With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I have needed to start thinking about our menu. And even though I do grow weary of the never-ending focus on food around here, I do love to prepare this big meal and share it with whoever will join us!

Above is a photo of Carnival Squash stuffed with wild rice, craisins, and pecans. I saw this recipe in a cookbook while browsing a bookstore on Cape Cod. It actually called for acorn squash, but our farm had an abundance of carnival squash last week, and it worked just as well. I don’t think we’ll have this for our Thanksgiving meal, but we did try it out this week and it was a hit. (My kids love squash – Yay!)

Here’s what you do: Cut tops off squash, and then cut them in half. Place in a baking dish, flesh side down, and add a bit of water to dish. Cover and bake @ 350 deg. until tender. Cook 1 cup of wild rice in 2 1/2 cups water. Add 3Tbsp butter, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup toasted pecan pieces, and 2/3 cup craisins to cooked rice and stir. When squash is ready, fill each half with the rice mixture and serve.

We ate the stuffed squash with a whole chicken that had cooked in the crock pot all day with garlic, rosemary, and sea salt. What we didn’t eat, I left in the crock pot – bones, meat, fat, juices, and all. To the pot, I added carrots, celery, onion, more garlic, and water to fill. Then I left the crock pot on all night and all day the next day. (About 20 hours.) When I found time, I spooned out all of the meat, bones, and veggies, and then strained the rest leaving only broth. After leaving the both in the frig for a few hours, I skimmed off the fat and poured the rich broth into jars to freeze. I can’t wait to pull these out next week to use for gravy, mashed potatoes, and cornbread stuffing! There is nothing like homemade broth! (Or stock – if you prefer – not sure the difference. Nourishing Traditions has specific instructions for making different kinds of stock.)

And just when I was thinking I should make up some gluten free sugar cookies to freeze for future decorating a holiday eating, a surprise package arrived in the mail. Amazingly, my thoughtful friend Jenny in Oklahoma had sent a gluten free sugar cookie mix with icing as well as a chocolate cake mix with chocolate icing! I couldn’t believe it – and it put a big smile on all of our faces! Our baking will be even easier now.
Thanks, Jenny!