6 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, cut into very thin slices
1 lb. hamburger
4 slices white bread with crusts removed
1 c. milk
1 egg, beaten to a lemon yellow
1/3 c. chopped parsley
1/3 c. chopped celery
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. monosodium glutamate
4 acorn squash, sliced lengthwise, with the seeds & pulp removed
1/3 c. water

Melt the butter in a skillet, being careful not to burn it. Add the cut-up garlic and saute for 5 minutes. Now remove the garlic and discard it. Here garlic is used as a very subtle flavoring agent, if left in it would overwhelm the squash flavor.

Brown the meat in the garlic-flavored butter; break up the slices of bread and soak in the milk; to the bread mixture add the egg, parsley, celery, salt, pepper and monosodium glutamate. Stir in the meat mixture and continue to mix and stir until all is very smooth.

Fill each squash half with a portion of the mixture, then place the filled squash in a shallow baking pan. Pour the water into the bottom of the pan. Do not cover. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the sides of the squash can be pierced with a fork.

VARIATIONS:

Substitute lean ground pork for the hamburger. Substitute lean ground ham for the hamburger. Substitute a mixture of half pork sausage with casings removed and half hamburger for all hamburger. Substitute a mixture of half ham and half hamburger for all hamburger. Use 1 cup cooked rice in place of the bread; diminish the milk by half.