This recipe features a fall-time favorite vegetable, the acorn squash but, unlike most recipes, it adds savory flavors and ingredients, rather than overly sweet items. The vegetables, bacon, Parmesan cheese, Garlic granules, Thyme, and Parsley really compliment the slightly sweet flavor of this squash. This is a wonderful way to serve acorn squash and it makes a hearty dish, so it can be served as the main dish for a meal.
Ingredients:
1 (medium-sized) Acorn Squash
6 slices of cooked bacon (reserve the bacon grease)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup (fresh) sliced mushrooms
1 tsp Garlic Granules
1 Tblspn Thyme (dried herb)
1 Tblspn Parsley (dried herb)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup seasoned panko bread crumbs
Directions:
Cut the squash in half and then scoop out & remove the seeds and extra pulp fibers. Place each half, inner side down, in a glass baking dish. Microwave the squash in this dish for 15 - 20 minutes, until they are just cooked tender. Set the cooked squash halves aside. In a fry pan, saute the onion and celery in some of the reserved bacon grease. Add the Garlic Granules, Thyme and Parsley. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and the bacon (torn into bite-sized pieces) and cook until the mushrooms start to brown. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of the cheese. Place the squash on a baking pan and then stuff the inside of each squash half with the onion/celery mixture. Cover the stuffed squash with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Mix together the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and the 1/4 cup of panko bread crumbs. Remove the squash from the oven and spread the cheese/ panko mixture on top of each squash. Return to the oven and bake (uncovered) for about 5 minutes or until golden.
