Autumn Stuffed Acorn Squash

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2
Arrange squash halves, cut-side up, in a roasting pan. Run a fork through the meat of each half, creating grooves. Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and pepper; dot with butter pieces.

Step 3
Bake in the preheated oven until meat is tender enough to puncture with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 4
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; drain and discard grease. Add wild rice, cranberries, and chicken stock; cook and stir until rice and cranberries have absorbed the chicken stock, about 5 minutes.

Step 5
Spoon the sausage filling into each squash half. Return stuffed squash to oven and bake until flavors have blended, 5 to 10 minutes.