Recipe: Dinner in a Pumpkin

I love seasonal recipes! I got this particular recipe from my mom. I remember watching her make it a few times when I was a kid and loving it. Plus, there's just something memorable and cool about eating dinner that was baked in a pumpkin.

I try to make this for my own family once a year - usually in October when it's easier to find pumpkins the right size. It's become a fun family tradition.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Preheat the oven to 375'F
Make sure you move the rack to the lowest setting

1 medium pumpkin
2 lbs. ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp. brown sugar
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups hot cooked rice
​

Cut the top of the pumpkin around the stem. Keep the top and discard the insides (or save the seeds to roast later).

Brown the ground beef and drain the fat. Add the veggies and cook them until tender. Remove from heat and stir in the other ingredients. 

Spoon the mixture into the pumpkin. 

Replace the top.

Lightly grease the center of a baking sheet or cover it with aluminum foil. 

Bake 1 hour until the pumpkin is tender. 

Scoop everything out of the pumpkin and enjoy! 

Personal notes: 
This recipe has room for a lot of variation. We use green onion, a cup of bell pepper, no added salt, and brown rice. Celery would also be a yummy addition.

If you decide to make this for your own family, I'd enjoy hearing from you!