Serves: 4   Prep time:  15 minutes   Cook Time:  1 hour

2 acorn squash, cut in half, and seeds cleaned out

1 lb turkey sausage diced

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 tart apple (I used granny smith) peeled, cored, and chopped

1 pear, peeled, cored and chopped

1 T brown sugar

1 T maple syrup

½ cup chopped walnuts

½ cup craisins

½ cup golden raisins

1 t cinnamon

1 clove garlic chopped

½ t nutmeg

¼ cup apple juice

S&P

Unsalted butter

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Place your squash on a baking sheet flesh side up.  Pierce the squash with a fork several times.  Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium heat brown your turkey sausage, about 7 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine rice, apples, pears, sugar, syrup, walnuts, craisins, raisins, cinnamon, garlic, nutmeg and apple juice.  Stir to combine.  When the sausage is browned add it to the stuffing mixture and season with S&P.

Distribute stuffing mixture evenly among your squash.  Top with a pat of butter and bake for one hour.

Tasty Tidbit:  You could make this dish with butternut squash or even a small pumpkin!