Stuffed Pumpkin With Meat 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.

SAVORY STUFFED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the soup, mushrooms, soy sauce and brown sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rice and water chestnuts. , Wash pumpkin; cut a 6-in. circle around stem. Remove top and set aside. Discard seeds and loose fibers from the inside. Spoon beef mixture into pumpkin; replace top. , Place in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Rub oil over outside of pumpkin. Bake, uncovered, until pumpkin is tender, 1-1/2 hours. Scoop out some pumpkin with each serving of beef mixture.

MEAT-STUFFED SUGAR PUMPKINS

Steps:

• Wash each pumpkin. Cut top 1/4 off each pumpkin; remove and discard seeds and fibers. Cut the tops of the pumpkins into small cubes, trimming off and discarding the pumpkin skin from each cube. Mince the pumpkin cubes in a food processor until pumpkin meat is finely ground.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In large skillet, saute meat until no pink remains. Add onion and celery and cook 5 minutes longer. Stir in minced pumpkin, rice, tomatoes, eggs, salt, basil and thyme.
• Place pumpkins in roasting pan. Pack stuffing into pumpkins. Extra stuffing that overflows can be placed at the base of the pumpkins, in the pan.
• Place a piece of aluminum foil over top and crimp it over the sides of the pan.
• Bake 45 minutes or until pumpkins are just tender. Watch carefully at end of roasting time so pumpkins don't overcook.

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.

PUMPKIN STUFFED WITH EVERYTHING GOOD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in the center of the oven. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or use a Dutch oven that is slightly larger in diameter than your pumpkin (in which case, you will need to serve your pumpkin from the Dutch oven, as it may stick, but it will keep its shape better this way).
• Using a sharp, sturdy knife, cut off top of pumpkin, working around the top with the knife inserted at a 45-degree angle to cut off enough to make it easy to work inside the pumpkin; reserve top. Remove seeds and strings from cap and pumpkin. Season inside of pumpkin generously with salt and pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet or in Dutch oven; set aside.
• In a large bowl, toss together bread, cheese, garlic, bacon, chives, and thyme until well combined. Pack into pumpkin; it should be well filled but not overstuffed. You may need to add some bread and cheese or some of the filling may not be necessary to use. In a small bowl, stir cream and nutmeg to combine. Pour over filling; filling should be moist but not swimming in cream -- you may need to use more or less accordingly.
• Place top on pumpkin and transfer to oven; cook until filling is bubbling and pumpkin flesh is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove top and continue baking until liquid is slightly evaporated and top of filling is browned, 20 to 30 minutes more.
• Carefully transfer pumpkin to a serving platter (or serve in Dutch oven, if using) and serve.