Baked & Stuffed Acorn Squash

By ldelmas

Ingredients

• 2 acorn squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1/2 of a medium onion, diced
• 3/4 cup dry stuffing mix
• 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 (8.8-oz) bag long grain wild rice blend, precooked
• 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted & chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush 1 Tbsp olive oil on the flesh side of the squash. Season with salt and pepper. Place the squash flesh-side down on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

Make the stuffing while the squash is cooking. Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a medium-size sauté pan and sauté the onion and celery over medium heat until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken or vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in the stuffing mix and cranberries and set pan aside to cool.

Pour the contents of the sauté pan into a large bowl and add the rice, cheese, and pecans. Mix until combined. When the squash has finished baking, flip each half so it's flesh-side up and divide the stuffing mixture evenly among the halves. Bake for about 30 minutes or until stuffing is heated through and golden brown on top.