pumpkin stew in a pumpkin

This Pumpkin Stew recipe is baked and served in the pumpkin. It's a fun way to cook and serve pumpkin stew. Your family and friends will love it!

1 10 - 12 pound pumpkin
2 lb. Beef stew meat
2 tbs. Oil
1 Bell Pepper
1 Onion
4 Medium potatoes
3 Carrots
2 Cloves of Garlic
2 Sticks of Celery
1 15oz. can of diced tomatoes
2-3 cups Water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Carve a hole in the top of the pumpkin and remove seeds, and stringy insides. Set pumpkin aside. In a dutch oven brown 2 lbs of stew meat in oil. Add in 1 bell pepper(sliced into inch thick slices), 1 onion (sliced), 4 medium potatoes(cubed), 3 carrots(cubed), 2 cloves of garlic(diced), 2 sticks of celery(sliced), 1 - 15 oz can of diced tomatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 - 3 cups of water. Let simmer for 1 hour. Place pumpkin in shallow pan, and place stew inside pumpkin. Brush the outside of the pumpkin with a light coating of oil. Bake pumpkin and stew at 350 for 2 hours, or until pumpkin is tender. Serve while hot. Be sure to get chunks of pumpkin in your stew, as they enhance the flavor of the stew.

chocolate-orange layer cake

This is heavenly and fun to make in the fall!

1 1/2 pkg. (8oz each) cream cheese softened

6 Tbsp. butter softened

6 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. orange zest

12 drops orange food coloring

2 baked chocolate layers (8 inch) cooled

3 squares BAKERS semi-sweet baking chocolate

1/2 of 80z tub of cool whip whipping topping (do not thaw)

Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer until will blended. Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Stack on plate, spreading 3/4 cup of frosting between each layer. Frost top and sides with remaining frosting. Microwave chocolate and cool whip on high for 2 minutes or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Cool 15 minutes and then spread over the top of cake, allowing the excess to drizzle down the sides. keep refrigerated.

renee's perfect homemade pumpkin pie

Nothing is better than a perfect homemade pumpkin pie!!!

a pie pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
one half teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
one half teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3 cups cooked pumpkin
1.5 cans (12oz each) of evaporated milk

Choosing your pie pumpkin...
"Pie pumpkins" are smaller, sweeter, less grainy textured pumpkins than the usual jack-o-lantern types. Grocery stores usually carry them in late September through December in the U.S. In some parts of the country, they are also called sugar pumpkins. Note: the Libby's can of cooked pumpkin is just there for reference - it is the small can, so that gives you an idea of the size of a typical pie pumpkin. They're only about 6 to 8 inches in diameter (about 20 to 24 inches in circumference). Look for a pumpkin that is firm, no bruises or soft spots, and a good orange color. One 6" pie pumpkin usually makes one 10 inch deep dish pie and a bit extra; or two 9 inch shallow pies!

Preparing your pumpkin...
Wash the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap. Cut the pumpkin in half. A serrated knife and a sawing motion works best. Scrape out the insides. You want to get out that stringy stuff that coats the inside surface. I find a heavy ice cream scoop works great for this.
Note: SAVE THE SEEDS: The seeds can be used either to plant pumpkins next year, or roasted to eat this year! Place them in a bowl of water and rub them between your hands. then pick out the orange buts (throw that away) and drain off the water. Spread them out on a clean towel or paper towel to dry and they're ready to save for next year's planting or roast. Click here for roasting instructions :)

There are several ways to cook the pumpkin; just choose use your preferred method. Most people have microwaves and a stove, so I'll describe both of those methods here. But others make good arguments in favor of using a pressure cooker or baking in the oven.

Microwave...remove the stem, put pumpkin in a microwaveable bowl and put the pumpkin into a microwaveable. You may need to cut the pumpkin further to make it fit. The fewer the number of pieces, the easier it will to scoop out the cooked pumpkin afterwards. Put a couple of inches of water in the bowl, cover it, and put in the microwave.
Steam on the stove top...it takes about the same length of time in a steamer (20 to 30 minutes). I use a double pot steamer, but you could use an ordinary large pot with a steamer basket inside it.
Cook your pumpkin until it is soft. Either way, cook for 15 minutes on high, check to see if it is soft, then repeat in smaller increments of time until it is soft enough to scoop the innards out. Normally it takes 20 or 30 minutes in total.

