Italian Sausage Stuffed Summer Squash Recipes

Steps:

• For the squash: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the squash on a baking sheet flesh-side up and rub with the olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast until the edges begin to ripple and a poke with a fork reveals tender flesh, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool until easy to handle.
• Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
• Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4 inch of flesh within the skin of each squash half to help it maintain its shape.
• For the filling: In a large pan on medium-high heat, add the olive oil and sausage. While cooking, break the sausage into bits like ground meat with a wooden spoon. Once some of the fat is rendered from the sausage, add the onions, paprika, pumpkin pie spice, sage, celery, bell peppers and a pinch of salt. Cook until the sausage is done and the vegetables are tender.
• Add the mixture to the bowl of squash along with the cheese, walnuts and cranberries and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Fill the hollowed squash halves with the mixture and place back in the oven to melt the cheese and make the tops golden brown, 15 more minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

Steps:

• Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place cut side down in a microwave-safe 11x7-in. baking dish. Cover and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender., Meanwhile, crumble sausage into a large skillet; add the onion, green pepper and garlic. Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomato, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper., Turn squash cut side up. Stuff with sausage mixture; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Use a spoon to remove the seeds from the squash and cut in half. Simmer covered skin side down, in 1/2 inch of water for around 7-8 minutes. Remove from the water and set aside to cool. [tip: If you have a food steamer, it works extremely well for this step, too.] In a small skillet, sauté the diced onion in a light drizzle of olive oil over medium high heat until translucent. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the Italian sausage and cook until brown. Next add, the minced garlic and spinach leaves. Sauté just until the spinach begins to wilt then remove from the heat. In the same pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the cubed bread and sauté for 1-2 minutes until golden. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the bread cubes while toasting Add the bread cubes, spinach and sausage mixture to a mixing bowl. Mix together with 1 cup of shredded Italian cheese blend cheese and 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. Set aside. Use a teaspoon to remove the seeds from the steamed squash. Place side by side in the baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. You can drizzle them with melted butter, if you like for added flavor. Divide the filling evenly between the squash halves and sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the filling is golden and the squash is cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot. Cook's note: Use a sharp knife to cut a flat piece from the backside of the squash to stabilize it. This will prevent the squash from rolling and it will remain upright while cooking.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat it with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
• Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Stir in sausage and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring to break up sausage into small pieces, until sausage is browned and bell pepper is soft and sweet, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain off any fat.
• Stir goat cheese and sausage mixture in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.
• Hollow out a 3/4-inch deep well in the center of each squash half. Place each piece on the prepared baking sheet, cut-side up. Season with salt and black pepper; fill each with 1 to 2 tablespoons cheese and sausage mixture. Top each squash with breadcrumbs and lightly drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until filling is golden and squash is tender, about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Crumble in the sausage and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the squash, zucchini, eggplant and onion, and cook until softened, another 5 to 7 minutes. Add the mushrooms and okra and cook 5 minutes more. Add the garlic, jalapeno, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, white wine, red wine vinegar, oregano, basil, sugar and some salt and pepper; stir to combine. Cover and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every now and then. When done, place in bowls and top with the Parmesan. Enjoy!!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season the squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, flesh side up and add 1/2 cup water to the pan. Cover with alluminum foil and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, brown the sausage and onions, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl, toss the sausage and onions with the pasta sauce, pasta, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.
• Spoon the pasta mixture into the cavity of each squash. Place the filled squashes on a baking sheet and place in the oven.
• Bake until the squash is heated through and the cheese melts, about 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat broiler.
• In a small bowl combine dressing and garlic.
• In an extra-large skillet cook sausage and squash in 2 tablespoons of the dressing mixture for 8 to 10 minutes or until sausage is heated through and squash is almost tender, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, toast Italian bread lightly; or if you prefer, you can place the bread slices on a broiler pan, brush with 1 tablespoon of the dressing mixture, and broil 3 to 4 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until lightly toasted.
• Serve sausage and squash with the toasted bread. Drizzle with any remaining dressing; sprinkle with oregano; top with a little parmesan cheese, if desired.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Cover a baking sheet with foil.
• Drizzle the squash flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place both halves, cut-sides down, on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender when pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage, onion, and garlic in the hot skillet until sausage is browned and crumbly, 7 to 10 minutes. Add bell pepper and mushrooms and saute for 3 minutes. Drain and discard any grease and excess liquid.
• Stir in tomato sauce, black and green olives, and Italian seasoning, and bring to a simmer, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the squash from the oven. Flip over so flesh is facing up. Sprinkle 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese into each half, then divide sausage mixture evenly between the two. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over top.
• Return to the oven and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly, about 10 more minutes.