Southern Cornbread Dressing in Acorn Squash

Traditionally, southern dressing or stuffing is baked alongside a hen or turkey. This is pretty much the same dressing recipe but it's baked inside acorn squash. The squash keeps the dressing from drying out and provides another side dish.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  cup onion, chopped
• 1  cup celery, chopped
• 2  cups chicken broth (may need more or less)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1  teaspoon dried thyme
• 1⁄4 teaspoon black pepper, to taste (I like mine peppery)
• 6  slices  stale bread, cubed
• 4  cups  cornbread, crumbled
• 2  whole eggs, beaten
• 4  small acorn squash (small size, about 4 pounds total)
• 4  tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter on medium heat and cook onion and celery for 3 to 4 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
3. Add chicken broth, sage, thyme and pepper to taste and cook over medium heat for 1 minute.
4. In a large bowl, combine bread cubes and cornbread. Pour broth/vegetable mixture over all and stir to combine. If the mixture is dry or crumbly looking, add broth until it will hold together.
5. Stir in the eggs. (Stirring in the eggs last prevents the hot broth from scrambling them.).
6. Cut acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Cut a small slice off the sides, so the squash will lay flat in the baking dish.
7. Generously brush insides of squash with melted butter.
8. Spoon a heaping 1/2 cup of the stuffing mixture in each squash half and place in a large shallow baking dish. Drizzle on any remaining melted butter.
9. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour or until squash is tender and dressing is warmed through. If desired, remove foil during the last 10 minutes to brown up the top.