I love my Mom. She has done some pretty amazing things in her life. None more impressive than having 5 kids in 6 1/2 years… I know, my eye is twitching just thinking about it! This is a dish she made often in the fall… especially that year my Dad had a pumpkin growing experiment in the garden! I’ve tweaked it to be my own but it still tastes reminiscent of hers. Which is the best kind of food. The kind that brings a smile or laugh and reminds you of a happy memory. Love you Mom!
The sauce is like a thick gravy just coating everything. If you want a saucier gravy double the butter, flour, chicken stock, brown sugar, and soy sauce.
You can do a larger batch in a larger pumpkin but keep in mind you will have to bake longer.
If you have family members who don’t like mushrooms try mincing them up. They really add a wonderful meaty earthy flavor.
DINNER IN A PUMPKIN
1 small to medium pumpkin
1 lb ground beef
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 cups cooked rice (I used Bob’s Red Mill brown and wild rice blend)
salt and pepper to taste
Cut the top off the pumpkin (depending on the size.. I used one about 12 inches across and cut the top third off. If you have a bigger pumpkin you could even cut off the top half.) Set on a large cookie sheet or pizza pan and set aside.
In a large skillet brown the beef.
Add the butter, mushrooms, onion, and celery and cook until softened.
Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring to coat.
Add chicken broth, brown sugar, and soy sauce and cook for several minutes until well combined.
Stir in rice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour into hollowed pumpkin and cover with foil.
Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour, remove foil and continue baking until pumpkin is completely baked through. Pumpkin will be easy to pierce with a knife or fork when cooked through.
Serve filling with scoops of pumpkin as well.
Ingredients
- 1 small to medium pumpkin
- 1 lb ground beef
- 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 cups cooked rice (I used Bob's Red Mill brown and wild rice blend)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the top off the pumpkin (depending on the size.. I used one about 12 inches across and cut the top third off. If you have a bigger pumpkin you could even cut off the top half.) Set on a large cookie sheet or pizza pan and set aside.
- In a large skillet brown the beef.
- Add the butter, mushrooms, onion, and celery and cook until softened.
- Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring to coat.
- Add chicken broth, brown sugar, and soy sauce and cook for several minutes until well combined.
- Stir in rice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Pour into hollowed pumpkin and cover with foil.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour, remove foil and continue baking until pumpkin is completely baked through. Pumpkin will be easy to pierce with a knife or fork when cooked through.
- Serve filling with scoops of pumpkin as well.
