Dinner in a pumpkin

Recently, I visited some of my dearest friends. We celebrated with a little dinner party in a pumkin. There is a formal recipe, but we didn't really use it. What we came up with was a spicy, savory, nummy pumpkin full of yum. Here are some pictures!

PUMPKINS!!!

J Scootus and the persimmon after scolding me for opening the oven, yet again to check on my little squash

"This can't be right" Mrs. S. and brioche dough

Monogrammednapkins

Nauseatingly adorable and sweet newly weds Mr. and Mrs. S.

Geniuses J&J

"I just don't know, Mrs. S..."

Pumkin conference -- is the rice cooked or isn't it?

Strawberry, snow pea and chevre on fresh greens with candied almonds and persimmon dressing

gingered yams and roasted pumpkin seeds

Dining table and minted lemonaid



Recipe for Dinner in a Pumpkin

• 1 medium sugar pumpkin
• 1 1/2 pounds Griller's Veggie crumbles or lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups beef or veggie broth
• Whatever veggies you have in the fridge that will be happy when sauteed
• We used about 2 cups of left over home-made pasta sauce with peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, crushed pepper and Italian sausage. You can also use any creamy canned soup or canned tomatoes with the liquid
• 1 cup uncooked white rice*

Preheat the oven to 375. Wash and cut diagonal hole out of the top of the pumpkin, cleaning out the seeds from inside. Save top for later. Saute crumbles or beef. Chop and saute veggies and Garlic. Mix with other ingredients. Put mixture into pumkin. Place in oven in a shallow pan. Replace top. Cook for 2-3 hours.

*If you want dinner faster, pre-cook the rice til it's aldente and cook inside the pumkin until pumpkin is tender -- usually an hour to and hour and a half.