Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
   5                    acorn squash
   2      medium        onions
   1 1/2  teaspoons     thyme
   3      cups          wild rice
     1/2  cup           butter
  24                    vacuum packed chestnuts
     1/2  cup           unsalted butter
   2                    bay leaves
   4 1/2  cups          chicken stock
   1 1/2  teaspoons     salt
   3      large         firm pears -- peeled cored and
                        -- cut into 16-slices
                        -- each

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1/2 cup butter in large pan. Add onions, thyme and bay leaves. Cook until tender. Add stock, rice, cover and bake 60 minutes. Melt remaining 1/2 cup butter, add pears and chestnuts. Stir 5 minutes. Mix into rice. Bake until all liquid is absorbed about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Prepare squash - cut in half. Place cut side down on heavily buttered baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until easily pierced with fork about 40 minutes. Fill with rice stuffing - bake an additional 10 minutes.