This is a simple, inexpensive, and good fall supper. Delicata squash are one of my favorite fall squashes because of their mild, slightly sweet-nutty taste. You also can eat the skin, so no peeling is required! This recipe combines lean turkey breakfast sausage with onion, celery, and apples for a great fall combination--kind of like Thanksgiving dinner in a squash. Although you do need to cook the vegetables and sausage on the stovetop and microwave the squash, the air fryer will take care of the final "bake" in about 30 minutes--so no need to heat up the big oven. I sometimes make a simple cheese sauce to top the squash and other times serve the squash plain. Either way it's good! You also can assemble the squash halves ahead of time (even a day ahead), refrigerate them, and then air fry them just before dinner time. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Stuffed Delicata Squash -- Serves 4
2 large delicata squash
2-3 teaspoons of canola oil
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1/4 cup of chopped celery
1 small cored and chopped apple
16 ounces of lean turkey breakfast sausage (mild)
1 - 2 tablespoons of dried cranberries (or raisins)
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup of cooked rice
1/2 cup of plain yogurt (light is fine)
2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
Cheese sauce, optional
Parsley, optional
Pierce each of the squashes in several places. Put them on a paper towel-lined plate and cover them with another paper towel. Microwave the squashes for about 8 minutes or until you can pierce them easily with a knife. Split the squashes in half, lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and membrane from the middles. Tear off a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fit the bottom and about two inches up the sides of your air fryer basket. Spritz the foil with non-stick cooking spray and lay the squash halves on the foil (if you have a small air fryer, you may have to cook the squash halves in batches). Heat the oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet. Add the chopped onion, celery, apple, and turkey to the pan and saute them together for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and the turkey is cooked through. Stir in the cranberries, the garlic powder, cinnamon, rice, yogurt, Parmesan cheese, and egg until everything is thoroughly combined. Divide the mixture among the squash halves in your air fryer basket, mounding the meat mixture, if necessary. Spritz the tops of the filled squashes with non-stick cooking spray. Air fry the filled squashes at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes or until bubbly and brown. Serve the squash halves "as is" (half a squash half per person) or top them with the cheese sauce below and a little parsley.
Simple Cheese Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons of butter
1 1/2 tablespoons of flour
1 1/2 cups of cold milk
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of shredded Swiss or Gruyere cheese
Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the flour and let it cook with the butter for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Whisk in the cold milk, the salt, and the pepper. Keep whisking gently until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Turn off the heat and whisk in the Parmesan and the Swiss cheese. Serve the sauce over the squash halves.
