CREOLE STUFFED SUMMER SQUASH

Ingredients:

6 large yellow squash or mirlitons, halved and seeded
1 pound unpeeled, medium sized fresh shrimp
½ c. butter
½ pound smoked ham, minced
1 onion, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tb. Chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Ground white pepper
1 ¼ c. fine, dry breadcrumbs, divided
¼ tsp. Paprika

Directions:

Combine squash and water to cover in a dutch oven; bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool. Scoop out pulp, keeping shells intact; reserve pulp. Peel shrimp, and devein, if desired; chop shrimp.

Melt butter in dutch oven over medium heat; add ham and 1 onion, and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in shrimp and squash pulp Add green onions and next 4 ingredients; cook 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in 1 cup breadcrumbs. Spoon mixture into shells.

Stir together remaining ¼ cup breadcrumbs and paprika; sprinkle over shells. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 15 minutes.