Stuffed Butternut Squash Roast

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. PREPARE GRAINS In a saucepan over high heat, bring 1 1⁄2 cups water to a boil. Add wild rice, cover, and simmer until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain well. Let cool. BAKE SQUASH Place squash, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake until squash flesh is tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. SAUTÉ AROMATICS (Note: You may need to do this in batches.). In a large skillet over medium heat, cook onions and garlic, stirring occasionally, until onions start to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add orange juice 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time as needed, to keep vegetables from sticking. MAKE FILLING Stir orange zest, cinnamon, thyme, and cayenne into aromatics. Add remaining orange juice, cooked wild rice, cranberries, and roasted pecans, if desired. Stir in spinach and cook just until spinach has wilted. Remove from heat. ADD SQUASH Using a spoon, scoop out as much of the butternut squash pulp as possible, leaving about ¼ inch of flesh with the skin. Coarsely chop squash and add to filling. Season with salt and pepper to taste. STUFF SQUASH Spoon the filling into squash halves. Don't overfill squash. Place one half of squash atop second half. Wrap squash with string, about 1 inch apart. BAKE STUFFED SQUASH Place squash in a baking dish and bake squash for 10 minutes more. SERVE Slice to serve.