Fall comfort food dinner (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Roasted Butternut Squash

01 - 2 medium or large butternut squash
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - ¼ teaspoon salt, or more to taste
04 - Freshly ground black pepper

→ Sausage Filling

05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 small onion, diced
07 - 14 oz spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
10 - 4 oz fresh spinach
11 - ½ cup dried cranberries
12 - ½ cup chopped pecans

→ For Garnish (Optional)

13 - Fresh thyme leaves
14 - Additional freshly ground black pepper

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Carefully slice each butternut squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh from the center cavity of each half.
02 - Place the butternut squash halves cut-side up on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and rub it into the flesh. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
03 - Turn the squash halves over, placing them cut-side down on the baking sheet. For easier cleanup, you can line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Roast in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.
04 - While the squash is roasting, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and cook for about 2 minutes until softened and slightly charred.
05 - Add the crumbled Italian sausage, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning to the skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the sausage is completely cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
06 - Add the fresh spinach to the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes until the spinach wilts. Stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans, mixing everything well. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed (though the sausage is usually salty enough).
07 - Once the butternut squash is roasted, remove from the oven and carefully flip them over so the cut sides are facing up. Let cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out some of the flesh, leaving about a 1-inch border along the sides. This creates a deeper cavity for the filling while keeping the squash intact.
08 - Reheat the sausage mixture if needed. Divide the filling evenly among the four squash halves, mounding it slightly if necessary.
09 - Top the stuffed squash with additional freshly ground black pepper and fresh thyme leaves if desired. Serve warm as a main course or side dish.

# Notes:

01 - This dish is naturally gluten-free and high in fiber and protein.
02 - You can prepare the components ahead of time: roast the squash and make the filling up to 2 days in advance, then reheat and assemble before serving.
03 - For a milder flavor, substitute sweet Italian sausage for the spicy variety.

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