A Meal In A Pumpkin Food

STUFFED PUMPKIN DINNER

Steps:

• Wash pumpkin; cut a 6-in. circle around top stem. Remove top and set aside; discard seeds and loose fibers from inside. Place pumpkin in a large Dutch oven. Fill with boiling water to a depth of 6 in.; add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is almost tender but holds its shape. Carefully remove and drain well; pat dry. , In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain well. Cool slightly; place in a large bowl. Add rice, tomato sauce, ham, eggs, garlic, oregano, pepper, vinegar and remaining salt. , Place pumpkin in a shallow sturdy baking pan. Firmly pack beef mixture into pumpkin; replace top. Leaving pan uncovered, bake at 350° for 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the top; if desired, use paper towel to remove excess moisture from top of meat. Slice pumpkin into wedges.

A MEAL IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brown and drain beef along with onions and sausage.
• Cook until no longer pink and drain well.
• Cut top off of pumpkin and reserve.
• Clean seeds and strings from pumpkin.
• Clean well.
• Coat pumpkin skin with shortening.
• Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Spoon ingredients into pumpkin.
• Place top back on pumpkin.
• Wrap foil over the stem.
• Bake on a cookie sheet for 2 to 3 hours depending on the size of pumpkin.
• DO NOT OVERBAKE. The pumpkin should not begin to brown.

DINNER IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Wash each pumpkin; cut a 4-in. circle around stem. Remove top and set aside; discard seeds and loose fibers from inside. Place pumpkins in a shallow sturdy baking pan; set aside., In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, celery and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in the soup, mushrooms, soy sauce and brown sugar. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Fold in rice; spoon into pumpkins and replace tops. Brush outsides of pumpkins with oil. , Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or just until pumpkin is tender (do not overbake). Place on individual serving plates.

DINNER IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Cut off the top of the pumpkin and thoroughly clean out pulp and seeds.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) In a large skillet sauté onions in vegetable oil until tender.
• Add meat and brown.
• Drain drippings from skillet.
• Add soy sauce, mushrooms,brown sugar and soup.
• Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add cooked rice and water chestnuts.
• Spoon mixture into cleaned pumpkin shell.
• Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin, with filling, on a baking sheet.
• Bake 1 hour or until inside meat of the pumpkin is tender.
• Put pumpkin on a plate.
• Remove pumpkin lid and serve meat.
• For your vegetable, scoop out pumpkin and serve.

DINNER IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Thoroughly wash and dry the outside of the pumpkin. Cut the top off the pumpkin and clean out the pulp and seeds. Place the pumpkin on the baking sheet. Save the top.
• In a large skillet, sauté onion, celery, mushrooms, and garlic in butter. Add ground beef, sage, and thyme and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the grease from the beef. Add salt, pepper, and water chestnuts.
• In a large bowl, mix soup, brown sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce.
• Add ground beef mixture and cooked rice to the bowl. Mix until everything is evenly coated with sauce. Empty bowl into the cleaned out pumpkin and replace pumpkin top.
• Bake for 1 hour on the lower rack of the oven, or on the rack where the pumpkin can be most centered in the oven. After 1 hour and 15 minutes, remove the top and check the sides of the pumpkin for doneness. The outside of the pumpkin will turn a dark orange, and the inside of the pumpkin should be tender and easily scoop off the sides with a spoon. If the inside of the pumpkin is still not fully cooked, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin. Sometimes I've cooked the pumpkin as long as an hour and a half before it is ready.
• Using hot pads, place the pumpkin onto a serving plate, remove the lid, and stir. Be sure to scoop off chunks of cooked pumpkin into the casserole as it is served. That's the best part!