Ingredients:

• 8 oz. Spinach, fresh
• 4 oz. Herbed Goat Cheese
• 1 lb. chicken sausage, casings removed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• EVOO
• 1/2 cup golden raisins (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1 cup of cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 acorn squash, halved
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/4 cup red wine (optional)
• salt and pepper

“Bourbon of the Season” Cocktail Ingredients:

• 6 oz. bourbon
• 4 oz. walnut liqueur
• 1 oz. sweet vermouth
• 1 oz. bourbon maple syrup, or regular
• 2 sprigs rosemary, fresh
• 2 slices of orange

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

To make the cocktail:

Combine the bourbon, walnut liqueur, vermouth, and maple syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake until combined. Prepare two old fashioned glasses with ice and a sprig of rosemary. Pour cocktail and enjoy!

To make the squash:

Now that you have your cocktail…

Halve the acorn squash and slice off a piece of the back side so it lies flat without wobbling. Scoop out the seeds in the center to form a nest for your filling. Place on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for 50-60 minutes or until golden.

Meanwhile, in a saute pan remove the sausage from the casings and brown the bits in olive oil. Break up the sausage as it’s browning into bite sized pieces. Once golden brown and done, remove the sausage and reserve on a plate.

Into the same pan, saute the onion and celery for a few minutes until they begin to be translucent. If you want to deglaze the brown bits (I highly recommend), add the red wine and stir. Add in the mushrooms and saute for 10 more minutes. Add in the garlic, tomato paste, and spinach. Give it a good stir to combine. Cover the pan until the spinach wilts. Add in the raisins, goat cheese, and sausage.

Stuff the acorn squash with the filling. If you’d like to, you can top with some breadcrumbs to add some texture. Serve warm and enjoy!