Acorn Squash

Acorn squash is a nutrient dense vegetable that makes a colorful side dish. These beautiful vegetables are usually dark green or golden yellow in color, and they are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. According to Bowden’s 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, one cup of cooked acorn squash has 9 grams of fiber, 895 mg of potassium and almost 2 mg of iron. All that and it tastes good too.
During my recent trip to Texas there was a lot of cooking and eating going on. I didn’t get recipes or pictures of everything that we did, but I did get the recipe for the acorn squash that my brother-in-law Henry made one night while I was there. I learn something every time I watch him cook. Here’s his version of acorn squash.

Baked Acorn Squash
2 acorn squash
4 slices bacon, cooked
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Start with two medium sized acorn squash. And by they way, they got their name because they look like acorns. These two are straight from the grocery store and still have their stickers on. I understand that acorn squash are easy to grow. That would be fun to try.

Cut each squash in half. You’ll need a good knife. The stems are tough.

Use a spoon to scoop the seeds and stuff out of the inside. You can discard what you scooped out.

Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil; spray foil with non stick cooking spray.

Place squash halves cut side down on the baking sheet. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until the squash is cooked and soft.

 While squash is baking, prepare bacon, then saute chopped onion in bacon grease.

Let cooked squash cool for several minutes after removing from oven. When cooled enough to handle, scoop squash flesh out of shell into a medium bowl. Henry said that sometimes he saves the shells to bake the squash in, but tonight he was going to use a baking dish.

Mix squash, crumbled bacon, sauted onion, brown sugar, salt and pepper together in a medium bowl.

Pour into a baking dish that has been sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Return to 375 degree F oven to brown slightly on top.

Remove from oven and serve as a side dish with your favorite meal. That night we had the acorn squash alongside chicken and roasted vegetables. It made a colorful and healthy plate.