Chicken Dinner In A Pumpkin Food

CHICKEN PUMPKINS

Steps:

• Cut a series of deep slits crosswise into each chicken breast (do not cut through), about 3/4 inch apart from one another. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, cut each cheese stick in half crosswise so you have into 8 pieces. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
• Fill a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot with 3 to 4 inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Set a rack on a baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, trim the skinny tops from the celery stalks and remove any leaves. Cut eight 1-inch pieces from the skinny tops (these will be your pumpkin stems) and set aside.
• Add the Cheddar crackers and 1 teaspoon salt to a food processor and process until finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
• One at a time, remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk mixture, letting the excess drip off. Transfer to the bowl of cracker crumbs and toss to thoroughly coat. Shake off any excess coating and transfer to a cutting board, cut-side down. Place a piece of cheese on one end of the chicken and roll up to enclose the cheese. Seal with a toothpick.
• Working in batches of two, carefully lower the coated chicken into the oil using a slotted spoon. Fry the chicken until golden, cooked through and a thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 160 degrees F, about 4 minutes. Remove to the prepared rack to drain. Insert a celery stem in the center of each pumpkin so it sticks in the cheese. Serve hot with ranch sauce.

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!

CREAMY CHICKEN & PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Soak porcini in 300ml/1⁄2 pt hot water for 30 mins. Skin chicken and rub the cut side of the lemon over them. Heat oil in a pan large enough to hold chicken in one layer. Add chicken and brown on both sides. Transfer to a casserole.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Melt the butter in a medium pan. When it stops foaming, add onion and 1 tsp salt, then sauté until pale gold.
• Meanwhile, remove the porcini from the water and rinse well. Pat dry and chop small. Strain the water through a sieve, stopping before the last spoonful.
• Add porcini and pumpkin pieces to onion and sauté for 5 mins. Add fresh mushrooms and cook for 5 mins more, stirring frequently. Stir in the cream, 4-5 tbsp of the porcini water and seasoning if you wish. Simmer uncovered for 10-12 mins until reduced slightly, then pour over the chicken.
• Cover and cook in the oven for 30-40 mins, turning the chicken once or twice and adding a few spoonfuls of water if the sauce becomes a little dry.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED PUMPKINS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the water, rice, bouillon and curry powder to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45-50 minutes or until tender. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and shallots 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Reduce heat; add the currants, broth, poultry seasoning, sage and marjoram. Return sausage to the pan. Cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat; stir in rice., Wash pumpkins; cut a 3-in. circle around each stem. Remove tops and set aside. Remove and discard loose fibers; save seeds for another use. Prick inside each pumpkin with a fork; sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Stuff with sausage mixture; replace tops. , Place in a 13x9-in. baking dish; add 1/2 in. water. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil; bake 45-50 minutes longer or until tender. Cut each pumpkin into 4 wedges to serve.

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.

CHICKEN-PUMPKIN ALFREDO

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Cook fettuccine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic; stir until browned and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add half-and-half, pumpkin puree, Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to incorporate.
• Melt remaining butter in a skillet over medium heat. Season chicken strips with sage, granulated garlic, remaining salt, and remaining pepper. Add chicken and cook in the hot butter until golden and no longer pink in the centers, about 6 minutes.
• Add the chopped basil to the pumpkin Alfredo sauce.
• Drain pasta. Add pasta and chicken to the sauce. Toss to combine and serve.

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.