Sausage Stuffed Acorn Squash

2 acorn squash (1-pound each)
1 teaspoon canola oil
as needed vegetable cooking oil
1/2 pound fresh turkey sausage
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1 cup granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped fine
1/2 cup fresh white bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon sage leaves
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup apple jelly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Brush a small amount of oil on the cut edges of each squash half. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Place each squash half, cut side up on the baking sheet, cover tightly with foil and bake until tender, about 35-40 minutes.

If using sausage links, squeeze sausage from the casings.

Over medium heat, cook sausage until it is no longer pink, breaking the sausage into small pieces. Drain sausage on paper towels, if necessary. Reserve 1 teaspoon pan drippings and discard remaining pan drippings.

Over medium heat, cook celery in reserved pan drippings for 2 minutes, add apple and continue to saute for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in reserved sausage, bread crumbs, sage and sugar.

When squash is cooked, remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Cool squash until shells can be handled. Scoop out the pulp, leaving a 1/2-inch shell. Combine the squash pulp with sausage mixture.

Mound sausage into the squash shells. Top each with 1-tablespoon apple jelly.

Return to the 350 degree F oven and bake uncovered until sausage is cooked through, about 25 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings
Source: National Hot Dog and Sausage Council