I love fall! There is just so much to enjoy like cooler weather, harvest, sweaters, beautiful sunsets, pumpkins galore and fall season produce like squash and apples! I think my love of fall definitely got passed down to our kids... did you see that picture of Shepherd sleeping with a pumpkin!? haha!
And they all loved this meal! What's not to love? Some might say kale, but we chopped up the kale a little extra in theirs. They don't mind eating it if it's in smaller pieces! And the apple pieces were like searching for marshmallows in Lucky Charm cereal!
This recipe is made up of perfectly roasted squash filled with Bison sausage, kale, apples, and caramelized onion. It’s a great meal that’s quick enough for weeknights and highly nutritious. Read on to find out why!
Since this recipe uses bison meat, the nutrition level of this meal is amazing! Bison meat is a nutrient dense food because of the amount of protein, fat, mineral, and fatty acids compared to its caloric value. Bison is rich in Vitamin B12, Selenium, Zinc and Phosphorus, it is also an excellent source of our daily recommended Iron, Vitamin B6 and Niacin. Alongside kale, squash and apples this is a very nutritious meal!
We are so excited to be sharing this recipe with you. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. It's been a staple in our fall menu for the past number of years!
And there may be a bit of leftovers, depending on the size of your squash. I know some people do not like leftovers but we love them here! We like to fry the sausage mixture (can include the squash too) with some farm fresh eggs for breakfast! Easy dinner and easy nutritious breakfast!
You can also source all these ingredients locally! If you are from Lambton County, Ontario, we suggest finding the herbs at Forest Glen Herb Farm, the produce from Zekveld's Garden Market, goat cheese from Great Lakes Goat Dairy and the Bison Meat from us (Copper Flats Bison Co.).
Ingredients:
- 2 medium acorn squash (cut in half width-wise for pretty scalloped edges and seeds/strings scooped out)
- 1 lb bison sausage (casings removed) (*we suggest mild Italian)
- 1 large onion, small dice
- 3 tbsp butter + 2tsp butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium-large apple, cored and diced
- 2 cups fresh kale, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- optional: mild goat cheese
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the squash halves on the baking sheet. Turn upside down (seed side down) and roast for 25 minutes or until the squash is fork tender. Once done, set aside until filling is ready.
While the squash roasts, make the filling. Start with caramelizing the onions. This should take about 25 min, similar to the time it should take for the squash to be done. Stir every 5 minutes or so to prevent burning. Once they are a deep golden brow, removed from heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat a large saucepan to medium low heat and add 2 tsp butter to melt. Add the garlic and cook until just tender, then add all the sausage (casings removed) and increase the heat to medium.
Cook the sausage, breaking up lumps, until just browned (about 5-8 minutes). Add the apples and herbs and continue to cook, stirring until the apples soften. Place the torn kale on top of the sausage mixture and cover the skillet to steam for 1-2 minutes. Stir and re-cover to continue steaming the kale, if necessary. Once the kale is wilted remove the pan from heat.
Add the caramelized onions to the sausage mixture. Set your oven to broil, then fill all 4 halves of the squash with the stuffing mixture. If you would like, this is where you can add a little goat cheese on top.
Arrange the squash on the baking sheet, stuffing side up. Broil for 2-3 minutes making sure not to over-brown the squash. Serve immediately.
Let us know how you liked it! Tag us @copperflatsbisonco
Thanks,
Lia