Sausage And Rice Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 8 ounces merguez (spicy lamb) sausage, casings removed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk or plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 egg
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 tablespoon plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil a baking dish large enough to hold the 4 squash halves in one layer.
2. Crumble sausage into a bowl. Add salt, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, diced pepper, buttermilk or yogurt, chopped mint, and egg. Mix well, breaking mixture down to a paste-like consistency, 3 or 4 minutes. Mix in cooked rice.
3. Divide mixture among the squash halves. Sprinkle stuffing with a pinch or 2 of breadcrumbs and some grated cheese. Drizzle lightly with olive oil.
4. Cover dish loosely with aluminum foil, more tented than wrapped; foil shouldn't touch the tops of the stuffed squash.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake until top is golden brown and squash is soft and tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

acorn, merguez, salt, ground cumin, freshly ground black pepper, ground cinnamon, red bell pepper, buttermilk, fresh mint, egg, rice, breadcrumbs, cheese, olive oil

Taken from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/255013/sausage-and-rice-stuffed-acorn-squash/ (may not work)