Stuffed Roasted Pumpkin

A couple of years ago I took my kids to our annual pumpkin patch field trip with our dear friends from school. We talked about pumpkins (of course) and how we celebrate Thanksgiving. My friend Lorene told me that one of their Thanksgiving traditions is to make stuffed roasted pumpkin. I went home that day and told my husband that I would make this super amazing recipe for him and the family soon. Of course soon meant two years later! But hey… better late than never. Thank you Lorene for sharing this family recipe with me and all my readers.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized pumpkin

2 lbs of sausage (you can substitute ground beef or turkey if you prefer)

1 cup of celery, onions, and carrots

1 1/2 cup of minute rice (you can substitute with other grains)

1 tbsp of fresh thyme, salt, black pepper, and herbs of province (or any other ingredients you enjoy in a stuffing)

1 tsp of nutmeg

Enjoy!

Clean outside of pumpkin. Cut a circle around pumpkin stem in order to stuff. I'm super clumsy with knives but found this super handsome guy to help me (don't tell my husband).

Clean outside of pumpkin. Cut a circle around pumpkin stem in order to stuff. I'm super clumsy with knives but found this super handsome guy to help me (don't tell my husband).

Clean out inside of pumpkin of all pumpkin seeds and fringy, stingy stuff. Rinse inside. 

Clean out inside of pumpkin of all pumpkin seeds and fringy, stingy stuff. Rinse inside. 

Sautee your celery, onions, carrots, and sausage. Cook meat about 2/3 done. It will finish cooking in the oven. Add herbs, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Once that is cooked stir in rice and remove from heat. Note: I used quinoa and I would recom…

Sautee your celery, onions, carrots, and sausage. Cook meat about 2/3 done. It will finish cooking in the oven. Add herbs, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Once that is cooked stir in rice and remove from heat. Note: I used quinoa and I would recommend to cook the quinoa half way before you mix it with the stuffing.

Place stuffing in pumpkin.

Place stuffing in pumpkin.

The stuffing should fill pumpkin at least 2/3 to top. If there's not enough stuffing inside, the pumpkin will collapse while cooking.

The stuffing should fill pumpkin at least 2/3 to top. If there's not enough stuffing inside, the pumpkin will collapse while cooking.

Put top back on the pumpkin. Place it in the roasting pan. Cover bottom of pan with 1/2 inch of water (you can also put some beer in the water for flavor).

Put top back on the pumpkin. Place it in the roasting pan. Cover bottom of pan with 1/2 inch of water (you can also put some beer in the water for flavor).

Cook at 350 degree for approximately 2 hrs or until meat of pumpkin is tender. 

Cook at 350 degree for approximately 2 hrs or until meat of pumpkin is tender. 

Half way. Check pumpkin frequently to be sure there is always water in the pan

Half way. Check pumpkin frequently to be sure there is always water in the pan

To serve just scoop out stuffing and pumpkin meat. The pumpkin meat should easily peal back from the skin. It's FABULOUS! Must TRY!

To serve just scoop out stuffing and pumpkin meat. The pumpkin meat should easily peal back from the skin. It's FABULOUS! Must TRY!