Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

Aside from wanting to make something delicious for dinner, I created this dish in an attempt to use some of the many squash I had growing in my garden.  I found some delicious sweet corn at the produce store, so I knew I wanted to include that too.  They turned out great!

What you need:

a few patty pan squash

2 teaspoons coconut oil (or butter or olive oil)

1/2 sweet onion, finely diced

1/2 sweet red or orange pepper, finely diced

2-3 garlic cloves, finely diced

1 teaspoon fresh chopped oregano

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 cob of corn (or a small can of peaches and cream corn)

1 teaspoon finely chopped dried guajillo chili (or 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes)

salt and pepper

1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan (substitute non-dairy if you need to)

What you do:

1. Boil a large pot of water and then immerse the squash for about 5 minutes to soften them up a little.  Remove and let them cool until you can handle them.  Cut the tops off, like you would if you were carving a pumpkin.  You may also need to shave a little off the bottom so they sit upright.  Scoop the insides out with a spoon, throwing away the seedy bits if there are any.

2. Finely dice the onions, then add it to a pan that you have heated to medium with the coconut oil.  After about a minute, add the finely diced pepper, and after about 3 minutes add the garlic.

3. When the onions have slightly browned add the chopped oregano and bread crumbs.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Take the pan off the heat and add the corn and 1/4 cup of the parmesan, and mix it all together.

4. Fill each of the squash, pressing the filling into it, and place them on a baking tray.  Top with the remaining parmesan.

5. Bake for 40 minutes,then insert a sharp knife into the flesh of one squash to make sure it’s cooked through.

Enjoy!