New Recipe of the Week: Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squashes

In keeping with my fall themed recipes, I am very excited about this week's Recipe of the Week! I love squash.....roasted, sauteed, mashed, in soups.....you name it, I like it! What I like the most is how easy they are to prepare and how sweet they taste without having to add much seasoning. On of the other things I love are complete meals......protein, carbs, and veggies all in one dish. It doesn't get any easier than that! This recipe is just that......its like individual little pots of goodness all in one :)

In a previous ROTW (Recipe of the Week), I introduced some of you to quinoa. Today I am introducing you to Bulgur Wheat. Bulgur is a type of whole grain that is more nutritious than rice or couscous because it contains more fiber, vitamins and minerals. It cooks up just like rice and has a slightly sticky quality to it.

Leave it to the one and only Martha to come up with this easy and tasty recipe. I have made it twice (as has my mother-in-law) and we both like it. One comment we both had was to add extra cinnamon, nutmeg, raisins, and pine nuts.....I didn't measure, I just threw stuff in the pot! The smell of the baking squash and all the spices and garlic melding together will have your mouth watering......I hope you enjoy it as much as we have!!

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash

(my comments are in parentheses)

• 2 medium acorn squashes (about 2 pounds), halved and seeded (Cut a little off the bottom of the squash so they'll sit flat once filled)
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 pound ground chuck (95 percent lean) (My MIL used ground turkey and said they were good, but not as flavorful....I stick with the beef!)
• Ground cinnamon (I put in a couple good sized shakes, maybe 2 tsp total)
• Ground nutmeg (same as the cinnamon)
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup bulgur wheat
• 2 cups water (or you can use low sodium chicken stock for added flavor)
• 1/4 cup golden raisins (I used about double the quantity)
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (I didn't toast mine but I used about double the quantity)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squashes, cut sides down, in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 4-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, a pinch each cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer beef to a bowl or plate using a slotted spoon, keeping as much cooking liquid in the pot as possible.
3. Add onion, and cook until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining teaspoon salt and the bulgur, and stir to combine. Add water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, and add reserved beef, the raisins, parsley, and pine nuts.
4. Scrape out baked squashes, forming -inch-thick bowls, and fold flesh into bulgur mixture. Divide among squash halves, and return to oven. Bake until warmed through and tops are browned, 12 to 14 minutes. (If there are only two of you, fill all 4 squash bowls but only bake two. Refrigerate the other 2 for a quick dinner another night.....just bake!)