Stuffed Acorn Squash

INGREDIENTS:
1 acorn squash
1 tablespoon oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 Tbs chopped celery leaves
1/3 Cup Stove Top Stuffing Mix
3 Tbs Half & Half
1 Tbs butter, melted
2 Tbs (¼ stick) butter, softened
1 egg
Salt and pepper

PROCEDURE:
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Set the halves cut side down in a baking dish, ½ fill with water and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until squash is soft, about 1 hour.

2. While the squash halves are baking, heat the oil in a small skillet and saute the onion over medium heat until translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the celery, stir and remove from the heat.

3. Crush the Stuffing Mix to fine crumbs (this should yield about ¼ cup), add the 1 tablespoon melted butter, stir together until evenly moist and set aside.

4. Once squash is cooked, scrape out some of it, leaving about ½ inch next to the shell. Add this to the onion and celery along with the 2 tablespoons of butter, 3 tablespoons of Half & Half, and the egg and mix until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Fill the acorn squash shells with this puree and top with the buttered bread crumbs. Set cut side up on a buttered baking dish (see below) and bake until the filling is somewhat set and the crumbs are brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.