Wild Rice Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

[Guest guest]

Wild Rice Stuffed Mini Pumpkins

 

Tender young pumpkin stuffed with wild rice and

cranberries makes for a fun and tasty dish. Serve as a

light lunch or with an entrée of your choice, a fresh

green salad, and a glass of dry rosé or white wine for

a beautiful fall dinner.

 

Serves 4

1/2 cup wild rice

3 to 4 cups water

4 mini pumpkins

juice of one orange

2 tsp honey (or maple syrup/agave syrup/brown rice syrup)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 TB chopped pecans

1 tsp orange zest

1 tsp fresh mint, chopped

Preheat oven to 375°F.

 

In a small sauce pan, add the wild rice and fill with

enough water to cover and allow room to boil like

cooking pasta. Bring to a boil and then simmer for

approximately 30 to 40 minutes. The rice is done when

it starts to " pop " the grain.

 

While rice cooks, cut the top off the pumpkins. Using

a large spoon, scoop out the seeds and strings. Place

the pumpkins upside down in a pan with 1/3 inch of

water. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully turn the

pumpkins upright and return to oven until flesh is

tender when pierced with a fork, about 5 to 10 more

minutes.

 

When rice is cooked, pour into a colander and rinse

with cold water. Place the rice in a medium size bowl.

 

Juice the orange and add the honey, mixing together.

Pour over the rice. Add salt and pepper, and stir

well. Stir in the cranberries, pecans, orange zest and

mint. Adjust seasonings if needed. Stuff the rice into

each of the pumpkins and serve.