Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 Acorn Squash
  • 8 ounces Thick cut bacon
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple (peeled, cored, cubed)
  • 2 stalks celery (chopped)
  • 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1 lb. Sweet Italian Sausage (ground)
  • ¾ cup Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 2 tbsps. light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsps. olive oil

Instruction

  • Wash and dry your squash. Using a sharp, large knife, and a sturdy cutting board that doesn’t move carefully slice your squash in half. You can cut it widthwise or lengthwise. Scoop out any seeds and excess flesh with an ice cream scoop. Discard seeds into the compost bin. Coat flesh sides of squash with olive oil. Place squash flesh side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 400° Fahrenheit. Squash will be fork tender with a caramelized flesh and soft outer skin.
  • Heat a large skillet and add bacon pieces to it. Cook until bacon is crisp and a deep reddish color. Remove pan from heat and remove bacon pieces using a slotted spoon. I put mine in a paper towel lined dish.
  • Add ground sausage, chopped celery, apple, and onion to the pan and cook until sausage is browned and veggies are tender. Place the spinach in the pan and cook for about 45 seconds or until spinach is wilted. Add back the cooked bacon pieces, and bread crumbs. Stir to combine the filling.
  • Scoop about 3/4 of stuffing to each baked acorn squash. Return squash to the oven and bake for an additional ten minutes.
  • Place stuffed squash halves back in the oven on the same parchment-lined pan and bake for 10 minutes at 350°.