dinner in a pumpkin

1 medium pumpkin
1 tbsp. oil or butter
1 small onion, diced
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
1 8 oz. can water chestnuts
salt and pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. soy sauce
4 c. cooked rice, white or brown


preheat oven to 350 degrees.
line a baking sheet with foil.
thoroughly wash and dry the outside of the pumpkin. 
cut off the top of the pumpkin and clean out the pulp and seeds.  place the pumpkin on the baking sheet.  save the top.
in a large skillet, saute onion and mushrooms in oil or butter.  add ground beef and cook until no longer pink.  drain the grease from the beef.  add salt, pepper, and water chestnuts.
in a large bowl, mix soup, brown sugar, and soy sauce.  add ground beef mixture and cooked rice.
empty bowl into the cleaned out pumpkin and replace pumpkin top.
bake for 1 hour on the lower rack of the oven, or on the rack where the pumpkin can be most centered in the oven.
after 1 hour, remove the top and check the sides of the pumpkin for doneness.  the outside of the pumpkin will turn a dark orange and the inside of the pumpkin should be tender and easily scoop off the sides with a spoon.  if the inside of the pumpkin is still not fully cooked, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.  the cooking time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin.  using hot pads, place the pumpkin onto a serving plate, remove the lid, and stir.  be sure to scoop off chunks of cooked pumpkin into the casserole as it is served. 

*original recipe from www.favfamilyrecipes.com
**i've used ground turkey, instead of ground beef, in this recipe.
**it is a tradition for me to make this the week of halloween.  the kids love it, and so do the adults.