Easy Harvest Sausage & Acorn Squash Casserole Recipe

Harvest Casserole

YIELD Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pound maple-flavored or regular pork sausage 2 acorn squash (about 2 pounds each) 1 cup cooked rice 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed chicken broth, divided

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 11X7-inch casserole; set aside.
2. Crumble sausage into skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat until brown. Remove from heat and drain off drippings.
3. Meanwhile, pierce both squash in several places using sharp knife. Microwave on HIGH 8 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking time. When cool enough to handle, cut 1/2 inch off top and bottom of each squash. Cut each squash horizontally. Remove seeds and membrane. Place rings into prepared casserole.
4. Add rice, cranberries, salt, cinnamon and pepper to sausage. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth to sausage to moisten. Spoon sausage mixture into squash rings. Pour remaining broth into casserole around rings.
5. Cover dish with foil. Bake 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5 to 10 minutes or until squash is tender.

Note For a side-dish casserole, eliminate pork sausage and double the rice. This recipe appears in: Pork