Quinoa and Wild Rice Stuffed Squash

Ingredients

• 2 cups celery chopped
• 10  delicata squash sweet
• 0.7 cup apricots dried chopped
• 0.3 cup cherries dried chopped
• 0.3 cup cranberries dried chopped
• 2 tablespoons sage leaves dried fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 2  onions chopped 1 lb. total
• 0.5 cup pecans chopped
• 1.5 cups quinoa rinsed drained
• 12 servings salt 
• 5.3 cups vegetable broth 
• 1.5 cups rice wild rinsed drained

Equipment

• frying pan
• oven
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. Rinse squash, pierce each with a fork several times, and set in a 10- by 15-inch pan.
2. Add 3/4 cup water to pan and cover tightly with foil.
3. Bake in a 350 oven until the squash are tender when pierced, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, in a 4- to 5-quart pan, stir chopped pecans over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove from pan.
6. Add olive oil, onions, and celery to the pan; stir over medium-high heat until the onions are limp, about 6 minutes.
7. Add vegetable broth, wild rice, and sage. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 40 minutes. Stir in quinoa, cover, and simmer until both of the grains are tender to bite, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
8. Stir in apricots, cherries, cranberries, and pecans.
9. Add salt to taste. Keep warm until squash are ready.
10. When the squash are cooked, hold with a thick towel to protect hands, and cut 1/2 to 3/4 inch off tops (or sides of Delicata) to form lids. Scoop out and discard seeds. If needed, trim a little off squash bases so they sit steady and level.
11. Mound grain stuffing into squash cavities. Set squash lids on filling and serve, adding salt to taste.