Jeweled Rice with Browned Butter

I'm not sure if this is an authentic "jeweled" rice salad, but it has the essentials of what I'd call jewel-y ingredients: dried cranberries, pecans, and pretty orange butternut squash cubes.

It'd be even better if Jewel were photographed eating the dish decked out in royal jewels and jewel-toned clothing. But hey, you gotta work with what you've got.

The browned butter takes the recipe over the top. Over the top of what? I'm not sure. Maybe the Empire State Building. Possibly over Mt. Everest. All you have to know is this rice salad will make you feel all warm and tingly and intestinally jewel-infested. How appetizing is that?

Jeweled Rice Salad with Browned Butter    Serves: 1 as a main, 2 as a side
1 cup cooked white rice
1 cup cubed butternut squash
2 t. dried cranberries
1 T. chopped pecans
1 T. butter
Salt and pepper
1.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2.) Spread squash on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Mix with the cooked rice and cranberries.
3.) Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Watch carefully and remove when the butter smells nutty and is golden. Pour into the rice and mix. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and top with the chopped pecans.