An all-in-one dish that may be the perfect winter meal! I married a hunter. I’m sure there are many of you out there who have done the same or are hunters yourselves, but not being raised in a game-eating family, there have been some challenges for me when it comes to cooking. My hearty stuffed acorn squash is a dish that uses ground meat and has been the perfect recipe for just about any game my husband brings home. I usually use ground pheasant, but venison, elk, beef, or chicken work great too. I brown the meat in bacon grease, giving it not only flavor but also adding some fat, which most game meat is lacking. The buttery flesh of the squash makes this dish delicious and filling. And using the squash shell and topped with parmesan cheese- It’s a meal all wrapped up in its own bowl. It’s one you’ll love, whether you’re a hunter or not.
Belle’s Hearty Stuffed Acorn Squash
1 large acorn squash
2-3 strips of bacon
½ pound ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey, or game meat)
1 cup chopped onions
2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Cut the Acorn squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place the two halves cut side down on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake in a 425-degree oven for 20 minutes. Check to see if the skins and flesh can be easily pierced with a fork, if not, bake another 10 minutes. While the squash is baking, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain and then crumble. In the same pan with the bacon grease, brown the meat. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until tender. Add the tomatoes and spices and cook until combined and heated through. When the squash is done cooking, remove them from the oven and scoop out the flesh, leaving about a ½ inch in the shell. Add the flesh to the meat mixture, along with the crumbled bacon, and combine well. Turn the squash shells over and fill them with the meat mixture. Place the cheese on top and then return to the oven to bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and turning brown.
