Pumpkin outside the pie -- and can
Two years ago I roasted a pie pumpkin for the first time. This year I made one of the recipes again. It is aptly called "Dinner in a pumpkin" because you bake all the elements of the meal inside the gourd. The filling is similar to that of stuffed peppers. You can serve right from the pumpkin and it makes a lovely presentation as the shell turns a lovely dark burnt sienna color. When picking your pumpkin, steer clear of the big kind you carve jack-o'-lanterns from. You want smaller pie pumpkins from the produce section. If your pumpkin won't hold all the filling, bake it separately in a covered casserole dish. You can halve the ingredients listed here for 1 small pumpkin or bake it in two. Save the pumpkin seeds to roast and snack on ... a recipe for that follows and includes variations. DINNER IN A PUMPKIN 1 medium sugar (or pie) pumpkin 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef 1 onion, chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1 1/2 t...