Sausage-Stuffed Acorn Squash

From the garden

• 2 medium acorn squash, halved through the stem, seeds scooped out
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups kale or chard, stemmed and chopped

From the pantry

• 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1½ cups cooked rice · leftover rice works well
• ½ cup parmesan, grated · divided
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Brush the squash halves with the olive oil, season the cut sides, and roast cut-side down on a rimmed sheet pan 25–30 minutes until a knife slides into the thickest part easily.
2. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it into crumbles, 6–8 minutes until no pink remains. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning.
3. Add the greens by the handful and toss until wilted, 2–3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the rice and half the parmesan; taste and season.
4. Flip the squash halves cut-side up, season the cavities, and mound the filling in generously. Top with the remaining parmesan.
5. Bake 12–15 minutes until the filling is hot through and the cheese is golden. Rest 5 minutes. The squash flesh scoops up with every bite of filling.