All in a Pumpkin

What's that you say?  Well, it's a new recipe I tried today.  I received it from a colleague of mine.  It tasted delicious and is the perfect meal during the colder months.  It would have been better if I had had a couple of people to share it with me, but alas I ate alone tonight.  I just hope the left overs taste just as good.  House smells great too.
Think of it this way, it's a way to clean out the fridge and have a tasty meal to boot.  Mine tasted almost like a Thanksgiving dinner all rolled into one.  Want to know how to make it?

Well, first you get a pumpkin (a pie pumpkin, or sugar pumpkin is best) you cut off the top, clean it out of the stringy stuff and the seeds (I saved mine and they are baking right now- another yummy fall treat)

Then you want to rub a little salt and pepper on the inside to taste.  Make your filling- it can be anything you like.  I put in prosciutto, cheddar cheese, broccoli, carrots, and dry stuffing mix.  Again, that's what I had on hand, but anything will work, it's all a matter of what you like.  I mixed it all together and stuffed the pumpkin.  After I stuffed the pumpkin I poured 1/4- 1/2 cup of heavy cream over the top of the filling.

I put mine on a baking sheet covered in tin foil ( makes clean up so much easier) I think you are supposed to put the top of the pumpkin back on but I forgot.  My filling was perfect for me, but was told it is much more liquid when the top is on during baking to keep it from evaporating.  You can choose what you like.  I baked it in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 - 2 hours depending on how big your pumpkin is.  Check by piercing the skin of the pumpkin  with a fork if it goes in easily then it is done.  Then you can just cut it into sections- pumpkin and all to eat, just don't eat the skin.;-)

I couldn't eat the half.  It tastes a lot better than it looks I promise.

There you have it: All in a Pumpkin.  Enjoy.....

Autumn

This is my favorite time of year.  There are many reasons picking apples, the color of the leaves, the cool temperatures, but most of all because I feel closest to my grandmother.  You see, this was her favorite time of the year too.  I have so many memories of fall days spent with her doing all manner of things around the farm from harvesting the garden for the last time, closing the pool for the winter, watching her bake and can food, but my favorite was raking leaves.  This may sound strange, but they had a large farm and a lot of trees.  Why would I enjoy the hard work you ask?  Well, one: I loved helping my grandmother, two: I was spending time with her and anytime I was spending time with her was wonderful, three: lots of trees= lots of leaves= large piles of leaves to jump in!!!  My grandfather also had a dump truck that we would fill with the leaves when we were done frolicking in the leaves ( and re-raked), then my cousins and I would climb into the back with all the leaves and take the ride out to the compost pile where we would be dumped out with the leaves.  Probably not something that would be approved of now, but so much fun then!

So breathtaking

wow

I love when one tree just pops from all that green

I've been driving around the last week looking for the colors.  I was amazed, I took a long drive one day feeling very disappointed seeing very few colors other than green, then the very next day taking the same drive the riot of color was astounding.  Then had changed over night.  Then later in the day I was content driving by a bonfire and smelling that indescribable scent in the air.
What is your favorite season?