Squash Egg-in-the-Hole Recipe

This past Saturday morning, I saw what looked like a healthy, hearty breakfast on The Food Network's hit show The Kitchen. Healthy and hearty, this Squash Egg-in-the-Hole breakfast sure is! The original recipe, courtesy of Katie Lee, almost looked too healthy, so I decided to add my own flavor to it. And by flavor, I mean bacon. Lot's of bacon. So, Sunday morning came and my girlfriend and I decided to see what this dish is all about. And let me tell you, we were very, very pleased. The squash was so nice and tender while the egg fried perfectly sunny-side up in the "hole." The bacon added a nice salty taste while the parsley added some color and freshness.

Ingredients:

• Acorn Squash

• Eggs (1 per squash slice)

• Shredded Mexican cheese

• Fresh ground pepper

• Bacon bits

• Fresh parsley

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 425°. My convection setting is actually broken, so I set this one on broil. Started out on the bottom rack and moved up about halfway through to the top rack.

2) Spray your baking sheet with cooking spray.

3) Slice the squash into pieces about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick.

4) Scoop the membrane and seeds out of the squash with a spoon.

5) Lightly spread olive oil on either side of the squash slices and place on the baking sheet and into the oven for about 15 minutes. Check the squash with a fork to feel for tenderness. You want it to be just underdone at this point. So, a mild-tender.

6) While the squash is in the oven, let's get your other ingredients ready. Chop up your bacon into bit-sized pieces (whatever size you want, I'm not eating it) and cook that pig! It's best for the bacon to be on the crispier side. I cooked mine in the microwave for this one but I typically prefer to cook bacon in the oven. Also, grab a few sprigs of fresh parsley removing any thick stem elements from the leaf - set aside. Place bag of shredded cheese on the counter.

7) Remove the baking sheet from the oven.

8) Crack one egg into the squash's hole and sprinkle with fresh ground pepper (salt - go easy as the bacon adds saltiness).

9) Place back into the oven and reduce the temp to 375°. Let cook for another 10 - 15 minutes. The squash will be ready, you just need to make sure the eggs are cooked to your liking.

10) Remove baking sheet form the oven and sprinkle with your your shredded cheese, bacon bits, and parsley.

11) Enjoy! I didn't even need a side dish. I just ate two of these Egg-in-the-Holes Sunday morning and was good to go for a few hours.

#breakfast #eggs #squash