Acorn Squash with Jeweled Wild Rice

By Melissa Breyer, Producer, Care2 Green Living

1. 1/2 cup olive oil
2. 2 onions, chopped
3. 1 garlic clove, minced
4. 3 cups vegetable broth
5. 3 cups apple cider
6. 2 cups wild rice
7. 2 cups long-grain brown rice
8. 2 pears, cored and cubed
9. 1 cup dried apricots, chopped
10. 1 cup dried cranberries
11. 1/2 cup chopped fresh sage
12. 2 tablespoon s chopped fresh thyme
13. 1 1/2 cups pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
14. 1 cup chopped green onions
15. salt and pepper
16. 8 small (1 pound each) acorn squash

Cut 1-inch off (and save) the top of each acorn squash and scoop out the seedsyou can cut a little off the bottoms to make them stand up if they wobble over. Melt 1/2 cup butter in large pot over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender. Add broth and cider to pot and bring to boil. Add wild rice and reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in brown rice. Cover and simmer until rice liquid is almost absorbed, about 30 minutes. Stir pears, apricots, cranberries, sage and thyme into rice. Cover and cook until the rest of the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes longer. Mix in pecans and green onions, season liberally to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide the mixture evenly among the squash, top each squash with its lid and bake for 1 hour or until the squash is tender. Serve immediately. (Leftover rice can be baked in a dish for 30 minutes.)