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Dinner In A Pumpkin Recipe

I love the Fall. So naturally I want to make foods that are Fall-ish. Foods that include those yummy ingredients that make our hearts warm and our tummies happy.  That is why I love this Dinner in a Pumpkin recipe.  I've been making this recipe for 11 years now and I can't get over how wonderful it is.  This is a recipe that makes mouths water and it is the perfect fall dinner.  Nice and warm with lots of flavor. 
Savory fall recipe for dinner in a pumpkin.  Perfect for Halloween, fall or Thanksgiving gatherings and parties.



I’ll go through some of the tips for this recipe a little later in the post, but don’t be afraid to adapt the recipe to fit your family.  If you love celery, add it.  If you hate zucchini, take it out.  You can also add more brown sugar to the recipe to make it sweeter which people tend to like with the pumpkin flavor.  We like savory dinners to more is just too sweet for us.
  
 It is originally adapted from a recipe that I got from my sister in law.  However, my husband does not enjoy sweet dinner recipes, so I’ve changed up the recipe over the past 10 years and have made it more of a savory dish.

 Savory fall recipe for dinner in a pumpkin.  Perfect for Halloween, fall or Thanksgiving gatherings and parties.

I make this dinner in a pumpkin recipe every Halloween.  Let me tell you, people always ask for the recipe. So I figured, why not share it with my awesome readers.  Just a couple tips about making this recipe with those great pumpkins.

You can grab a pumpkin from your local grocery store or grab one from your garden.  Just make sure the pumpkin will fit in your oven.  I know that sounds like a no brainer, but I have had pumpkins I thought would fit and ended up being just a bit big.  So move that oven rack all the way to the bottom rung and measure that pumpkin.  Make sure the stem isn’t sticking up so much that it won’t fit.

Dinner In A Pumpkin Recipe


Speaking of the stem.  You’ll want a stem.  Since you’ll replace the “lid” of the pumpkin, you’ll need a way to open the pumpkin after you bake it.  So get one with a lid or you’ll be trying to dig it out with a fork.  Been there.  Just trust me on this one.  Also, make sure that pumpkin can stand up on it’s own.  Nothing worse than a pumpkin that tips over in cooking.

Dinner In A Pumpkin Recipe


Once you’ve popped open that pumpkin, gut it.  I personally love to save the seeds to make yummy baked pumpkin seeds. But you can toss them or feed them to your chickens.  Mine love them.


Dinner In A Pumpkin Recipe


Now a few tips on the recipe, chop some onions.  Add them when cooking the beef.  Gives it a lot of flavor and makes those onions nice and tender.  While that is cooking, shred some carrots. If you chop them, make sure they are nice and small or they won't cook all the way through.




Once the meat has browned, you'll add brown sugar, soy sauce and cream of chicken to the meat. You can also try cream of mushroom or celery, just depends on the taste you like better.  I typically will mix these 3 ingredients together first before adding them to the meat.  Just helps make sure the flavors all combine well.

Dinner In A Pumpkin Recipe  Dinner In A Pumpkin Recipe


Once the mix has simmered, add your veggies and simmer just a bit longer.  Finally, add about 1 1/2 cups of COOKED rice.  Don’t try and cook your rice in the pumpkin, not happening.

Dinner In A Pumpkin Recipe

Okay big tip here.  Place your pumpkin on a cookie sheet. This insures that you don't spill all over you oven. If you’ve ever cooked squash you’ll know it gets real soft as it cooks.  You don’t want a sagging pumpkin all over your oven.

Savory fall recipe for dinner in a pumpkin.  Perfect for Halloween, fall or Thanksgiving gatherings and parties.




Place your meat/rice mix into the pumpkin. Place the lid on the pumpkin and bake for about an hour.  And you’ve done it.  Yummy dinner in a pumpkin, plus, it makes a really pretty centerpiece.  You can just serve dinner right out of your pumpkin.  Easy clean up too!  Just toss that pumpkin to the chickens or into your compost pile.  BEST. DAY. EVER!!




Yield: 8

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Delicious fall meal that is made with everyone's favorite fall squash, pumpkin!
prep time: 35 minscook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 35 mins

ingredients


  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 1/2 c. chopped onions
  • 1/2 c. shredded carrots or diced small
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 can cream of chicken
  • 1 1/2 c. cooked rice

instructions


  1. Brown beef and onions together.
  2. Shred carrots and chop other vegetables very small.
  3. Add soy sauce, brown sugar and cream of chicken to beef and simmer 10 minutes.
  4. Add vegetables to beef and simmer 5 minutes.
  5. Add cooked rice to beef mixture and mix well.
  6. Add mixture to hollowed pumpkin and replace the lid of the pumpkin.
  7. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.  Serve hot.
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