Southwestern Ground Beef Stuffed Butternut Squash

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• 2 each butternut squash (medium size - I used the ones that were 7 or 8 inches long)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 butternut squash (medium size - I used the ones that were 7 or 8 inches long)
• 2 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon olive oil
  Ingredient note

  Source: 2 tablespoons olive oil; Source: 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
  Ingredient note

  Source: ¼ teaspoon salt
• As Needed black pepper
  Ingredient note

  Source seasoning: black pepper (freshly ground)
• 16 oz ground beef
  Ingredient note

  Source: 16 oz ground beef
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more)
• 15 oz canned black beans (rinsed and drained)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 15 oz canned black beans (rinsed and drained)
• 15 oz corn kernels (cooked, drained)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 15 oz corn kernels (cooked, drained)
• 4 oz diced mild chiles (canned)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 4 oz diced mild chiles (canned)
• 10 oz cherry tomatoes (sliced)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 10 oz cherry tomatoes (sliced)
• 6 each green onions (chopped)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 6 green onions (chopped)
• 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese ( shredded)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 cup pepper jack cheese ( shredded)
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
  Ingredient note

  Source: 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Prepare the butternut squash. Slice each one in half lengthwise. (Note: you can microwave a whole butternut squash (before slicing it in half) in the microwave oven for 5 or 10 minutes to soften it up). Keep fingers away from the knife to avoid injury. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fleshy strands tangled with the seeds.
3. Place butternut squash cut sides up on a baking sheet. Drizzle the cut sides of butternut squashes with olive oil and rub the oil into the squash. Season generously with salt and pepper. Turn the squash over, and place it cut sides down on a baking sheet. (Tip: you can line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.)
4. Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for 30 or 40 minutes on the middle rack.
5. While you roast the butternut squash, make the Southwestern ground beef mixture.
6. In a large, high-sided skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add ground beef and cook until completely cooked through. Drain any fat and liquid.
7. Add all the spices to the drained and cooked ground beef and mix to combine - chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt.
8. Add drained and rinsed black beans, corn, sliced cherry tomatoes, diced mild green chiles, and half of the chopped green onions to the same skillet and mix very well to combine over medium heat.
9. Taste and season with more spices and mores salt, if needed.
10. By this time, you have roasted the butternut squash for 30 or 40 minutes. Remove it from the oven and turn cooked squash halves cut sides up.
11. Let it cool slightly. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh leaving about a 1-inch border along the sides. (For reference, I provide the step-by-step photos for this step, above the recipe card).
12. Add the scooped out flesh to the skillet with the ground beef mixture and mix to combine. Reheat.
13. Divide the ground beef mixture among the 4 halves and stuff the squash until the mixture is leveled or a bit higher.
14. Top the ground beef stuffed butternut squash with shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese.
15. Roast the stuffed butternut squash in the preheated oven at 400 F for 15 more minutes on medium rack until the cheese mixture melts.
16. Top with the remaining half of the chopped green onions.