International Frugal Fun Day, Ripe Pumpkin Day, October 7th

International Frugal Fun Day

This site has lots of ideas for frugal fun... but, I think we can combine the two celebrations today.

Ripe Pumpkin Day

It's a good day to go visit a pumpkin farm an pick out that pumpkin for Halloween! And maybe even one to cook dinner in. That's right a pumpkin to cook your dinner in. (And thanks to freshman roommate Christy for the recipe!)

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 medium to large pumpkin
1 1/2 - 2 lbs hamburger or ground turkey
2 cups cooked rice- wild rice is nice for texture
3-4 stalks chopped celery
1 chopped med. onion
1 chopped green or red bell pepper
1 cup of mushrooms or 1 sm. can of mushrooms
2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
3-4 cloves garlic minced
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp pepper
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 c. light brown sugar
4 tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 cup broth- chicken, vegetable, or beef

Cook hamburger until brown in skillet and drain. In separate skillet saute onions, garlic, mushrooms, peppers and celery with butter or olive oil. In a bowl mix together hamburger, and vegetable mixture with rice, and broth, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire Sauce, and brown sugar.

Cut off top of pumpkin; clean out inside seeds and strings. Wash out pumpkin. Add all your ingredients into pumpkin. Put top on pumpkin. Place on cookie sheet in a preheated 375 degree oven for 1 - 2 hours or until pumpkin is soft. Scoop out pumpkin squash with the hamburger for a hearty meal. Serves 6-10.