Stuffed Pumpkin

Rayne Dancer

• 1 Sm. Whole Pumpkin or Hubbard Squash, 8-10 inches in Diameter
• 3/4 tsp. of salt
• 2 T. Vegetable Oil
• 2 1/2 lb. Ground Turkey
• 1 tsp. Poultry Seasoning
• 1 T. White Pepper
• 2 Golden Bell Peppers, chopped (see note)
• 1/3 lb. Chopped Precooked Turkey Sausage
• 2 T. Olive Oil
• 2 tsp. Fresh Minced Oregano
• 2 tsp. Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
• 4 Cloves of Garlic, pressed
• 1 1/4 c. Golden Raisins
• 1/3 c. Chopped Green Olives Stuffed with Pimientos
• 1 (14 Oz) Can Skinned Tomatoes, chopped
• 3 lg. eggs, beaten

With a sharp knife, cut a circular top, about 5 inches in diameter, out of the pumpkin. Save this top for the lid. Scoop out the seeds and scrape the inside of the pumpkin clean. (Save the seeds, sprinkle them with a bit of celery salt, and toast them under the oven broiler for a snack while cooking!) Fill an extra large saucepan with about 8 Cups of water, adding 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Place the pumpkin in the pot and add another 1/4 teaspoon of the salt to the water. The idea is to surround the pumpkin with water, so that it boils from both the outside and the inside.

(Alternatively, if you have an electric cooking coil place it inside the pumpkin to boil the water inside the pumpkin.) Cover the pot. Bring the water to a boil, then simmer until the pumpkin meat is almost tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 mins ( the pumpkin should stay firm enough to hold it's shape well).

Carefully remove the pumpkin from the hot water, drain it well, and dry the outside. In a large frying pan, heat the vegetable oil. Add the turkey sausage, olive oil, oregano, vinegar, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and garlic. Add the Sausage mixture to the turkey along with the raisins, olives, and tomatoes, mixing well. Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. Mix the eggs in thoroughly. Fill the cooked pumpkin with stuffing, pressing the stuffing slightly to pack it. Cover the opening with aluminum foil. Place the pumpkin in a greased shallow baking pan and bake at 350° F for 1 hour. When 20 minutes are remaining, replace the foil with pumpkin lid. After removing pumpkin from the oven, spoon off the excess moisture from the top of the stuffing. Allow to cool for 10 - 15 minutes before serving. To serve, slice the pumpkin from the top to the bottom in fat wedges. Lift each serving onto a dinner plate and spoon more filling over the top. The entire pumpkin is edible. NOTE: You can use red or green peppers; golden, white or purple bell peppers have a more mellow flavor. ~~ Serves 8 ~~

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