Autumn in an Acorn Squash

Ingredients

1 medium sized acorn squash

1 tsp garlic powder

3 Tbs white truffle oil

1 tsp olive oil

2 cup wild rice mix (brown rice), rinsed

5 cups water

1 vegetable bouillon cube

1 Tbs Earth Balance butter

1 leek, sliced, soaked in water, and drained

4 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced in half

1 apple, diced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 Tbs fresh sage, minced

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1 1/2 tsp sea salt

2 tsp freshly cracked pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cut squash in half, scoop out seeds, place on baking sheet flesh side up, rub with olive and 1 tsp white truffle oil, sprinkle with garlic powder, and bake for 50-60 minutes until tender
3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan bring wild rice mix and water to a boil, add vegetable bouillon cube, reduce heat to low, and cook for 45-50 minutes until tender.
4. While the rice and squash are cooking, on low heat saute leeks, apples, sage, garlic, and mushrooms in butter and 2 Tbs white truffle oil until tender, about 10 minutes.
5. Add cranberries, pine nuts, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, and saute for 5-10 minutes on low.
6. Once the rice is cooked add remaining truffle oil, mix, and set aside 1 1/2 cups to use for another recipe (I like to make extra since it takes so long to cook).
7. Mix the rice into the mushroom mixture evenly.
8. When the squash is cooked take a fork and scrape the flesh out of the squash and mix into the rice mixture, the spoon the mixture back into the shell for serving.

This was a recipe that I created after being inspired by my dear bearded friend:) and his wife after they stuffed a pumpkin with wild rice, which was amazing! I added all my favorite autumn ingredients, which made the house smell amazing! This was a perfect Sunday supper:)