PuMPKiN STeW

I thought I would be a bit festive and add a new fun Halloween night tradition.  We got this recipe from our ward in Cleveland. Sometimes if I don't have time to make the actual stew, I'll just get the canned stuff and bake it in the pumpkin. There's just something so fun about eating it out of a pumpkin!!

2 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes.

3 Tbsp. cooking oil, divided

1 c. water

3 large potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

4 medium carrots

1 large green pepper, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped 

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. instant beef bouillon 

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can tomatoes (undrained) cubed

1 (10 lb.) pumpkin

In a Dutch oven (or just the stove), brown meat in oil. Add water, potatoes, carrots, green pepper, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Stir in bouillon and tomatoes. Wash pumpkin; cut a 6 inch circle around top stem. Remove top and set aside; discard seeds and loose fibers from inside.  Place pumpkin in a shallow, sturdy baking pan. Spoon stew into pumpkin and replace the top. Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil. Bake at 325 for 2 hours or just until pumpkin is tender (do not overbake). Serve stew from pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving.