Red Rice with Butternut Squash and Cranberries

Methods/Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes on a lower oven rack, stirring halfway through cooking time, until the squash is knife-tender.

2. While the squash is roasting, add the remaining olive oil to a braising pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes, to toast the grains.

3. Add the cranberry juice, diluted Veggie-Stock Gold®, and dried cranberries to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pan and transfer it to the oven (on the rack above the one the squash is roasting on), and cook for about 55 minutes, until the rice is tender.

4. Check the squash for doneness; if it's done, remove it from the oven and set it aside. When the rice is done, remove the pan from oven and let the rice stand for 10 minutes.

5. Add the squash to the rice mixture, tossing gently to blend.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.