2 pie pumpkins, about 6 to 8 inches in diameter
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
Pinch salt
1 pound ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice
Heat oven to 350 with the rack in the lower middle position.
Cut off the tops of the pumpkins and reserve the tops. Scoop out the seeds and stringy flesh. Set on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment.
In a skillet, heat the butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and pinch of salt. Cook until the onion is just starting to soften, then add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until all the pink is gone. Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the brown sugar, soy sauce, cream of mushroom soup, and rice. Distribute the filling between the pumpkins.
Add the pumpkin tops back on and bake for 45 to 60 minutes (depending on the size of the pumpkins), until the pumpkins are soft and looking wrinkled.
Present the whole cooked pumpkins at the dinner table, then scoop the filling out to serve, scraping out the pumpkin flesh along with the ground beef and rice.
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