The Squash
• Trim, halve and seed it one day ahead of time.
• Roast it a day ahead or the earlier in the day.
The filling
• Chop onions and garlic a day ahead of time; store separately.
• Toast pecans a couple days ahead of time.
• Make the entire filling one day ahead of time.
Options for making the entire dish ahead of time
• Fill squash with ground turkey mixture. Store covered, in a single layer, until ready to eat. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking, if you have the time. Bake uncovered 25 minutes, or until browned and completely heated through.
• Store roasted squash and cooked filling mixture separately. On the night of, bake squash about 10 minutes, or until warm. Meanwhile, warm filling to remove the chill (either in the microwave or a sauce pot). Add filling to squash. Bake 15 minutes, or until heated all the way through and browned.