Scoop out the cooked pumpkin...Whether you cook the pumpkin on the stove, microwave, or even the oven, once it is cooked until it is soft, it is easy to scoop out the guts with a broad, smooth spoon, (such as a tablespoon). Use the spoon to gently lift and scoop the cooked pumpkin out of the skin. It should separate easily an in fairly large chucks, if the pumpkin is cooked enough.
Puree the pumpkin...To get a nice, smooth consistency, I use a hand mixer. By blending it, you give the pie a smooth, satiny texture; rather than the rough graininess that is typical of cooked squashes. With the hand mixer, it just takes 2 or 3 minutes!
Make the pie crust...click here for perfect pie crust!
It is also time to start preheating the oven to 425 F
make your filling...
1 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
one half teaspoon ground ginger
one half teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
3 cups pumpkin
1.5 cans (12oz each) of evaporated milk

Mix well using a hand blender or mixer. Pour into the pie crust. I like a deep, full pie, so I fill it right up to about one quarter to one half inch from the very top. Don't panic if your filling is very runny! It may start as a soupy liquid, but it will firm up nicely in the oven!
Bake at 425F for the first 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 350 Fand bake another 45 to 60 minutes, until a clean knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy...Warm or chilled, with whipped cream , ice cream or nothing at all - it's great!

mary lynn's pumpkin muffins

This is one of my favorite things grandma Olson makes when we are in town.

These are great year round!

1 1/4 c. oatmeal

1 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. oil

1 c. canned pumpkin

1/4 c. milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

Combine dry ingredients (first seven). Add wet ingredients (next six), stirring just until moistened. Heat oven to 400 F. Grease 18 muffin cups or use cupcake papers in them. Fill with batter. Top with streusel. Bake 15-20 minutes.

Streusel Topping-mix until crumbly

1/4 c. oatmeal

1/4 c. flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 c. softened margarine

I also have the recipe for a large batch if anyone wants it leave a comment.

candy corn slices

1 package (13.8 ounces) refrigerated pizza crust dough
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1/3 cup pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 13-inch round pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Fit pizza dough into pan, shaping as needed. Sprinkle mozzarella in 4-inch circle in center of pizza dough. Using 1 cup cheese, sprinkle 3-inch ring of Cheddar around center circle; spoon pizza sauce over Cheddar cheese. Create 1-1/2-inch border around edge of pizza with remaining 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edge is lightly browned and cheese is melted and bubbling. Cut into wedges.

fall squash soup

Yummy Fall Harvest Soup!

I made this for lunch for my family and it was so good.

2 T butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 lbs (1 squash is about right) butternut squash--peeled, seeded and cubed (it helps to put it in the microwave for a minute to soften before trying to cut)
2 c water (more if it is too thick)
1/2 t dried marjoram
1/4 t pepper
1/8 t cayenne pepper
4 chicken boulion cubes
8 oz cream cheese (this is what makes it so yummy!)

Add a toasted baguette on top for extra zap!

Saute onion in butter. Put onions and all other ingredients, except cream cheese into the crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Puree squash mixture in blender with cream cheese, you may need to do a couple batches to get it all mixed up without overflowing. Put everything back in the crockpot and heat through.

ENJOY!

michelle's ooey gooey rice krispy treats

1 10 oz bag of marshmallows
7-8 cups of Rice Krispy cereal. (7 cups for really gooey treat squares)
1/2 a stick of butter

First gather all of your measured out ingredients. The process is quick, so you must have all of your ingredients ready. Make sure your grease your pan first, so once you are finished mixing the ingredients you can pour warm mixture onto cookie sheets or pan.

Start by melting your butter or margarine into a large pot on low heat. Allow to mostly melt down. Add 1 10 oz bag of marshmallows to pot when butter is mostly melted. Mix the butter and marshmallows. Coat all of the marshmallows with the butter. Let the marshmallow melt slowly, but NOT completely. The melted marshmallow and butter should still have marshmallow lumps.
When marshmallows are mostly melted, turn off stove and immediately add 7-8 cups of Rice Krispy cereal. (7 cups for really gooey treat squares). Mix cereal into melted marshmallows. Mix from the bottom up, evenly coating the cereal with the marshmallows. Quickly pour onto greased cookie sheet. Spread out the mixture onto the cookie sheet evenly. DO NOT PRESS DOWN. Pressing down the mixture will result in hard square treats.

