Stuffed Acorn Squash

As promied, today my Fall Harvest Sausages got the opportunity to shine as an ingredient in the filling for Stuffed Acorn Squash. I was inspired to make this recipe while wandering through the Whole Foods produce department. I saw the perfectly ripe acorn squashes and like a kid in a pet shop, had to take one home. I know it’s weird to get so excited about a squash, but for me they remind me of all kinds of cozy, comforting fall and winter meals. My mind immediately imagines the squash being roasted, or pureed into soups, or incorporated into indulgent ravioli. This time I decided to try a method I had never done with a squash before: stuffed.  I followed the method I saw here, but switched up the ingredients based on what I had on hand.  In these economic times I try to draw from what I already have in my pantry, which is quite a lot, when devising my ingredient lists.  Thus my squash was stuffed with a mixture of sauteed red onions, chopped apples, cooked Minnesota wild rice, pine nuts, and chunks of my homemade sausage.  I flavored the mixture with some cinnamon, poultry seasoning, maple syrup (just a tablespoon or so) and salt and pepper.  The result was pure heaven.  Like the sausages themselves, this dish was a marriage of sweet and savory.  I especially like how the apple-y sweetness came through both the sausages and the stuffing itself.  I was also thrilled when people in the cafeteria kept telling me how good my lunch looked.  It’s proof that you don’t have to look at a dish like this as good vegan food, but good food period.  I think if my experience cooking vegetarian and vegan dishes has taught me anything it’s that even an omnivore can appreciate a meat free meal and still feel satisfied.  Hope everyone is enjoying VeganMoFo and thanks to everyone who recommended the blog Have Cake, Will Travel.  I adapted one of her recipe successfully (Yay!) and will be posting it tomorrow.  I guess I have broken my vegan baking curse.