Stuffed Pumpkins With Herbs And Bread Crumbs Food

STUFFED PUMPKINS WITH HERBS AND BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325*.
• Cut off pumpkin tops and set aside.
• Scoop out the seeds and membranes.
• Place the pumpkin shells on a large baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
• Pack the stuffing tightly into the pumpkin cavities.
• Cover with the reserved tops.
• Bake until the pumpkin shells are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Serve hot.

STUFFED PUMPKIN (WITH BACON GRUYERE STUFFING)

Steps:

• Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper (see last step for stovetop instructions). Using a very sturdy knife, cut a cap out of the top of the pumpkin (like a Halloween jack-o'-lantern) by working your knife around the top in a circle at a 45 degree angle. Cut out a large enough cap to make it easy to work inside the pumpkin. Remove the seeds and strings from the cap and from inside the pumpkin. Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with salt and pepper and put it on the baking sheet.
• In a large bowl, toss the bread, cheese, garlic, bacon and herbs together. Season with salt and pepper to taste and pack the mixture into the pumpkin. The pumpkin should be well filled (you might have a little too much filling or you might need to add to it). In a small bowl, stir the cream and the nutmeg together, seasoning the mixture with salt and pepper, then pour it into the pumpkin (again, you might have too much or too little--the ingredients should not swim in cream but they should be nicely moistened).
• Put the cap in place and bake the pumpkin for 90 minutes. Remove the cap and return to the oven for another 20 to 30 minutes, until everything inside the pumpkin is bubbling and the flesh of the pumpkin is tender enough to be pierced easily with the tip of a knife. Remove the pumpkin very carefully (it will be heavy, hot and wobbly) and place it on the table or transfer it to a platter. To serve, either spoon out portions of the filling and pumpkin meat, or dig into the pumpkin meat with a large spoon and mix it into the filling before spooning out portions.
• You may also cook the pumpkin in a large Dutch oven and bring it directly to the table for serving.

STUFFED PUMPKIN WITH CRANBERRY-RAISIN BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Cut off top of pumpkin, reserving lid with stem. Scoop out pumpkin seeds and pulp, and reserve for another use. Brush inside of pumpkin shell with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Top with lid.
• Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.
• Brush inside of baked pumpkin shell with 1 tablespoon butter; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Stir together eggs and next 6 ingredients; spoon pudding mixture into a lightly greased 8-inch square pan.
• Bake pumpkin and bread pudding at 350° for 25 minutes. Let pumpkin cool; spoon bread pudding evenly into pumpkin shell. Serve with Lemon-Vanilla Sauce.
• Note: For individual servings, substitute 12 (1/2-pound) pumpkins. Scoop out seeds and pulp; sprinkle each pumpkin shell with 1 teaspoon butter and 1 teaspoon sugar, and bake with the bread pudding. (Do not prebake as with the larger pumpkin.) Spoon bread pudding evenly into baked pumpkin shells.
• For lemon vanilla sauce: Cook vanilla bean, water, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth and thickened.