Baked Pumpkin With Wild Rice Stuffing Recipes

DINNER IN A PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Cut the top off of the pumpkin--cutting an opening about 5-7 inches wide.
• Clean out the seeds and insides of the pumpkin until the inner walls of the pumpkin are smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Brown it in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Remove grease. Add onion, garlic, carrots, bell pepper and celery and saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Pour mixture into a large bowl. Add cooked rice and toss to combine.

SAUSAGE & RICE STUFFED PUMPKINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Cut a 3-in. circle around each pumpkin stem. Remove tops and set aside. Remove strings and seeds from pumpkins; discard seeds or save for roasting. , In a large skillet, cook sausage, vegetables and garlic over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink, breaking up sausage into crumbles; drain. Remove from heat; stir in rice, 3/4 cup cheese, eggs, parsley, salt and thyme., Place pumpkins in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan; fill with rice mixture. Replace pumpkin tops. Bake 30 minutes., Reduce oven setting to 350°. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until pumpkin is tender when pierced with a knife and a thermometer inserted in filling reads 160°. Sprinkle remaining cheese over filling. Cut to serve.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED PUMPKINS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring the water, rice, bouillon and curry powder to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45-50 minutes or until tender. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles; drain and set aside. In the same skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion and shallots 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. , Reduce heat; add the currants, broth, poultry seasoning, sage and marjoram. Return sausage to the pan. Cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat; stir in rice., Wash pumpkins; cut a 3-in. circle around each stem. Remove tops and set aside. Remove and discard loose fibers; save seeds for another use. Prick inside each pumpkin with a fork; sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Stuff with sausage mixture; replace tops. , Place in a 13x9-in. baking dish; add 1/2 in. water. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Cover loosely with foil; bake 45-50 minutes longer or until tender. Cut each pumpkin into 4 wedges to serve.

STUFFED PUMPKIN DINNER

Steps:

• Wash pumpkin; cut a 6-in. circle around top stem. Remove top and set aside; discard seeds and loose fibers from inside. Place pumpkin in a large Dutch oven. Fill with boiling water to a depth of 6 in.; add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is almost tender but holds its shape. Carefully remove and drain well; pat dry. , In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain well. Cool slightly; place in a large bowl. Add rice, tomato sauce, ham, eggs, garlic, oregano, pepper, vinegar and remaining salt. , Place pumpkin in a shallow sturdy baking pan. Firmly pack beef mixture into pumpkin; replace top. Leaving pan uncovered, bake at 350° for 1 hour. Let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the top; if desired, use paper towel to remove excess moisture from top of meat. Slice pumpkin into wedges.

ROASTED STUFFED PUMPKIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Fill a kettle with water, and bring to a boil. About an inch below the top of the pumpkin's ''shoulders,'' about where it would be cut to carve a jack-o'-lantern, slice a lid from top of pumpkin, and set it aside. Remove seeds and fibrous flesh from inside.
• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the oil, and sauté the onion until it is softened. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in the cranberries, ginger, allspice, saffron and orange zest. Add the rice, and stir until it is glossy. Pour in stock, and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat as low as possible. Cook for 15 minutes. Meanwhile rub the inside of pumpkin with cut garlic clove, and rub with some salt to taste.
• When rice has cooked for 15 minutes, it will be damp and not very fluffy. Adjust seasoning to taste, and spoon into pumpkin cavity. Press lid firmly on top. It may sit above stuffing a bit like a jaunty cork. Wrap bottom two to three inches of pumpkin in a double layer of foil to protect it from contact with water during baking. Place in a roasting pan, and add about 1 inch of boiling water to pan.
• Bake the pumpkin until it is tender when pierced with a knife, about 1 1/2 hours. (If there is resistance when pumpkin is pierced, allow more baking time.) To serve, remove pumpkin from pan, and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes. Discard foil, and place pumpkin on a serving platter. Slice into segments like a cake. Place a wedge of pumpkin on each serving plate, and mound with rice stuffing.

BAKED PUMPKINS WITH WILD RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375° F.
• With a sharp knife, cut a 4- to 6-inch-wide lid off the top of each pumpkin.
• Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers, (use seeds for roasted pumpkin seeds, if desired, or discard).
• Set a square of foil, over the opening cut on top of th pumpkin and set the lid on top of the foil (th foil is to keep the lid from falling back into the pumpkins).
• Place prepared pumpkins in a baking pan filled with about 1/2 inch of water and bake until the insides are tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of your pumpkins.
• Remove from the oven and keep warm.
• While the pumkins are baking prepare the rice.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, and garlic, and sauté, until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in the water, brown wild rice, parsley, salt, pepper, and turmeric, and bring to a simmer.
• Cover and cook over low heat until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork, and stir in the peas, carrots and corn.
• If desired, fold in the Parmesan or soy cheese.
• Set aside until the pumpkins are done.
• When the pumpkins are finished baking, discard the foil; spoon the rice mixture into the pumpkins and cover with the lids and serve.
• When serving, be sure to serve some of the inside of the pumpkin along with the rice stuffing.