Stuffed Butternut Squash

11/6/12  Moab, UT

Delicate Arch - Arches National Park, UT

  It's been almost 2 weeks here in Moab, UT.  I've been so busy exploring, hiking, climbing and living it up, desert style.  What an amazing place. 

   I feel very lucky to be able to spend time here.   But also felt  guilty making hot delicious food and having fun, while my friends & family in NJ were being affected by hurricane Sandy in a major way.  Not only without electricity for several days, but my parents home was badly damaged and they can't occupy it again for months. 

   So here I am, fully prepared for a disaster of that sort, with solar power, a back-up generator, a 40 gallon tank of water, and a warm RV to sleep in, all the way out in the sunny Utah desert.  They are all evacuated, huddled, cold, bored, worried and waiting out the power outage, with their belongings left behind.  Some were left with nothing at all.  What a helpless feeling.  

  Thankfully they were all safe through the storm and are now trying to work together and help each other get some normalcy back.  I hope to head there soon and help in any way I can.  

  For now, some comfort food.  My friend just brought me this butternut squash straight from the garden in northern Utah.  The sweet orange flesh of squash balances perfectly with  tomato, garlic, onion, fresh herbs and rice. 

Butternut Squash stuffed with rice, tomato, and herbs

Stuffed Butternut Squash
serves 2
1 Butternut squash
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup soy recipe crumbles or breadcrumbs
1/4 c onion, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine

Preheat oven to 350º.  Cut squash lengthwise.  Remove seeds.  Put squash inside down in a casserole dish, filled with 1/2 inch of water.  Bake about 30 minutes, until squash is tender.  Dump remaining water.
 
On med/high heat on the stove, heat a pan and add onion, garlic, crumbles.  Cook 5 min.  
Carve out inner squash, leaving a 1/4 inch border to the skin. 
To pan with garlic and onion, add tomatoes, carved squash, oregano, fennel, parsley, olive oil, red wine, rice, and salt & pepper to taste.  Mix together well, and spoon mixture into squash.  
Bake, stuffed side up at 350º 20-25 minutes.  Serve hot.

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