Sausage-Stuffed Baked Apples

This just may be the perfect autumn supper. I mean, who doesn't love baked apples, right? This savory version made with maple sausage is absolutely impossible to resist.

These were absolutely delicious just as I made them, but you could play with the filling in lots of ways. The original recipe calls for dried figs, which I omitted, but I think they would have been delicious in these. Golden raisins or dried cranberries would be excellent too. And some brie would take these absolutely over the top. I made them during the week, but when I make them again I'll do it over the weekend, since these take a little bit longer to prep and cook than I prefer for weeknight cooking. But oh, these were so good. They were a literal taste of autumn. Served with a simple salad of mixed greens dressed with balsamic vinaigrette, this was a comforting, warm-you-up fall supper.

Sausage-Stuffed Baked Apples
source: adapted from Blue Ribbon Family Favorites

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound bulk maple pork sausage
1 small onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
3 baking apples, halved and cored (I used Honeycrisp)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until sausage is browned and onion is softened. Remove from heat and stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.

3. Fill each apple half with some of the sausage mixture. Place apples, filling side up, in a baking dish; cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes or until apples are tender.