Acorn Squash Stuffed With Wild Rice Hazelnuts And Dried Cranberries Recipes

WILD RICE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 baking pans, and place the cleaned-out squash, cut sides down, into the pans. Bake in the preheated oven until barely soft to the touch, about 25 minutes.
• Make the stuffing mix as instructed on the package, and set aside.
• Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan, and cook and stir the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook and stir until they give up their juice, about 5 more minutes. Add the rice mix and sage, and cook and stir the rice and vegetables until the vegetables begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Pour in the vegetable stock, stir to combine, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer the rice mixture until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Lightly mix the cooked rice mixture with the stuffing in a bowl, and pile the mixture into the centers of the squash without packing it. Return the stuffed squash to the oven and bake until the squash are tender and the stuffing is hot, about 15 more minutes.

CRANBERRY-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash, cut side down, in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Fill pan with hot water to a depth of 1/2 in. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, combine cranberries, apple, orange, brown sugar, walnuts, butter and orange zest. Drain water from pan; turn squash cut side up. Sprinkle with salt. Stuff with cranberry mixture. Bake 25 minutes longer or until squash is tender.

WILD RICE STUFFED SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. Cut each squash crosswise in half; remove and discard seeds. Cut a thin slice from bottom of each half to allow each to lie flat. Place on baking sheets, hollow side up; brush tops with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until almost tender, 30-35 minutes., In a large saucepan, combine rice with contents of seasoning mix, broth, sage and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is almost absorbed, 23-25 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute celery and onion in remaining oil until tender. Stir in cranberries, pecans and parsley. Remove from heat. Stir in rice mixture., Fill each squash half with about 1/2 cup rice mixture. Return to oven, uncovered, until rice is heated through and squash is tender, 12-15 minutes.

ACORN SQUASH STUFFED WITH WILD RICE, HAZELNUTS AND DRIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Bring 7 cups water and rice to boil in heavy large saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour. Drain. Transfer rice to large bowl.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Oil baking sheet. Place squash, cut side down, on sheet. Bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Cool. Using spoon, scoop out pulp from squash, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell; reserve shells. Transfer pulp to medium bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until very tender, about 15 minutes. Add sage; stir 2 minutes. Add rice, squash pulp and lemon juice; stir until mixed, breaking up squash pulp into smaller pieces. Mix in 1/2 cup cranberries, 1/2 cup hazelnuts and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide rice mixture among reserved squash shells. Place in roasting pan. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Bake squash until filling is heated through, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons cranberries and 3 tablespoons hazelnuts.