Ingredients:
- 4 larger Zucchini or Yellow Summer Squash
- 3 strips bacon, cut into a small dice (you can use veggie bacon if you prefer)
- 1/4 c. red bell pepper, small dice
- 1/4 c. green bell pepper, small dice
- 1/2 c. sweet onion, small dice
- 1/2 can diced tomatoes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 c. cheddar cheese
- 1/4 c. panko (if desired)
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and place cut side down on a baking sheet that has been coated with a little olive oil. When oven has pre-heated place squash in the oven and cook until fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool.
2) Meanwhile, in a sauté pan, cook bacon over medium high heat until crispy. Remove bacon from the pan and reserve it. Reserve one tablespoon of the rendered bacon grease and discard the rest.
3) While keeping heat at medium-high, add reserved bacon grease back to the pan and add red and green bell pepper and onions. Sauté until onion is translucent and the pepper has softened.
4) Add tomatoes and cook, uncovered, until mixture has thickened.
5) Scoop the pulp from the squash, leaving about a 1/2 inch shell around all sides. Chop pulp from squash into a small dice and stir into tomato and pepper mixture.
6) Stir in reserved bacon.
7) Add salt and pepper as needed.
8) Use a spoon to fill squash shells with mixture, overfilling each and mounding on top.
9) Place each filled squash half back onto the baking sheet and top with cheese and panko (if desired.)
10) Set oven to broil and place baking sheet back in the over, turn a few times to make sure cheese melts evenly and panko crisps well. Serve while hot.