Allow to cool for an hour before cutting squares. The squares will stay soft and gooey for several days. Store in greased tupperware for freshness.

halloween popcorn balls

1-1/2 cup Candy-Coated Milk Chocolate Pieces
1-1/2 cup Light-Colored Corn Syrup
17 ounce Marshmallow Creme
20 cups Popped Popcorn
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 cups Sugar
2 tbsp Butter

Remove all unpopped kernels from popped popcorn. Place them in a buttered 17x12x2-inch baking pan or roasting pan heated at 300 degree F. Now add corn soup and sugar in a large saucepan and bring it to boil. Remove the pan from heat and stir in marshmallow creme, butter, and vanilla until combined. Pour marshmallow mixture over hot popcorn; stir gently to coat. Cool until popcorn mixture can be handled easily. Stir in candies. Now with damp hands, quickly shape mixture into 3-inch-diameter balls. Wrap each popcorn ball in plastic wrap and store at room temperature up to 1 week. Your Halloween Popcorn Balls are ready to savor.

spider dip

1 (16 oz) can refried black beans
1 (1 1/4 ounce) envelope taco seasoning
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies, drained (or jalapeños if you like it hot)
1 C. salsa
1 C. sour cream
1 C. guacamole
1 1/2 C. shredded cheese
2 green onions, sliced
2 C. shredded lettuce
1 C. chopped fresh tomato
A couple large bags of tortilla chips

In a small mixing bowl, stir together the refried beans and taco seasoning. On a large festive Halloween tray , spread the beans in an even circular shape. Leave room around the edges for the garnish. Sprinkle green chilies over. Smooth salsa over. Smooth guacamole over. Place your sour cream in the end of a ziploc bag. Cut the corner off. Squeeze sour cream on top of guacamole in several concentric circles (or octagon shapes for a more authentic look). Using a knife or the handle of a fork, run lines lightly through the sour cream to make the web shape. Sprinkle lettuce in a circle around bean dip. Sprinkle tomatoes and green onions over. Sprinkle cheese over. Garnish with a creepy spider and serve with lots of tortilla chips!

barbecued bat wings

If you like chicken wings you will LOVE this fun Halloween twist!

4 pounds chicken wings
2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 cups molasses
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
Hot sauce to taste
Salt
Black pepper
Black paste food coloring
Blue paste food coloring
Green paste food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Boil the chicken wings for twenty minutes in a large pot. While the wings are cooking, prepare the sauce. Whisk together the ketchup, molasses, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until smooth in a large roasting pan. Add enough black, blue, and green food colorings to the sauce to make a dark black sauce. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes, stirring once. Drain the wings well and add them to the sauce and toss to coat evenly, poking the wings liberally with a fork. Bake for 20 minutes, then increase the temperature to 450 degrees. Toss the wings in the sauce again to coat evenly. Bake until the sauce is thickened and slightly blackened, flipping the wings over occasionally, about another 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

rotten apple punch

Don't forget the punch!

1 gallon Apple cider
(adjust the amount for the number of people you plan to serve)
Five 1/2-cup containers
(I use Pyrex glass dishes; other small containers or cups will also work)
Red and green food coloring
10 to 15 gummy worms
Punch bowl

Pour apple cider into all 5 small dishes, stopping about 1/2 inch from the top. Add 2 drops of red and 1 drop of green food coloring to each dish and stir until the colors have blended. Hang 2 or 3 gummy worms around the edge of each dish and place the dishes in the freezer. If you use more than 3 worms, the rotten apples won't float as well. Freeze until the rotten apples are solid. Just before serving, slip the frozen wormy apples out of the dishes by setting them briefly in a few inches of warm water in your sink. Float the rotten apples in a large punch bowl filled with untinted cider. For added creepiness, drape the gummy worms over the edges of your serving bowl.

Tip: Do steps 1 and 2 the day before serving the punch.

salty bones

It wouldn't be Halloween without a skeleton -- in this case, one that's been reassembled into a pile of tasty bones to pick. I found this recipe in Family Fun and it became a Halloween favorite in our house!!

1 tube of refrigerated bread stick dough (we used an 11-ounce tube to make 12 bones)

Coarse salt

Unroll a tube of refrigerated bread stick dough and separate the rectangular pieces. Working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough to lengthen it a bit and then use kitchen scissors or a knife to cut a 11/2-inch slit in the center of each end. Roll or shape the resulting four flaps of dough into knobs that look like the ends of a bone. Place the dough bones on an ungreased baking sheet, spacing them a few inches apart, and sprinkle on a little coarse salt. Bake the bones until they are light golden brown, about 12 minutes.

halloween trash mix

this is an easy and yummy snack for any Halloween get together!

