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Baked Acorn Squash w/Apple Stuffing

Source of Recipe

OFTFP


List of Ingredients

2 acorn squash, halved top to bottom, seeds and strings removed
3 cup cooked white rice, cooked with vegetable/chicken stock instead of water
2 cup cooked wild rice (about 1/3-1/2 cup uncooked) cooked in vegetable/chicken stock
3 apples, peeled, cored, diced to 1-2" pieces
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons dry sage or 15 fresh minced sage leaves
enough olive oil to brush or drizzle on squash lightly
20-30 walnut meat halves
1 egg
4 tablespoon butter, divided
2 teaspoons brown sugar
salt, pepper
4 teaspoons maple syrup



Recipe

Cook the uncooked white rice as you would normally, using stock instead of water. Use 2 cups stock to 1 cup long grain white rice.

Boil uncooked wild rice in 2 cups simmering stock for about 30 minutes or longer until tender. Drain.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Put the squash cut side up on a cookie sheet and brush or drizzle with olive oil lightly. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium high heat, melt two tablespoons of butter, and sautee the apples, celery, walnuts and sage. After about five minutes, add the brown sugar and toss to coat. Continue to sautee until the celery and apples begin to soften. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Mix the skillet contents with both rices in a big bowl. Scramble the egg, slice into thin strips and mix with rice. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Fill the squash with rice stuffing and put 1/2 tabelspoon of butter on top of each half and return to oven for 10 minutes or until a knife goes easily into the flesh of the squash along the top. (If any rice mix is left you can bake it in a separate bowl or heat it in a skillet and serve alongside.)

To serve drizzle just a very little maple syrup on top.

NOTES:
Depending on the size of the squash, you may want to bake them longer in the initial stage to make sure that they are completely cooked when finished. This dish can be prepared up to the stage of filling the squash and then held until you are ready to finish them.