Stuffed Squash

This is the other recipe that works well in a pumpkin. I actually like this recipe better for eating a meal cooked in a pumpkin. Bake the pumpkin for an hour to an hour and a half covered with foil in a 350 degree oven. Do not cut in half. Be sure to put the pumpkin on a pan!

1 Squash (Butternut works well!) cut in half. Scoop out the seeds and add a pat of butter (or two) and brown sugar. Cover with foil and bake for an hour at 350 degrees.

Filling:

1 lb of ground pork or turkey (I use turkey), browned, season with 1 T of Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
Mushrooms if desired.

Saute the veggies.

Mix the veggies with the meat and add:
3/4 C of sour cream
1 T of prepared yellow mustard
1/4 C Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Add filling to squash. Sprinkle with a little more Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Spoon liquid from the bottom of the baking dish over the top when serving.

This is really yummy and when you use the turkey, it's pretty healthy, too! Enjoy!

Hamburger Chinese Rice

The next two posts are great meals for putting in a pumpkin for Halloween. Gut the pumpkin and bake it for an hour to an hour and a half first, just to get it softer before you add the rest of the ingredients. I would cover it with foil and leave the top off. Make sure your pumpkin is small enough to fit in the oven and be sure to use a pan underneath. The pumpkins for pies are a little too small.

1 1/2 C Rice (I use minute rice)
1 or 2 lbs hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper*
3 stalks celery, chopped*
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of water
1 T soy sauce
Chinese noodles (don't use when baking in a pumpkin.)

Cook hamburger, onion, celery and green pepper. Combine all ingredients and pour in a 9" x 13" pan. Cook for 45 minutes, covered, at 350 degrees. Then uncover and put Chinese noodles on top. Cook for 15 minutes more.

*Leave out the green pepper and celery to make it more kid-friendly. I used to leave it out when you were young because none of you would eat it. When I started leaving it out, you ate it!