1 (16-ounce) package candy corn
1 (15-ounce) package pretzel nibblers
1 (12-ounce) package caramel popcorn and peanuts
1 (15-ounce) package banana chips
1 (15-ounce) package candy-coated chocolate pieces
1 (15-ounce) package dried mango
(15-ounce) package dried pineapple
1 (10-ounce) package toffee pretzels
1 (6-ounce) package sweetened dried cranberries
1 (6-ounce) package worm-shaped chewy candy

Stir together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.

bean dip with bone crackers

1 (16-ounce) can chili without beans
1 (16-ounce) can refried beans
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 (8-ounce) jar chunky pico de gallo
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Toppings: shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, chopped black olives, sliced green onions

Cook first 6 ingredients in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring often, 15 minutes or until cream cheese is melted. Sprinkle with desired toppings, and serve warm with Bone Crackers.

Bone Crackers
2 (13.5-ounce) packages 9-inch flour tortillas
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Cut tortillas with a 3 1/2-inch bone-shaped cutter or kitchen shears, and place on baking sheets. Stir together butter and garlic salt; brush mixture on tortillas.

Bake at 250° for 30 minutes or until crisp.

monster eyes

This is a festive and yummy Halloween appetizer that you and your guests will ghoul over.

Combine 3 cups all-purpose baking mix (I loke to use Bisquick); 1 lb. ground pork sausage (I like Jimmy Dean); and 1 (8-oz.) block Muenster cheese, shredded, in a large bowl until blended. Shape sausage mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls, and place on lightly greased baking sheets. Press 1 pimiento-stuffed Spanish olive (you'll need 1 7-oz. jar) deeply into center of each ball. Bake at 400° for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.n Make about 4 dozen!

salty caramel apples

The perfect caramel apple!!

6 Granny Smith apples
6 wooden sticks
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil. Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan. Place on the aluminum foil. Sprinkle lightly with the coarse salt and chill. Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the apples and return them to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

roasting pumpkin seeds

Roasted pumpkin seeds have a nutty flavor and are packed with protein and fiber. Pumpkin seeds are delicious toasted and salted, but they're even better flavored with sweet and savory spices.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you've removed the seeds from the pumpkin, before the pulp has dried.) Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat. If you prefer, omit the oil and coat with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

Why Carve Pumpkins?

The story of the Jack o'Lantern comes from Irish folklore. Jack was a crafty farmer who tricked the Devil into climbing a tall tree. When the Devil reached the highest branch, Jack carved a large cross in the trunk, making it impossible for the Devil to climb down. In exchange for help getting out of the tree, the Devil promised never to tempt Jack with evil again. When Jack died, he was turned away from Heaven for his sins and turned away from Hell because of his trickery. Condemned to wander the Earth without rest, Jack carved out one of his turnips, took an ember from the devil, and used it for a lantern to light his way. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern."


My FAVORITE roasted Pumpkin Seeds with Cinnamon and Salt

4 cups pumpkin seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
vegetable oil cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet and spread the seeds out in an even layer. Lightly sprinkle with salt and cinnamon. Bake for about 5 minutes, then stir the seeds. Season with salt and cinnamon again. Continue baking, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, or until seeds are toasted.

spiderweb cheesecake

This cheesecake is elegant enough for grownups, but fun for the kid in all of us!!

1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (9 inch) prepared chocolate crumb crust
2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter or margarine

In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand for 1 minute. Heat gelatin; stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat; cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Gradually beat in cream, vanilla and gelatin mixture until smooth. Pour into crust. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Transfer to a heavy-duty resealable bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag. Pipe a circle of chocolate in center of cheesecake. Pipe evenly spaced thin concentric circles about 1/2 in. apart over filling. Beginning with the center circle, gently pull a toothpick through circles toward outer edge. Wipe toothpicks clean. Repeat to complete web pattern. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting.

wicked cupcakes

Halloween is my FAVORITE holiday so I like to do fun kid friendly cooking projects to make it fun for my kids too! These are cute, fun and so yummy....you are your little goblins will LOVE them!!

24 brown mini M&Ms plus , more for filling (optional)
Hershey's Chocolate Cupcakes
Dirty Green Simple Buttercream
12 chocolate sugar cones
1 pound black licorice laces, cut into 1/4-inch, 1/2-inch and 2-inch lengths
12 candy corns

Using a melon baller, scoop out the center of each cupcake, and fill with mini M&Ms, if desired. Cover the tops of each cupcake with a generous mound (about 1/3 cup) of buttercream. Insert one candy corn into each cupcake to form a nose. Using brown mini M&Ms, insert two into each cupcake to form eyes. Place two short lengths of licorice above the eyes to form eyebrows for the witch. Place the shorter licorice lengths above the eyebrows to form bangs. Place an inverted cone on top of bangs, pressing gently into buttercream to adhere. Place the longer licorice lengths under the cone hat to form the hair.

mulled cider

Mmm... the smell of fall!

