South Of The Border Stuffed Acorn Squash

It’s getting chilly up here in the mitten state.  Which means it’s time to get out the turtlenecks, scarves, jackets and yes, mittens.  It also means it’s time for some good comfort food.  Growing up, I never was a “squash” kind of girl.  It just never really appealed to me.  But now that I am a titch older, I am finding that I really do enjoy the foods of Fall.  For one, they look so pretty, with the greens, oranges and browns.  And two, I discovered that roasting squash brings out a wonderfully sweet, nutty buttery flavor.  And it looks beautiful to boot.  Then, take it a step further and stuff it with whatever your heart desires…love!

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This recipe is so easy and delicious and you can add whatever you want.  It’s a great starting base if you are craving a little mexican~type fare.  It’s filling, but not the “I am so miserably full I can’t breathe” kind of filling.  I doubted how the sweet nuttiness of the squash would meld with the slightly spicy beef and bean filling mixture.  Well….I’m here to tell ya…It.  Was.  Delicious.  I thought about dolloping a bit of sour cream on top, but didn’t think that would really go so great, so I opted to omit it.  But, to each his own…and as good as it is straight out of the oven, I figured leftovers the day after would be even better.  Well, not so much.  The filling reeeeeeally thickens up and, to me, I just wasn’t feeling it.  But I don’t expect everyone to like or dislike what I like, and it never hurts to give it the ol’ college try.  Ok then, I am off to unpack my warm clothes, uncork a lovely bottle of chardonnay and maybe put a log on the fire…enjoy!

Sláinte!

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South Of The Border Stuffed Acorn Squash
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 People 15 Minutes
Cook Time
70 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 People 15 Minutes
Cook Time
70 Minutes
South Of The Border Stuffed Acorn Squash
Print Recipe
Servings Prep Time
4 People 15 Minutes
Cook Time
70 Minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 People 15 Minutes
Cook Time
70 Minutes
Ingredients
  • 2 acorn squash cut in half, seeded
  • Salt and Pepper (to taste)
  • olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
  • 15 ounces black beans (rinsed)
  • 1/2 can (1 cup) refried black beans
  • 1 cup enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
  • 1 cup co~jack cheese (shredded)
Servings: People
Instructions
Roasted Squash
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. While oven is preheating, cut squash in half and remove seeds with a spoon.
  3. Drizzle olive oil into the cavity and add salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
  4. On foil lined rimmed baking sheet, turn squash upside down and roast for 40-50 minutes, until edges are nicely browned and squash is tender.
Beef and Bean Filling
  1. While squash is roasting in oven, prepare the filling mixture. In large pan, brown ground beef and onion until no longer pink. Drain.
  2. Add black beans, refried black beans, enchilada sauce, salsa and chili powder. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Fill each squash with equal amounts of filling mixture (you will have leftovers) and top with co~jack shredded cheese. Bake for additional 10 minutes until completely warmed through. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes

Adapted from Food Done Light

Since I did not like the leftovers, I scooped out the filling into a bowl, added some jalapeños, microwaved for two minutes and served with tortilla chips.  Excellent dip!!

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