Acorn squash stuffed with sausage and apple

3 acorn squash, halved and seeded
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
1 lb pork sausage (regular seasoning)
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
4 oz. mushrooms, chopped
2 apples, cored and chopped (macintosh)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fine breadcrumbs (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sage
1 tsp. each salt and freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)


1. Combine the melted butter, garlic salt and 1/4 tsp. sage; brush over cut sides and cavity of squash. Salt and pepper to taste.
2. Bake cut side up, at 400 degrees F for 1 hour, until squash is tender but still holds its shape.
3. Meanwhile make stuffing: Fry pork sausage until light brown. Remove the pork with a strainer to a large bowl and leave drippings in the pan. Add onion, celery and mushroom to the pan; saute 4 minutes. Stir in apple and minced garlic and saute 2 more minutes.
4. Take the pan off of the heat and add the pork back in (with the breadcrumbs if desired).
5. Taste and season with sage, salt or pepper if needed (depending on your sausage you may not want to add more seasoning).
6. Stir in the egg and parsley.
7. Fill the squash halves with stuffing - they should be slightly mounded.
8. Return to oven and bake for 20 more minutes, until the egg is set.
9. Garnish as desired with parsley and shredded Parmesan cheese.

The recipe called for two acorn squash but I had so much stuffing I could have filled three. I also made this without breadcrumbs and it held together fine. I sliced a little bit off of the bottoms of the squash, so they would sit without wobbling in the pan, but it burned the bottoms a little bit. It was more work than I am used to, but it was SO delicious.