Yield: 8 squash halves
Are you getting tired of the same old holiday recipes? Are you ready to try something creative? Or maybe you have a whole bunch of winter squash that needs to be used? Here is a very unique and tasty Holiday Stuffing that you will love! In fact, it tastes so good, I purposely double or triple the batch, just so I have a nice casserole dish of plain stuffing to serve as an entree! The best part--the main ingredient is quinoa, so it's naturally gluten-free--no special gluten-free bread required!
WASH and cut halves
SCOOP out seeds.
LAY skin facing down (hollow holes facing up) in casserole dish.
COVER with foil.
BAKE at 400°F for 45 minutes.
COOK the quinoa and herbs in a rice cooker or on the stovetop until done. Set aside to cool.
CHOP the veggies and steam them together in a little water until tender.
ADD the toasted pecans and dried cranberries to the steamed vegetables and mix.
GENTLY fold the quinoa or rice into the mixture.
COVER and set aside.
REMOVE the partially baked squash from oven.
LIGHTLY sprinkle salt on squash halves (optional).
SPOON stuffing into squash halves, packing in nicely and making a nice hump over the top of the squash.
COVER baking dish again.
BAKE at 375°F for another 30-60 minutes or until the squash is soft when poked with a knife..
SERVE immediately or cool, covered.
Refrigerated leftover Stuffed Squash makes great sack lunches for easy reheating! Also, any leftover stuffing is amazing by itself, so don't be afraid of leftovers!
To lightly toast pecans, preheat your oven to 300F. Spread pecans--whole or already chopped--onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Then allow to cool for a few minutes before using. This is an optional step--you can use them raw--but it really brings out the flavor!