I've written a basic version but the recipe itself is incredibly versatile: you could use any meat and perhaps leave out the rice so that the filling is more like a thick stew; you could add a handful of lightly toasted raw cashews; you could add some chopped carrots and/or parsnips; you could even leave out the meat for a vegetarian version. The squash has a flavor similar to a sweet potato so you could also replace the filling with an Indian vegetable curry or some pasta tossed in a walnut brown butter sauce. The possibilities are endless… Serves 4 Preparation time: 90 minutes Ingredients: 1 pound ground sausage 2 Carnival squashes (can substitute acorn squash or sugar dumpling squash) Olive oil 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter 1/2 lb. wild mushrooms (can use shiitake, cremini, porcini, etc. or any combination), stems discarded and caps chopped fine 1 small onion, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1/4 cup good quality maple syrup (grade B, if possible) 1/2 teaspoon of red chili (cayenne) powder; or to taste 4 to 6 sprigs fresh sage, minced or cut in a chiffonade A few sprigs of thyme for garnish (optional) 1 1/2 to 2 cups of cooked white rice Salt & Pepper to taste (Note: Most good quality maple syrup found in stores is Grade A. Although it sounds like a lower quality level, Grade B is actually just the same syrup that has been evaporated longer so that it is more concentrated and has stronger maple flavor. It is usually slightly more expensive but certainly worth it.) To prepare: Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Cut each squash in half from the stem to the base. Use an ice cream scoop or sturdy tablespoon to scoop out the seeds and create a small bowl. You may want to scrape out a little of the flesh as well to make more room for the filling. Slice a small sliver from the bottom of each "bowl" so that they stand straight without wobbling (be careful not to slice too much and create a hole). Sprinkle the top and inside of each "bowl" with salt and drizzle with one tablespoon of maple syrup. Place all the squashes together on a baking sheet or lasagna pan, cut side up, and cover tightly with foil. Cook in the oven till flesh is soft, about 1 hour. While the squash is cooking, put a large a saucepan or pot over medium high heat and add the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the butter has melted, add the mushrooms and a large pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, till all the liquid given off has evaporated; about 5 minutes. Move the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside. Return the pan to the heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. Once it's hot, add the chopped onion and cook till soft, stirring often; about 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Then add the garlic and ground sausage and cook till browned, about 7 minutes, adding salt if needed. Add the cooked mushrooms and incorporate them into the filling. Add the chili pepper and maple syrup to taste, balancing the spiciness and sweetness. Once it's incorporated, mix in the fresh sage. Fold in the cooked white rice and add salt, pepper, maple syrup and chili pepper as needed. Remove from heat. When the squash are done, take them out of the oven and let them rest for a few minutes, uncovered (there may be a small pool of maple syrup at the bottom of each "bowl"; this is fine, you can leave it there). Spoon the filling evenly into each of the squash bowls. 20 minutes before serving, put the stuffed squashes back in the oven to heat everything together. Remove after 20 minutes and serve with a sprig of thyme on top as a garnish. (Note: the skin of the squash can be eaten though it is thick and some people choose to just scoop out the flesh and leave it.)