A vegetarian can saddle up to one half of this stuffed kabocha squash and scoop out a meal of it. Alternately. add sausage and divide each half into smaller increments for a warm fall side dish.

• 2T butter, divided
• Olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped,
• 8 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried savory
• 1 teaspoon each fresh sage and thyme
• ¼ c sherry
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1/2 C wild rice blend
• 1 small kabocha squash, halved and seeded
• 2T brown sugar
• 1T honey
• 1T Balsamic vinegar
• 1 egg
• ¼ c sour cream
• 1C pecorino, grated
• 1 sausage, casing removed
• 1 bunch spinach
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 1T parsley

Preheat oven to 425. Season squash with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and turn cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for ½ hour.

Melt 1T butter in a medium saucepan. Add onion, celery and carrot, cover and cook until soft. Add crimini mushrooms and savory, cover and cook until soft. Add thyme, sage and rice. Toast rice slightly. Add sherry and broth, bring to a simmer and then cook over low for about 30 minutes.

Once squash is cooked, turn over and sprinkle the inside with sugar, honey and vinegar. Let sit until rice is done.

Cook sausage to render out the fat. In a small bowl, combine egg, sour cream and cheese. When rice is done, fold in the sausage. Line the bottom of the squash with some spinach, top with the rice mixture and squeeze some lemon over. Stuff the squashes with the rice mixture. Then spoon the sour cream mixture over the top. Bake for about a half hour on 375.

Let cool for a few minutes; sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serves: 2-4