DINNER IN A PUMPKIN (from The Tecumseh Herald-Treasure Hunting)

This treasure chest is a 5 to 7 lb pumpkin filled with a hot meal for 8.  Spending the day in Toledo, shopping around while waiting on the car to get tuned-up, my mind kept thinking about the warmed-up leftovers and a cold beer for supper.  HMMMMM...It was worth the wait. 


Ingredients:
1 medium pumpkin (5 to 7 lbs with a slightly flattened bottom so it can stand on its own)
2 lbs. lean ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped red or green peppers
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. lemon juice
1 - 15 oz. can pork & beans
1 - 16 oz. can of chopped cooked tomatoes
1 - 16 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper


Directions:
Wash the pumpkin.  Cut a circular piece out the top to form a lid.  Scrape out the seeds and stringy membrane and discard.  
In a large skillet, lightly brown the ground beef, drain off excess fat.  Add onion and peppers and saute lightly/drain again.  Prepare the rice (not instant).  
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix.  
Place pumpkin on a foiled-lined cookie sheet.  Spoon mixture into pumpkin and cover loosely with pumpkin lid.  Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.  Remove the lid, reduce heat  to 300 degrees and bake for another hour.  
Set pumpkin on romaine lettuce leafs on a platter. When serving, scoop out part of the baked pumpkin with each portion.  Serve with a loaf of warm crusty French bread. 


Celebrate the fall colors with this festive "dish"!