Fall is here!

In honor of Fall, I thought I'd share my new favorite fall recipe. I combined several recipes to create this and made it for the first time and it was delish!

Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 2 acorn squash
• 3 links spicy italian sausage, you can use chicken, turkey or pork sausage
• 1/3 cup rice
• 1/2 apple, diced
• 1/4 cup velveeta (or cheddar) cheese, I use velveeta b/c its easy to melt
• 2 tbsp parmesaan cheese
• butter
• cinnamon
• thyme

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degrees. Cut the acorn squash in half longways, from stem to tip. This can be difficult so be careful! Use a spoon to scoop out all of the seeds and insides and throw that away. Arrange the halved squash in a baking dish cut side up.
2. Melt some butter and brush the inside of the squash with butter. Dust the squash with a layer of cinnamon.
3. Roast the squash in the oven until fork tender - 45-60 minutes.
4. While the squash is cooking, cook the rice according to instructions.
5. Remove the sausage from its casings and brown in a skillet, chopping the sausage into small pieces as it cooks.
6. After the sausage has been cooking for a couple of minutes, add a dash of olive oil and add in the apples to cook.
7. After a couple more minutes, add the cheese to the pan and stir in as it melts.
8. Finally, add the cooked rice to the mixture and turn off the heat to the pan. Add thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Make sure everything is mixed well.
9. Once the squash is tender, remove it from the oven. Fill the cavities with a heaping portion of the sausage mixture. Top each with a dusting of parmesan cheese.
10. Return squash to oven for 15 minutes or so, the filling should be bubbly and the cheese on top should form a crunchy topping.
11. Enjoy!

Feel free to add cranberries, onion, celery or whatever else you think might be delicious.