Our own Pumpkin Patch

For several years now, we have taken the girls to a Pumpkin Patch in a town about 10 minutes from our house. This year, we decided to grow our own pumpkins. Much to my delight, and because I have anything but a green thumb, we have lots of pumpkins!!
Our last count was 28--that's so exciting!!!

Sometimes they hide very well under the vines, so maybe when we pick them, we will find one(or more) that is hiding. The girls are thinking of sitting on the corner by our house and selling some of them, and of course we will keep some of them.

Here is a fun recipe using a pumpkin---my kids love this dinner!!

Dinner In A Pumpkin

1 small to medium pumpkin

1 onion, chopped

2 Tbls. vegetable oil

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground beef

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. brown sugar

1 (4 0z. ) can sliced mushrooms, drained

1 can cream-of-chicken soup

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1 (8 0z.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Cut off the top of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds and pulp. Paint a face on the front of the pumpkin with a permanent marker. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, saute' onions in oil until tender. Add meat and brown. Drain drippings from skillet. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms and soup. Simmer 10 min. Add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon mixture into the cleaned pumpkin shell. Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin, with filling, on a baking sheet. Bake 1 hour( longer if necessary). Remove lid and serve. Can use pumpkin for vegetable if desired.

Don't you just love Fall??

Be Nice to People,

Julie