October 30, 2011: Dinner in a Pumpkin Recipe

I’m in Mesa visiting my grandson and his family this weekend while they host a Halloween party. As their occasional “resident chef” I wanted to make something that would be truly memorable. I found this recipe online and with a few little Candy tweaks, found it to be the perfect dish for a potluck party. It would also be a great presentation for a Thanksgiving dinner. Try it and let me know what you think!

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 large pumpkin (measure your oven if you want to double this recipe and use a really big pumpkin), top cut straight off and seeds scooped out

2 T. brown sugar

1 t. pumpkin pie spice

1 ½ lb. ground beef

1 lb. bulk pork sausage

1 yellow onion, finely minced (optional)

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 cans beef stock

1 package long grain and wild rice (such as Uncle Ben’s)

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

2 small cans mushrooms stems and pieces (optional)

2 cans French cut green beans

Mix together brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice; rub on inside of pumpkin.

Cook meat over medium heat in large skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Mix in chicken stock and rice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until rice is done.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix remaining ingredients with meat/rice mixture. Spoon into prepared pumpkin, replace top. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and bake at least 2 hours, until pumpkin is tender. To serve, scoop out filling along with pieces of pumpkin.

October 5, 2011: Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole Recipe

I guess I missed out when I was growing up in Wisconsin. According to several friends from the Midwest, this recipe is quite common there (where cheese RULES) – but my mom never made it. I had to wait until I was an adult to taste this dish for the first time; I’ve been hooked ever since. Yes, it’s full of fat and calories, but if you’re looking for a comfort food side dish, this one fits the bill.

Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole

1 package (32 ounces) frozen hash browns, thawed

½ cup finely minced white or yellow onion

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of celery soup

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Colby Jack work well)

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

Dash of Tabasco sauce

1 t. garlic salt

½ t. black pepper

This is a really simple recipe – combine all ingredients and put in a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 – 60 minutes, until bubbly hot.

Tip: You can make this dish in the crock pot; just let it cook for about 2 – 3 hours so that it heats all the way through.

Note: Some people top this casserole with a mixture of crushed cornflakes and melted butter.