I would really like to take credit for this recipe. It has me written all over it. Squash, grain, exotic spices – yum. However, I would be deceiving you if I said it was me. It was in fact Martha Stewart (or her minions) that came up with this gem of a dish.

Originally printed in the October 2009 edition of Martha Stewart Living, I made this recipe last year to happy reviews from our tummies. So, here it is again. I changed very little from the original: halved the recipe, subbed regular raisins for golden and omitted pine nuts. I also added a few extra dashes of nutmeg and cinnamon because we like it with extra flava.

I know this recipe was a popular one in the blogosphere last year, a quick search turned up this recipe on one of my favorite blogs We are Not Martha, so deal with me if you’ve seen it. If you haven’t, go ahead and make it cuz it’s tasty.

Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash
*See the original recipe here.

Ingredients
1 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
cooking spray
1/2 lb. lean ground beef (I used 93%)
A couple of dashes of cinnamon
A couple of dashes of nutmeg
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. bulgur wheat
1 cup water
2 tbsp. raisins
2 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash, cut sides down, in a baking dish. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes. I did this the night before to save on time.
2.) Spray a high sided skillet or pot with cooking spray and heat to medium. Add ground beef, a dash or two each of cinnamon and nutmeg, and 1/2 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 translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 1/2 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 1/4 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 (mine needed about 20 minutes because the squash was cold from the fridge).