Holiday Inspired Stuffed Pumpkin

This recipe has now become sort of a tradition for me to prepare it every year around Halloween. Partly because I like to display a “sugar pie” or “baking pumpkin” on my dining room table as decoration for Halloween and then as I am a “no waste” kind of gal I like to cook and eat my Halloween decoration! The other reason is because this idea and recipe came from my late father who absolutely loved to cook, eat and experiment with new recipes! This savory pumpkin recipe looks as good as it tastes and is equally festive and decorative and is the perfect recipe for a fall dinner party or even to make on Halloween or Thanksgiving day. I hope you enjoy this recipe and maybe it will even become a tradition in your family as well.

GATHER

1 small or medium baking pumpkin (AKA sweetie pie or pumpkin pie pumpkin)

1 pound grass fed beef

1 yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup shredded gruyere cheese ( tip: buy a block and shred it yourself it will taste MUCH better)

2-3 cups chopped kale ( any variety and feel free to use more if you would like)

1.5 tbsp grass-fed butter

1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs (I used sage, rosemary, basil and thyme)

salt and pepper to taste

MAKE

Preheat your oven to 350F. Wash your pumpkin well as you will be baking the entire thing skin and all. After washing and drying your pumpkin you will want to create a lid or top by cutting 1 inch slits several inches from the top stem of the pumpkin. No need to make a perfectly round “lid” as after baking it will all look the same. You may remove the pumpkin guts and seeds prior to baking or after (see tip below about baking your pumpkin seeds for a snack after*)! If your remove your pumpkin guts and seeds before; be sure to add about 1/2 tbsp of melted butter to the inside of your pumpkin before baking for extra flavor! Place your pumpkin and “pumpkin lid” on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until the flesh of the pumpkin is tender. You might decide to bake first and skip the step of creating a “lid” for your pumpkin but if doing so be sure to make slits throughout the pumpkin to allow air to flow through while baking.

While your pumpkin is baking your fill prep the “stuffing” on the stove top. Keep in mind this next step entails cooking the ground beef and kale and it will only take about 10-15 minutes. If you haven’t already shredded your cheese or chopped your herbs; this would be a good time to do so as the pumpkin will take at least 45 minutes to cook in the oven.

Begin by heating 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat in a medium or large pan. Add your diced onion and garlic and saute until fragrant and translucent. Next add in your kale and cook for several minutes or until tender. If your pan is large enough you may add your 1 pound of ground beef to the pan to cook with the onions, garlic and kale. I used a medium to small pan so I transferred my kale and onion mixture to a bowl and used the same pan to cook and brown my ground beef. Once your ground beef and kale and onion and garlic is cooked you can stir in your chopped herbs, 2/3 cup of the shredded cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Once your pumpkin is tender you will remove it from the oven and stuff it with the ground beef and kale mixture. I always have a little overflow which I just place on the baking sheet at the base of the pumpkin. Top with your remaining cheese and place the baking sheet with the stuffed pumpkin back into the oven and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly. You can chose to place the pumpkin “lid” back on for this final baking time or set it aside as it should be plenty tender by this point. Remove from the oven and top with additional cheese and fresh herbs if desired. Cut into 2 inch slices and serve the entire pumpkin flesh with the ground beef mixture on top. Remember you can eat the pumpkin flesh but discard the rough outer skin or save for composting.

*If you would like you may wish to save your pumpkin seeds and roast them for a great snack. Do so by soaking the pumpkin guts and seeds in a bowl of water. This allows the seeds to come to the top and allows the seeds to become more freed and removed from the pulp/guts of the pumpkin. Once all your seeds have been freed be sure to pat them dry with a towel before placing them on a lined baking dish. Top with 1 tbsp of oil of your choice (coconut and butter work great) and desired Seasoning. I like to add a 1-2 tbsp of coconut sugar and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice and pinch of sea salt. For a more savory option, try adding chili powder or garlic salt. Bake at 350F for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool and enjoy!