Acorn Hall: Ground Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash

Wow, so, it has obviously been awhile since the last time I posted a recipe on here.  A lot has been going on!  Stoney and I moved from middle-of-nowhere TN to the "big city" (Nashville), ran around in the Hyena costumes at DragonCon, and have just generally been crazy busy.  

One of the biggest perks about moving to Nashville has been the local Farmer's Market.  The theme of this week's market?  Squash!  We found some amazingly beautiful Acorn Squash and also found some wonderful spices at the international market inside of the Farmer's Market pavilion, so we decided on stuffed squash this week.  

The recipe is 4 servings, and your squashes will be completely overflowing with deliciousness!  It pairs wonderfully with a pumpkin beer.

What you need:

• 2 medium acorn squash
• 1 tbsp ghee (or butter, we found ghee at the international market and decided to give it a try)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 2lbs 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 tsp Hawaiian Red Clay salt
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 cup tahini 
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves
• 2 tbsp sliced almonds, finely ground

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Cut your squash in half and scoop out the guts and seeds.  Spray the flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with Hawaiian red clay salt and pepper.  

Spray a baking sheet with oil, as well, and place the squash flesh-side down.  Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the squash is soft and the flesh is ever-so-slightly browned.

While the squash is cooking, heat the ghee in a skillet over medium heat, and then sauté the onion, peppers, garlic, and celery for about 3 minutes.  

Next, add in your spices and ground turkey, cooking until the turkey is cooked-through.  

  

Add the tahini, water, and spinach leaves next, cooking until the spinach has wilted.  Remove from heat.

Once you have baked the acorn squash (don't turn the oven off!), let it cool and then scoop out most of the flesh (but you are stuffing them, so remember to leave enough flesh in the squash) and stir it into your stuffing mix.  Leave the hollowed-out squash on the baking sheet.

Now stuff your squash!  Realistically, they will be overflowing, but fret not!  More to eat later!  Now bake everything for 10 minutes, and then turn the broiler onto them for 2.