Recipe: Dinner in a Pumpkin (using ground beef and rice, HP Books, 1980's)

DINNER IN A PUMPKIN

1 small to medium pumpkin
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground beef
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Cut off the top of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds and pulp.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet, saute onions in oil until tender. Add meat and brown. Drain drippings from skillet. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and undated soup. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon mixture into the cleaned pumpkin. Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin, with filling, on a baking sheet.

Bake 1 hour or until inside meat of the pumpkin is tender (cooking time may vary up to 2 hours, depending on size of pumpkin).

Place entire pumpkin on serving platter. Remove pumpkin lid and scoop out some of the meat mixture and cooked pumpkin. Serve together.

Source: Today's Tips for Easy Living by Dian Thomas, HP Books