Featured Recipe

---

Ingredients:

• 2 medium butternut squash (2 lbs each)                
• 3 Tbsp dried unsweetened cherries
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup loosely packed parsley (for garnish)
• 2 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 1/2 tsp mild curry powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
  

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut  squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Whisk together vinegar,  maple syrup, and 2 Tbsp oil.  Brush the flesh side of squash halves  maple-oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and dash of pepper.  Put squash  flesh side down in baking dish, brush skin side with maple oil mixture  and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and dash of pepper.  Roast in oven until  squash is fork tender, 30-40 minutes.  Allow to cool, then scoop enough  flesh out to leave a 1/4 in. border of flesh all around.  Leave scooped  out flesh in relatively large chunks. 
3. Heat  1 Tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onions and  cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown. Add the rice,  curry powder, cinnamon, cayenne and 1/2 tsp 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, 30-40 minutes (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.
4. 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.