Dinner in a Pumpkin

This meal is a fun way to send your trick-or-treaters out in to the cold with full tummies. My mom made it for me every Halloween and now I make it for my family. It's a fun, nutritious way to start the festivities. Plus, if the kids get to pick out, gut and decorate the pumpkin, they will be more likely to give it a try.

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 small to medium pumpkin

1 onion, chopped

11/2-2 lbs hamburger

2 Tbsp brown sugar

4 oz  can of sliced mushrooms (drained)

1 can cream of chicken soup

11/2 cup cooked rice

18 oz can sliced water chestnuts (drained)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut a hole in the top of pumpkin (do this at a slight angle tilted toward the stem. If you cut straight down, your cap will fall in while baking)  and remove seeds and fibers. If you wish, draw a face on the outside of the pumpkin with a black sharpie (the pumpkin shrivels when it bakes, so scary faces work best). Brown meat and onions, drain off drippings. Mix all ingredients in the pumpkin and cook at 350⁰ until the pumpkin is soft (usually 1 to 2 hours). Make sure when you serve it that you scrape some pumpkin off the sides for each serving. It's yummy!