Three Cheese Filled Squash with Heartland Stuffing

This recipe was developed by Chef Susan Goss of Zinfandel in Chicago, Illinois.

Recipe Ingredients:

3 medium acorn squash (about 1 pound each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups (about 5 ounces) cremini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 (2.75 ounces) package quick cooking wild rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage or
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
1 cup shredded colby cheese
1/2 cup shredded muenster cheese
4 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. With a heavy knife cut a thin slice from each end of the squash so they will sit flat. Cut each squash in half, horizontally and scoop out the seeds and fibers. Discard the seeds and fibers and season the squash cavities with salt and pepper. Place squash halves in a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Add a small amount of water to the bottom of pan and cover with foil. Bake until squash is tender when pierced with tip of knife, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. While squash is in oven, prepare stuffing. Heat butter in large skillet until hot. Add the mushrooms and sauté until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the cranberries, uncooked rice, salt and ground black pepper. Add the amount of water as indicated on the rice package. Heat mixture until boiling. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is almost absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in walnuts, sage, colby, muenster and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan. Fill the cooked squash cavities with the rice and cheese mixture. Sprinkle tops with remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan. Return to oven and bake until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe provided courtesy of the American Dairy Association.