Recipe: Butternut Squash with Cherries (using bacon, dried cherries, and walnuts)

Butternut Squash with Cherries

Serve as a side dish with chicken, turkey, beef or pork. It also makes an excellent stuffing for pork chops.

1 slice bacon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
6 ounces butternut squash, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
2/3 cup dried tart cherries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs, more if necessary
Chicken or vegetable broth, if necessary

Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp; drain. Melt butter in the same skillet with the bacon drippings. Add onion and squash. Cook 3 to 5 minutes. Add cherries and rosemary. Cook 2 minutes, or until squash is soft. Put squash mixture in a mixing bowl. Crumble bacon over squash. Add walnuts and bread crumbs, mixing thoroughly. Adjust moistness with broth if too dry, or more bread crumbs if too wet. Season to taste.

Makes 2 cups; 4 to 6 servings
Source: Cherry Marketing Institute