Wild Rice Stuffed Squash Food

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.

WILD-RICE STUFFED SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange squash cut side down; cover sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add shallot, garlic, and sage; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice and 1 3/4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, without stirring, about 25 minutes.
• Remove rice from heat, and stir in cherries and pecans; season stuffing with salt and pepper. Season the inside of each squash half with salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, mound stuffing into halves, and serve.

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.

BLACK WILD RICE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut the squash in half lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place cut-side down on the lined baking sheet and bake until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Leave the oven on at 400 degrees F.
• Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat until the butter is melted. Add the breadcrumbs, increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring constantly, until the breadcrumbs begin to turn golden brown. Stir in the parsley and garlic salt. Transfer to a dish.
• Wipe the skillet clean. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms and leeks until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the kale and garlic and cook until the kale wilts, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice, currants, soy sauce, honey and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
• Scoop some of the mixture into the cavity of each acorn squash half and top with the reserved breadcrumbs. Bake until heated through, 25 to 30 minutes.

VEGAN WILD-RICE-STUFFED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
• Cut each squash in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Arrange the halves in a large baking dish, flesh-side up.
• Whisk together the vinegar, maple syrup and 2 tablespoons oil. Brush the flesh-side of the squash halves with some of the maple-oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Put the squash flesh-side down in the baking dish, then brush the skin side with the maple-oil mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Roast until the squash is fork-tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Let the squash rest until cool enough to handle. Scoop some of the flesh out into a large bowl, leaving about 1/4-inch border of flesh all around. Leave the scooped-out flesh in relatively large chunks.
• Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, then add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the rice, curry powder, cinnamon, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir until the spices are toasted, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups water and bring to a simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 40 minutes (different brands of wild rice may vary in cooking times; add more water if needed). Remove from heat and add to the chunks of butternut squash along with the remaining maple-oil, cherries, parsley, sage, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
• Evenly stuff the scooped-out squash halves with the filling, then drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and bake, uncovered, until the filling is warmed through, about 30 minutes. Cut each in half crosswise and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with walnuts and parsley. Serve warm.

VENISON AND WILD RICE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bring rice and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place squash, cut-side down onto a deep baking dish filled with 1/2-inch of water. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, then drain water and set aside.
• Bring some water to a boil in a saucepan, then remove from the heat. Add the cranberries and let stand for 5 minutes, then drain and reserve. Cook the ground venison in a skillet over medium-high heat until thoroughly cooked and crumbly.
• Stir together the wild rice, cranberries, venison, and brown sugar. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Turn the oven on to Broil. Rub the inside of the squash halves with the butter, then place cut-side up on the baking dish. Stuff with the rice mixture, then broil in the oven for 5 minutes.

WILD RICE, CHERRIES, APRICOTS AND CHEESY STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• 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.

KALE AND WILD RICE-STUFFED WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
• Rub a bit of oil inside the squash and season with salt and pepper. Place the acorn squash cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the rice, 1 3/4 cups of water, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes.
• Swirl a bit of oil in a medium skillet and heat it over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and sauté until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the kale and sauté just until the leaves begin to wilt, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked rice, Dijon, and lemon zest and stir to mix well. Cook for 2 minutes more, adding some oil if the rice seems too dry. Stir in the parsley, walnuts, and Pecorino Romano.
• Remove the squash from the oven. Spoon the rice filling into each half and serve hot.

WILD RICE-STUFFED DELICATA SQUASH

Steps:

• Cook rice as directed on package, omitting the butter. Meanwhile, pierce each squash in several places with sharp knife; place on double layer of paper towels. Microwave on HIGH 5 to 7 min. or until squash is tender; cool slightly.
• Heat oven to 400°F. Cut squash lengthwise in half; scoop out and discard seeds. Place squash, cut sides up, in 13x9-inch baking dish; brush evenly with 1 Tbsp. of the dressing.
• Heat remaining dressing in large skillet on medium heat. Add mushrooms and celery; cook 4 to 5 min. or until tender, stirring frequently. Add cream cheese spread and rice; cook and stir on medium-low heat 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Spoon into squash halves; sprinkle with nuts.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until squash is tender and filling is heated through.

WILD RICE-STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cut squash lengthwise in half; remove and discard seeds. Brush with 2 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon coriander and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Place squash in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan, cut sides up. Bake 35-45 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork., In a small bowl, combine carrots and remaining oil, salt, coriander and nutmeg. Bake 15-20 minutes or just until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in pecans, cherries, sage, garlic and syrup. Bake 10 minutes longer., Rinse wild rice thoroughly; drain. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until softened. Stir in rice and cinnamon, then add broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes or until rice is fluffy and tender. Drain if necessary., Combine rice and carrot mixtures. Arrange squash on a serving platter, cut sides up. Fill with rice mixture. Serve warm.

STUFFED ACORN SQUASH W/ WILD RICE & MUSHROOMS *VEGETARIAN*

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups broth, wine, and sugar to boil in large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until reduced to 2 cups (about 25 minutes) ***Sauce can be made ahead and chilled***.
• Bring remaining 4 cups broth, rice, and 3 tablespoons butter to boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover; simmer until tender and some of rice is split (45 minutes or so) ***Rice can be covered and chilled a day ahead as well; do not combine with broth when chilling***.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Trim 1/2 inch off rounded side of squash to create a flat base for the squash to sit on.
• Divide squash halves between two rimmed baking sheets with the seeded side down and roast until tender (approx 45 minutes).
• Place potatoes in a large heavy saucepan. Cover with cold water and sprinkle with salt.
• Bring potatoes to a boil and reduce heat to medium, simmering until tender (about 15 minutes).
• Drain potatoes and mash them.
• Heat 8 tablespoons butter, cream, and sage in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer, stirring to melt utter.
• Add cream mixture and goat cheese to potatoes, mashing to blend.
• Season potatoes with salt/pepper to taste.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute, stirring often, until soft. (about 8 minutes).
• Fold mushrooms into potatoes and arrange squash halves with the seeded side up on the same baking sheets.
• Divide potato mixture among squash halves (about 1 cup each).
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place stuffed squash in oven and bake until heated through (about 15 minutes).
• Bring sauce (from step 1) to simmer. Whisk 2 tablespoons butter into sauce.
• Combine rice and reserved broth in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil.
• Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Add spinach and stir just until spinach wilts. (about 3 minutes).
• Drain excess liquid from spinach.
• Divide spinach among 6 plates, arranging in center of plate. Drain rice. Divide rice among plates, placing atop spinach. Place squash half atop rice on each plate, pressing to nestle. Ladle sauce around squash and serve.