Traditional Dinner In A Pumpkin

I love being a mama,  but being a mama is a job. I wish I was supermom and could do everything.

Plaid, floral and polka dots. I Think I kindof like it.

 Of course she gets the mixing of prints from her mama. ;)

 Anyone who is a mama would understand.  At the end of the day, after Sunny is bed, and we thank the Lord for our day, I lay there thinking of how much I love my lil stinker. I love my husband too, but the love a mother has for her child is a different type of love.

I love Sunny so much. As I lay there, I reflect on the day that is gone and will never be back.  "Was I a good mama today?" "Could I have been better?" I ask.  Somedays I wish I was better. I wish I had endless energy. I wish I was this....I wish I was that....  The good news is tomorrow is a new day. No mama is expected to be perfect. We are after all, human, and we all have our good days and our not so good days. That's normal.

Dinner In a pumpkin.  Ever had it? 

I think everyone wants a day off from cooking, not just tired mama's. 

 A couple weeks ago, I asked another family if they would like to do a dinner exchange with us. They agreed. We decide on a day and take turns cooking. We chose Wednesday and Friday.  Last Wednesday,  she cooked us some food.  Tonight was our turn. She said she would love to try dinner in a pumpkin, so that is what I made.

It's a tradition to make this every October.

It is basically a meaty rice casserole baked inside a cleaned out pumpkin. The inside of the pumpkin  is eaten with the casserole and serves as the veggie portion. It is mild and very much like cooked butternut squash in texture.

It is very tasty. Even if eating inside I a pumpkin grosses you out, I think y'all will like this. It looks complicated,  but its super easy actually.

Ingredients

1 medium pumkin, cleaned out and pulp and seeds removed.
1 1/2 c. Cooked white rice
1 onion, chopped
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 lb ground beef
1 6 oz can mushrooms
1 can water chestnuts (found in international isle next to soy sauce
2 T. Low sodium soy or tamari sauce
2 T. Brown sugar
1 packet Lipton onion soup packet

Preheat oven to 350. Have cleaned out pumpkin put aside.
1. Begin by sauteeing onions in oil.
2. Add beef and brown
3.  Combine cream of mushroom soup with Lipton onion soup mix and stir into cooked rice.
4. Stir together soy sauce and brown sugar in bowl.
5. Drain grease from beef and add soy sauce mixture to beef. Add canned mushrooms and chestnuts. Stir well and combine with rice mixture.
Scoop mixture into pumpkin. It should fill to top. Replace cut out pumpkin stem top and place on top. Place pumkin on cookie sheet for one hour, or until pumkin is soft and flesh is tender. Enjoy!