Ingredients
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1 butternut squash
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3 cups chicken broth
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1 cup water
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1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
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2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
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1 lb mild sausage, crumbled or sliced (I prefer Aidell's brand chicken and apple sausage)
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1 cup diced onion
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2 garlic cloves, minced
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1 cup uncooked arborio rice or 1 cup other short-grain rice
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1/4 cup dry white wine
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1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
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cooking spray
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1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
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1 small sweet apple, diced (gala, pink lady, or golden delicious, for example)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place squash on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until tender. After allowing squash to cool, cut it in half lengthwise, seed, quarter and peel it. Then cut it into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside.
- Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees.
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, bring broth, water, and sage to a simmer without allowing it to come to a boil.
- In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat and brown the sausage; set aside.
- In the same skillet, saute onion in remaining olive oil over medium-high heat until tender.
- Add the apple and garlic, and saute for two minutes.
- Add the rice, and saute for an additional minute.
- Stir in the sausage, squash, broth mixture, wine, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Place the casserole mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
- Remove casserole from oven, stir mixture gently, and sprinkle with cheese.
- Return to oven and bake for an additional five minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Allow to cool for ten minutes before serving.