Acorn Squash with Brown Rice and Turkey Sausage

This was quite good, but the texture of the squash with the rice can be a bit strange. Chris loved it :)


Acorn Squash with Brown Rice and Turkey Sausage (Adapted from Culinary in the Desert)

2 acorn squash, each cut crosswise in half and seeded
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
2 cups cooked brown rice

Spray a large microwave-safe plate with nonstick spray - place squash halves, cut side down, on the plate. Place in the microwave and cook on high until fork tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and let sit until cool enough to work with.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add sausage and cook, stirring to break up the sausage, until browned. Remove the sausage and place in a large bowl. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and add the onions, red bell pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook until tender and lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the mixture to the bowl with the sausage.

Scoop out squash, leaving a 1/4" thick shell. Add the squash to the bowl with sausage mixture - add the rice and parsley, mixing until well combined. Evenly divide the sausage mixture between the squash shells. Serve warm!

Makes 4 servings (maybe a bit more!)

Pumpkin and Sage Pasta

Forgive the crappy photo. Its very hard to take pictures of food and I don't have the setup many bloggers have. So these pictures will have to do. I'm still catching up on recipes that I made last week before I started this blog. Last week I made a Pumpkin and Sage Pasta that a friend of mine recommended. It turned out really good! My only advice is to use a small onion. I used what I considered a medium and it was way too much. Otherwise, enjoy!




Pumpkin and Sage Pasta, from Rachael Ray's Everyday Magazine

1 pound penne with lines
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup heavy cream
10 leaves sage, cut into thin slivers
1 14-ounce can pumpkin puree
1 cup shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (eyeball it)
1 bunch chives, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat a medium, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add EVOO and brown the sausage, breaking it up with the back of a spoon. Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate, and add the onion and garlic to the pan. Cook over moderate heat until tender but not brown. Add the wine and return the sausage to the skillet, continue to cook a couple of minutes. Add the chicken stock, heavy cream, sage and pumpkin. Bring up to a bubble and simmer until thick, a couple of minutes. Add the pasta and cheese and season with the nutmeg. Toss to coat the pasta with the sauce. Taste and check seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the pasta garnished with a sprinkle of chives.