Dinner In A Pumpkin

Dinner In A Pumpkin

A Favorite Halloween Tradition

I Love and Bake Pumpkin in any form...except for...Pumpkin Pie...

I Dont Do Pumpkin Pie!
Edit: For more details, click HERE.

The Sunday before Halloween, I serve Dinner In A Pumpkin. Originally, I served this on Halloween before Trick or Treating, however, there is too much excitement buzzing in the air to convince anyone to sit down and eat for too long. The first time I heard about this meal, I turned my nose up and laughed under my breath. When I actually tasted this meal.... I loved it and have made it annually ever since. This will be my 25th year making Dinner In a Pumpkin. There are other variations out there...Halloween Stew, Pumpkin Stew, Pumpkin Casserole, etc. This recipe continues to be my favorite.

Dinner In A Pumpkin

1 Medium Pumpkin (Use a Regular Pumpkin-Not a baking Pumpkin)

1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped

2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 Pounds Ground Beef

2-3 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2-3 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1-2  cans Cream of Chicken Soup 

2-3 C Cooked Rice (You can use brown rice)

1 8oz Can drained water chestnuts (I omit these to accommodate my family) or fresh mushrooms

Salt, Pepper to season

1/2 tsp Garlic Salt or 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

Cut off the top of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds and pulp (save the seeds for roasting!). If desired draw a face on the pumpkin with permanent marker. Set the pumpkin aside.

In a Skillet, saute the onions in the vegetable oil. If using fresh mushrooms, add to the onions and saute together.

Add ground beef and brown. Drain drippings. Add remaining ingredients and stir well until just heated. You may want to add more or less soy sauce and/or brown sugar, salt, pepper, and Garlic salt/powder depending on your tastes.

Here comes the fun part:

Spoon Meat Mixture in to the cleaned pumpkin shell. Replace top on pumpkin and place entire filled pumpkin on a baking sheet or in a baking dish. Bake at 350* for 1 1/2 -2 hours until pumpkin is tender. Time may be shorter depending on the size of your pumpkin. If it is turning dark and shriveling up, it is done. As one hour approaches, watch the pumpkin closely.

Remove from the oven and remove the pumpkin lid to cool inside mixture.

Serve directly from the pumpkin. The inside of the pumpkin is tender and may be eaten just like squash-add some butter and salt-yum.

Serve with corn muffins or rolls, and a green vegetable or salad. You are set!

Enjoy our tradition!http://shauna-naner.blogspot.com/2008/10/time-for-dinner-in-pumpkin-until-you.htmlhttp://shauna-naner.blogspot.com/2008/10/time-for-dinner-in-pumpkin-until-you.html