Wild Rice, Cherries, Apricots and Cheesy Stuffed Acorn Squash

"Easy nice comfort food. Acorn squash stuffed with wild rice, cherries, pecans and a creamy cheesy topping. I prefer a blend of wild and white for this, but you can really use any rice if you don't like wild rice. And hey, this is the time to take advantage of the boxed rice. Uncle Bens is what I use, but there are many brands available, and I just use the quick cooking kind, but any will work. My favorite is to serve this with roast chicken, but if you want something lighter ... serve with a fresh green salad topped with roasted pears."
 
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photo by HeatherFeather photo by HeatherFeather
photo by HeatherFeather
Ready In:
55mins
Ingredients:
13
Yields:
4 Squash halves
Serves:
4-10
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ingredients

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directions

  • Squash -- Drizzle the olive oil the inside of the squash and sprinkle with sald and pepper. Place flesh side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment or even foil in a 400 degree oven, middle shelf for about 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the squash. Just poke with a knife and it should be tender but no falling apart. Remove from the oven so you can add the stuffing.
  • Rice -- As the squash is baking, cook the rice according to the package directions. But as the rice cooks, add if your garlic and shallots, so it will cook right along with the rice. TIP: I always cook my rice in broth rather than water, so if you want to add some more flavor, rather than water, use chicken or vegetable broth.
  • Finishing -- Once the rice is done, remove from the heat and stir in the butter, scallions, cherries, apricots and nuts. Then stuff the squash! I fill each squash half way, and then add a little cheese, add the rest of the rice and top with the remainder of the cheese.
  • Bake -- 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. This will reheat the squash, rice, and melt the cheese.
  • Serve -- ENJOY! 1 squash half per person is healthy and filling. As I mentioned, roast chicken is great with this or go lighter with a salad.

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Reviews

  1. Delicious! Creative, colorful, and quite flavorful. I loved the stuffing with all the bits of cherries, nuts, apricots - it was really a nice blend with the wild rice. I served this as a main dish for dinner tonight and it was very filling. I used provolone cheese for the cheese. I used about 1/4 cup minced red onion in place of the shallot, no other changes.
     
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Tweaks

  1. Delicious! Creative, colorful, and quite flavorful. I loved the stuffing with all the bits of cherries, nuts, apricots - it was really a nice blend with the wild rice. I served this as a main dish for dinner tonight and it was very filling. I used provolone cheese for the cheese. I used about 1/4 cup minced red onion in place of the shallot, no other changes.
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
 
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