Spicy Fall Stew Baked In A Pumpkin Food

PUMPKIN STEW

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 2 tablespoons oil. Add water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Stir in bouillon and tomatoes. Wash pumpkin; cut a 6 to 8 in. circle around top stem. Remove top and set aside; discard seeds and loosen fibers from inside. , Place pumpkin in a shallow sturdy baking pan. Spoon stew into pumpkin and replace top. Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil. Bake at 325° for 2 hours or just until the pumpkin is tender (do not overbake). Serve stew from pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving.

PUMPKIN VEGETABLE STEW

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 40-45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

SPICY FALL STEW BAKED IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic. Sautee 7 minutes or until softened. Stir in cumin, oregano and cook 3 minutes more.
• Add Rotel tomatoes, hominy, 1/4 cup water, and salt, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered for 10-12 minutes.
• Uncover and cook 5 minutes more to thicken stew if necessary.
• In the meanwhile, cut top of of pumpkin around stem to make lid. Scoop out seeds and string. Rub inside of pumpkin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Sprinkle cheese in bottom of pumpkin.
• Fill pumpkin with stew, add a little more cheese, then top with pumpkin lid.
• Place on a wax paper covered baking sheet and bake 1.5 to 2 hours, or until pumpkin flesh is fork tender.
• Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.
• Serve stew, being sure to scoop out the pumpkin as well, into bowls and serve hot.

PUMPKIN STEW (COOKED IN THE PUMPKIN)

Steps:

• Carve a hole in the top of the pumpkin; remove seeds and stringy inside, then set the pumpkin aside.
• Brown the meat in a Dutch oven, then add all the cut up vegetables, salt, pepper, and water. Let simmer 1 hour.
• Place pumpkin in shallow baking pan. Fill with the stew mixture. Brush the sides of the pumpkin with oil and cook on 350°F for 2 hours or until the pumpkin is tender. Serve.
• Be sure to get chunks of pumpkin in your stew as you serve it--this enhances the flavor.