4 c. water

2 tsp. ground allspice

1 cinnamon stick

1 dash ground cloves

1 gallon of cider or apple juice

1 can (12 oz.) frozen lemonade, thawed

3/4 c. orange juice

1/3 c. honey

1 tea bag (we use herbal tea)

Cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)

Combine the water, allspice, cinna-stick and cloves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and return to a boil. Turn off heat and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 12-18

I got this recipe back east in Charlottesville, where we spent some of our fall days at the top of the grassy rolling hills of Virginia at the apple orchard.

Enjoy this fall infusion throughout your home!

pumkin pot pie

6 sugar pumpkins or acorn squash (1 to 2 pounds each)
Salt and ground black pepper
6 tablespoon butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups canned chicken broth
8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
8 ounces frozen pearl onions or chopped onions
4 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried leaf sage
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk for egg wash


Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice tops off pumpkins. Remove seeds and pulp. Sprinkle insides of pumpkins with salt and pepper. Place pumpkins cut side up on a baking sheet. Cover pumpkins tightly with foil. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or just until skin is easily pierced with knife. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until well blended, about 1 minute. Add broth and stir constantly until mixture is thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Add vegetables, onions, chicken and herbs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and divide mixture evenly among cooled pumpkin shells (approximately 1-1/2 cups per pumpkin). Unwrap pie dough and place on lightly floured work surface. With a sharp paring knife, cut (12) 6-inch-long, 1/2-inch-wide strips, and roll dough to resemble tendrils. Cut small leaf shapes, and with back of knife, gently press lines into leaf to resemble veins. Use egg wash as glue to attach dough strips, twisting gently to form coils. Attach leaves. Brush all decorations with egg wash. Return pumpkins to oven and bake about 30 minutes, or until pie dough is golden and filling is hot and bubbly.

to carve a pumpkin...

This is the best pumpkin carving kit I have found. It has all the tools you will need to make your pumpkin their spookiest!!

dinner in a pumpkin: creamy spiced sausage stroganoff

This recipe is delicious and fun to make for dinner parties!

1 medium sized (10-12" diameter, basketball sized, ~10 lbs.) pumpkin
1 pound ground beef
1 pound (a chub.) mild sausage (we use Kielbasa at our house)
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons oil

1 head broccoli, chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 large green apple, diced

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheddar/mozz/jack cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
dash red pepper
dash pumpkin pie spice

6 cups cooked hot rice, for serving

Remove top rack from oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
Cut the top off the pumpkin and remove all the seeds and stringy pulp inside. Season inside pumpkin with a little salt, pepper, and pumpkin pie spice.
Heat oil in a large saute pan and bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add beef, sausage and onions into saute pan and cook until browned. Add broccoli, carrots and apple into boiling water and cook for 8 minutes to soften (skip this step if you like a little bite to your veg). Drain vegetables. In your biggest mixing bowl, whisk together the softened cream cheese, milk, cheese, parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper. Stir in meat and onions and veggies. Carefully pour into prepared pumpkin and replace pumpkin top. Place pumpkin on a heavy duty cookie sheet or in a casserole dish. Carefully put in oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours at 375 degrees. To serve, scrape sides and bottom of pumpkin to get bits of pumpkin with stroganoff. Serve over hot rice.

* recipe may be halved and prepared in a small pumpkin for a cute little family, or use individual sized pumpkins per person(cooking may vary).

graveyard pizza

16 Halloween OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided

1 pkg. (19.5 oz.) brownie mix

1-1/4 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
White decorating icing and assorted Halloween candies (worm-shaped chewy fruit snacks or bugs)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Chop 8 of the cookies; set aside.

PREPARE brownie mix as directed on package; spread batter into greased 14-inch pizza pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until done.

SPRINKLE marshmallows over top of hot brownie; bake an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until marshmallows are lightly browned. Immediately sprinkle chopped cookies over marshmallows. Cool on wire rack.

DECORATE remaining 8 cookies with white decorating icing to resemble tombstones. Stand "tombstones" around pizza, pressing gently into brownie. Decorate with assorted candies.

mummy dogs

Wrap up this easy and fun dinner for your little goblins!!

Hot dogs
Ready-made croissant dough
Mustard and ketchup

Cut the croissant dough into strips. Wrap hot dogs to look like mummies. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. You can make faces with ketchup and mustard.