Acorn Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice Walnuts and Hickory-Baked Tofu

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Description

Ingredients

• 4 med acorn squash (about 1 1/4 pounds each, see note), cut in half
• 1/4 tsp salt, plus additional to taste
• Freshly ground pepper
• Freshly ground nutmeg
• 4 tbl butter (divided)
• 1 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice blend or wild rice
• 3 1/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 cup water
• 3 tbl olive oil
• 1 lrg yellow onion (about 12 ounces)
• 2 lrg cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lrg ribs celery, minced
• 1 lrg carrot, finely chopped
• 1 x to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 x to 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 x (8-ounce) package hickory-baked tofu, cut into 1/4 inch dice
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted (see note)
• 3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Directions

1. Cut each Squash in half crosswise. Scoop out and discard the seeds and strings. If necessary, trim the top and bottom so the Squash will sit level, and place cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. If the Squash is too hard to trim the top and bottom, do it after the Squash is cooked.
2. Sprinkle each half with a little salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Cut 2 tablespoons of butter into 8 pieces and dot each Squash half. Cover the pan with foil and bake until Squash is just moist and tender, about 45 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine the rice, broth, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Drain rice if there is still a lot of liquid in the pan.
4. In a 10 inch saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Swirl to coat the pan and saute the Onion, garlic, celery and carrot until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan, adjust the heat to medium-low and cook the vegetables until crisp-tender, 5 minutes longer. Add the sage, thyme and parsley and saute 1 more minute. Remove from the heat.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, sauteed vegetables, tofu, nuts and cranberries. Taste and add more salt and pepper, and other seasonings, if needed. Mound the rice evenly into each Squash half. Cut remaining 2 tablespoons butter into 8 pieces and dot Squash halves. Cover the pan with foil and bake until rice mixture is heated through, about 20 minutes.
6. Make ahead: Make the entire dish ahead, wrap each stuffed Squash in foil and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered in the microwave for about 5 minutes, or bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
7. Note: You can also stuff your favorite Squash, such as delicata, sweet dumpling or buttercup. If you have stuffing left over, heat and serve as a side dish or use it in stuffed bell peppers.
8. Note: To toast nuts, heat in a dry skillet over medium heat until they start to brown. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to scorch them.
9. Optional seasoning: If you like a curried or cumin flavor, season the rice to taste with curry powder or ground cumin, and add only 1 tablespoon of sage and 1 tablespoon of thyme.