Pumpkins and costumes and candy, oh my!

Our Hallo-week looked a little something like this---

 

Pumpkin carving accompanied by cider and homemade donuts (tradition!).

Treats for preschool.

Super Why! and Raggedy Ann.

The traditional Dinner in a Pumpkin before trick-or-treating.

This is how I make it (if you don't already have the easy recipe):

Dinner in a Pumpkin

Ingredients:

1lb ground beef, browned

2ish cups cooked rice*

1 onion, diced and sauteed (with beef)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Optional add-ins:

mushrooms, sliced and sauteed

sauteed spinach.

1 can water chesnuts, chopped

1 can corn

salt and pepper

*I prefer brown rice since it has more fiber and nutrients before the sugar high... 

somehow that makes me feel better about the candy overload!

Directions:

Scoop seeds out of pumpkin*.

Preheat oven to 350.

Get rice cooking (2 cups water, 1 cup rice).

Brown beef and onions with a little seasoning salt.

Add mushrooms and spinach.

Add cooked rice, can of soup, corn and water chestnuts.

Season with S/P to taste.

Put entire mixture into hollow pumpkin and replace top.

Place on cookie sheet or casserole dish and bake for 1 hour. 

Serve with a big scoop of the cooked pumpkin flesh and a fresh salad. 

*I usually do this on pumpkin carving night so I can skip the step 

when things get busy Halloween afternoon

I hope you enjoyed a spooky Halloween! 

Now, welcome "Holiday Season"! (I cannot believe that.)