What’s for dinner is the most dreaded question of the day for many parents. We work all day and then are expected to be creative and fun and design and make meals that everyone enjoys. Oof. It’s boring at times too. Then there’s the clean up. So the goal here is to share fun, creative and relatively simple ideas to make this horror of a chore seem a little less detestable.
Recipe: Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apples
Ingredients:
2 medium acorn squashes
1 lb (450g) ground sausage (pork, turkey, or chicken)
1 medium apple, diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions:
Prepare the Squash: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut each acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place them cut-side down on a baking sheet. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until the flesh is tender.
Cook the Filling: In a large skillet, heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it apart as it cooks. Once browned, add the onion, garlic, and apple. Cook until the onions are translucent, and the apples start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sage, thyme, and additional salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff the Squash: Once the acorn squash halves are tender, remove them from the oven. Flip them over and stuff each half with the sausage and apple mixture. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese if using.
Bake Again: Return the stuffed squashes to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Serve: Let cool slightly before serving. Enjoy this warm, comforting meal that highlights the flavors of fall!
What’s for dinner is the most dreaded question of the day for many parents. We work all day and then are expected to be creative and fun and design and make meals that everyone enjoys. Oof. It’s boring at times too. Then there’s the clean up. So the goal here is to share fun, creative and relatively simple ideas to make this horror of a chore seem a little less detestable.