. I recommend getting the squash into the oven first. While it is cooking, prepare the sauté and sausage on separate stove burners simultaneously.
This recipe makes an insanely satisfying and delicious gluten-free lunch or dinner. It takes about 2 hours to prep and cook, but if you make it once, you will have meals for the next 6 days. If you’re as obsessed with Thanksgiving food and flavors as I am then you’ll love this recipe.
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Roasted Squash
3 medium Acorn Squash
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Sausage Stuffing
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 Sweet Sausages (crumbled)
6 Hot Sausages (crumbled)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large white onion (diced)
7 Macintosh apples (diced)
4 stalks celery (diced)
10 mushrooms (diced)
½ cup dried cranberries
1 ounce white wine
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup Cabot Mad River Reserve cheese (or preferred cheddar)
Directions
Roasted Squash
1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Cut the acorn squash in half vertically and remove all of the seeds.
3. Season with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, dried rosemary, dried basil, dried oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder.
4. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in each half.
5. Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil over each half.
6. Flip them upside down and roast them skin-side up for about 40 minutes. You can tell it’s done when you’re able to easily stick a fork into it.
Sauté Skillet
1. Heat a skillet with high-sides on medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
2. Add the celery and onion once the pan is hot—season with ¼ teaspoon rosemary, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
3. Cook for about 12 minutes until the onions and celery are halfway cooked.
4. Add the apples and cranberries. Cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms. Cook for 3 more minutes.
6. Add the garlic and white wine. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes—remove from heat once the liquid has evaporated.
Sausage Skillet
1. Remove the casing from the sausages.
2. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. Add the sausages and begin to crumble them with the back of a wooden spoon.
3. Add ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary, 1 tablespoon dried basil, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Cook for about 10 minutes while crumbling the sausage until it is completely cooked through.
4. Combine the sauté and sausage together in a large bowl. Stir in ½ cup Cabot Mad River Reserve or your preferred cheddar.
5. Spoon the stuffing into the squash halves and top each one with the remaining ½ cup Cabot Mad River Reserve or your preferred cheddar.
6. Place the squash in the broiler on a high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes until the cheese becomes golden and bubbly!
