Sausage-Apple Stuffed Squash

  Sue bought a old cookbook booklet by the Quaker Oats Company at a sale and wanted me to try this recipe for squash and meatballs. Since we are all fans of Acorn Squash I have been waiting for cooler weather to make this. There is no date in the book but I am guessing early 50’s. I bought bulk pork sausage from the meat counter at our Fareway store. They make it themselves and it is excellent. The addition of an apple added to the flavor. And though the recipe doesn’t call for it, I basted the squash and meatballs with pure Maple Syrup 15 minutes before they were done. I wanted a little sweetness added as both Lyle and Bettie like brown sugar on their squash and this didn’t have that. 

 It was excellent and I was surprised that there was not a lot of fat from the sausage. I did saute the balls to brown them before and even then there was not a lot of fat.

 We just had the squash with nothing else because the squash halves were so large. Some warm dinner rolls or muffins would be good with this or a small baked potato as long as you have your oven hot.

Sausage-Apple Stuffed Squash

2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded

1 pound pork sausage meat

½ cup Quaker Oast (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

¼ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup chopped apple (I chopped finely)

⅛ cup chopped onion

½ Tablespoon finely-chopped parsley or 1 teaspoon dried if desired

½ scant cup milk

About ⅓ to ½ cup maple syrup (I used pure Maple syrup), if using pancake syrup I would try using a little less as it is sweeter.

 Place squash, cut side down, in shallow baking pan. Pour a little water in pan. Bake in preheated moderate oven (350°) about 30 minutes. While squash is baking, make sausage balls.

 Combine sausage, oats, salt, apple, onion, parsley and milk thoroughly. Shape into 12 balls. Brown lightly in small amount of oil in large skillet. Remove squash from oven; turn cut side up. Season with salt and pepper. Place 2 sausage balls in center of each squash. Continue to bake about 40 minutes longer basting with Maple syrup about 15 minutes before removing from oven.