Sausage, Apple, and Squash “Hotdish”

Sausage and apple butternut squash “hotdish” is the perfect fall meal. It started out as a stuffed squash recipe, but then I realized no one really enjoys eating it out of the squash skin for a weeknight meal, so here’s my spin on it. The combination of the sweetness from the apples and squash mixed with spices in the sausage make a warm, comforting, and hearty meal.

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• butter and brown sugar to taste (if desired)

For the filling

• 1 pound sausage

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 apple, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 tsp salt

• several grindings black pepper

• 1 box of your favorite stuffing. I used GF chicken stuffing from Aldi. (and ingredients to prepare it per package directions.)

• 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds with a large spoon.

3. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, cut side up.

4. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Bake for 40 minutes.

6. While the squash cooks, add sausage into a cast iron skillet over medium heat and brown for about 5 minutes, breaking it up into small chunks.

7. Add in the onion, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper.

8. Cook for a few more minutes, until cooked through and onions and celery have softened.

9. Add in apples and sage.

10. When finished baking, remove the baking sheet with acorn squash from the oven, and set on a heat resistant surface like a stove top or trivet.

11. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out the soft squash and add 1 Tablespoon of butter substitute and 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar. Spread the squash mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish.

12. Top it with the sausage and veggie mixture.

13. Add half of the Parmesan.

14. Bake an additional 15 minutes until the cheese has started melting and the filling is starting to turn golden.

15. Enjoy!