Breakfast Sausage Hash–Stuffed Acorn Squash

We received the most delicious breakfast sausage with our pork share from a local pig farmer a while back and we were thrilled with it. Good sausage really makes the best hash, in my opinion. Preservative-free bulk sausage can be difficult to find, so you can also use precooked uncured chicken and apple sausage in a pinch. The short cooking time on these squashes makes them flexible for brunch, lunch, or dinner. They also reheat beautifully!

Prep time 20 minutes
Serves 4 generously

1 pound (455 g) bulk-style breakfast sausage
1 bell pepper, stemmed and diced
1/2 cup (80 g) chopped yellow onion
1 4-ounce (113 g) can diced green chillies
2 small acorn squashes
Sea salt and pepper
2 eggs
Hot sauce and diced avocado, for serving

1 Cook sausage in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until browned. Add bell pepper, onion, and chillies to the skillet. Cook for another 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Remove from heat.

2 Cut the squashes in half from top to bottom, and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle the insides with sea salt and black pepper.

3 Crack the eggs into the pan with the cooled sausage mixture and combine thoroughly. Fill the squash halves with the sausage mixture.

4 Place the sausage halves in a 6-quart (5.7 liter) slow cooker, two halves on top and two halves on the bottom, but don’t nestle them.

5 Cover and cook on low for 21/2 to 3 hours, until squash is fork tender.

6 Serve with hot sauce and diced avocado.